Antisemitism in Ireland

20th century

In July 1940, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) praised Nazi Germany as the "friends and liberators of the Irish people" in a statement, with little to no opposition from the Irish public.[1][2] Meanwhile, the IRA worked with Nazi spies to plot attacks on British troops in Northern Ireland[1][2] and circulated materials accusing Éamon de Valera's neutral Irish government of being owned by "Jews and Freemasons".[1][2]

As per declassified MI5 documents, IRA leading figures Seán Russell and James O'Donovan – both veterans of the Irish War of Independence – were the main Irish contacts with Nazi Germany.[1][2] They got Nazi weapons, plotted joint attacks on British troops, and discussed with Hitler a possible German invasion of Northern Ireland to facilitate Irish "reunification".[1][2]

As per Kurt Haller, an anti-Nazi German diplomat who testified in the Nuremberg Trials:[2]

James O'Donovan [...] asked for German support for the occupation of Northern Ireland [. ...] seemed most interested in obtaining delivery of weapons, ammunition and explosives.

As per Erwin von Lahousen, a Nazi German general who also testified:[2]

Frank Ryan[3] suggest that the German invasion of Britain would be an opportune moment for the seizure of Northern Ireland [. ...] Ryan had told [Edmund] Veesenmayer[4] that [Éamon] de Valera would support [...] provided he considered it a legitimate risk to take.

Controversially, de Valera visited and offered condolences to the German ambassador in Dublin on the death of Adolf Hitler.[5][6]

21st century

In spring 2024, antisemitism in Ireland reportedly worsened with the escalation of the Israel–Hamas war.

In November 2024, IMPACT-se released a report that criticized content about Jewish people in Irish school textbooks.[7] The Irish government disagreed with their conclusions.[8]

In November 2025, a proposal to rename Herzog's park in Rathgar, Dublin was criticized as antisemitic The park was named in 1995 in honour of Belfast-born Chaim Herzog, Israel’s president from 1983 to 1993, who spent his early childhood in Dublin when his father was chief rabbi of Ireland. The Ireland government rejected the name change and urged the councilors to reject the [9] Israeli president Isaac Herzog who is the son of the man after the park was named condemned the move[10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5
    • Douglas, R. M. (2006). "The Pro-Axis Underground in Ireland, 1939-1942". The Historical Journal. 49 (4). Cambridge University Press: 1155–1183. JSTOR 4140154. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
    • "Irish Republicanism and Nazi Germany | Frank Ryan". Queen's University Belfast. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
    • "The IRA's Links with Nazi Germany | Frank Ryan". Queen's University Belfast. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
    • Wood, Ian S. (2010). "Fanatic Hearts: the IRA, 1939–45". Britain, Ireland and the Second World War. doi:10.3366/edinburgh/9780748623273.003.0005. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
    • "Govt apologises for treatment of Irish WWII veterans". The Journal. June 12, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
    • O'Driscoll, Mervyn (May 9, 2017). "Ireland and the Nazis: a troubled history". The Irish Times. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
  3. ↑ A deputy of James O'Donovan.
  4. ↑ An SS leader convicted of crimes against humanity for contributing to the Holocaust in Nazi-occupied Serbia and the pro-Nazi Independent State of Croatia (NDH).
  5. ↑ "De Valera's condolences on the death of Hitler continue to provoke 80 years on". The Irish Times. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  6. ↑ "Eamon de Valera's 'moral myopia' in offering condolences to Germany over Hitler's death put Ireland beyond the pale for many people". Belfast News Letter. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  7. ↑ Goldberger, Inbal. "European Textbooks Ireland Review" (PDF). impact-se.org. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  8. ↑ Prinsley, Jane (13 November 2024). "Jews are Jesus-killers and Israel is uniquely aggressive: what Irish pupils are taught". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  9. ↑ Slater, Olivia KellySarah. "Dublin's Herzog Park set to be 'denamed' by city councillors over Israel connections". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2025-11-29.
  10. ↑ "Israeli president condemns motion to rename Dublin park". 2025-11-29. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
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