Ireland, is this true?

[SR71Blackbird]

Wasn’t sure where to ask this but there’s a piece in the JC about antisemitism in the Irish curriculum. It seems legit but incredulous:

https://www.thejc.com/news/world/jews-are-jesus-killers-and-israel-is-uniquely-aggressive-what-irish-pupils-are-taught-dhqmypgo

Can anyone here verify?

I read the twitter post but I don't have twitter so I can't see the thread. I didn't click your other link because I don't recognise where it's from.

This is your comment.
those telling us there's no hostility to Jewish people in Ireland

point at a comment that has said exactly that.

It is very sad and shameful to read about the Limerick situation and the dreadful Fr Creagh.
The early part of the 20th century was a period of increased anti semitism across Europe ( eg Mosley in England/ brown shirts in Italy) so this sort of bile and hatred was sadly not limited to Ireland.
I completely understand why Jewish people feel insecure and afraid in the current environment and I worried that history could repeat itself.

In Ireland’s defence I would say ( and I speak as a Catholic) that a shameful minority of those right wing hate- filled priests caused even more harm for innocent Irish than they did for the innocent Jewish citizens. So please understand they don’t represent Ireland.

Ireland now is not Ireland 120 years ago

Yes, thankyou. I understand there is plenty of shame to go round! There are many wonderful people in Ireland and I've met nothing but generosity there. That does not for one minute negate the experience of those that aren't feeling such warmth. As with all minorities that are scarred people need to listen. The scorn and lack of empathy & willingness to listen on this thread is pretty chilling I think.

And as for the current situation. I am very sad that Irish Jews are not feeling listened to . It’s not right or fair . They are not responsible for the actions of the Israeli government anymore than the Palestinian diaspora is responsible for October 7th.
I don’t understand why some Irish posters on here won’t even acknowledge the concerns of Irish Jews.

The scorn and lack of empathy & willingness to listen on this thread is pretty chilling I think.
We have listened over and over again.

www.irelandisrael.ie/blog/118-years-ago-today/
This article makes it clear that Fr. Creagh's views were not universally accepted at the time even as it says Considering the norms of the time, where Catholics were expected to address “men of the cloth” with the utmost respect bordering on fear

I think it's obvious that anti-Semitism has seen a steep rise globally and I don't think anyone is saying Ireland is immune to that. I haven't seen that objection from anyone on this thread.

Yes, absolutely. Antisemitism is as awful as any other form of racism and shouldn't be tolerated. But criticism of Israel is not antisemitism. And support of Palestine is not support of Hamas - something the Irish understand more than most. I hope the post upthread conflating Ireland and the IRA is deleted.

Good old Michael Davitt .

Spot on.

Maybe if you tell people what the link is about, we can talk about it. I can see one post because I don't have Twitter, the lady appears to be talking about something historical that happened to her ancestors. Is that correct?

I’ll copy and paste from one post .
“Irish people generally are very good about reckoning with the darker aspects of our history relating to treatment of women and minorities: Magdalene laundries, etc.

I was wondering why, by contrast, there is such intense denial of our history of antisemitism.

I have experienced it for a year. I’m screamed down about my own family’s history; told that it is irrelevant. My grandfather’s store being repeatedly smashed in and daubed with antisemitic graffiti does not matter. It was an exception, not the rule. My ancestors changing our surname from Moisel to Moiselle due to discrimination in Ireland does not matter. It was an exception, not the rule.

Now I see many people descending to eviscerate @simonmontefiore for writing poignantly about his own family’s experience here.

I have never seen Irish people—with such obsessive zeal—seek to deny or minimise any other group’s family experience; ridicule it, invert them as villain for even talking about it.

Perhaps it is because we place blame for the majority of the unsavoury aspects of our history on the Catholic Church; an institution that Irish people increasingly do not associate with. While antisemitism here has roots in Catholicism, it is undeniable that it is primarily a damning indictment on Irish society at large. And Irish people don’t want to look in the mirror.”

This article which I've posted many times I feel gives a good explanation as to why Ireland has such an affinity with Palestine that dates back over 100 years.

One the thing it does highlight is that:
Ironically enough, Ireland started off as pro-Israel. A lot of Irish people back in the early 20th century identified with this idea of this displaced people who have gone through turmoil throughout history — just like the Irish," Clarke says. "And the idea of them getting their own state, their own home appealed to a lot of Irish people. They said, let's give them somewhere safe."
The current Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, traces his own ancestry back to that era. His father and grandfather were both born in Ireland. The latter served the country's chief rabbi, nicknamed the "Sinn Féin Rabbi" for his republican politics and fluent Irish language.

It was well after Israel's founding, Clarke says, when it annexed and occupied more Arab land, that Irish public opinion flipped pretty dramatically.

https://www.npr.org/2024/03/14/1233395830/ireland-pro-palestinian

I'm unsure why you feel the need to keep posting articles that there is antisemitism in Ireland no one is denying that but I and others take issue with being branded and antisemitic state with an antisemitic prime minister, suggesting we've extremists views, that we're demonising the Israeli state, which is simply not true.

I think her points are fair and I’m disappointed that so many Irish posters on here can’t even acknowledge the Irish Jewish community has a point .
You don’t have to agree with Netanyahu to understand that it’s not easy to be Jewish at a time when the only Jewish country is being vilified.

Yes IME I would reckon that most Irish people see both Jewish and Palestinians as people with a history of oppression. NI is so complex and the GFA so miraculous that I think we have a bit of a feel of "both sides can have their points, and both sides can be awfully wrong".

Criticism of Israel's current actions is different IMO.

I don’t think Irish people are anti semitic . But I do understand that Irish Jews might feel vulnerable.
And I do think they have good reasons to feel vulnerable.
Those points can all be true.

Whose denying it? We've all acknowledged that there is antisemitism in Ireland. I grew up amongst the Jewish community in Dublin, we all rubbed along fine living as Irish families in a close knit suburban community. I don't accept that we are an antisemitic state, that is very different to having incidents of antisemitism

I agree. ( especially about the GFA and the need to see both sides)
I don’t think it’s wrong to criticise Israel but it is wrong not to appreciate how fearful the Jewish community might feel seeing weekly marches and hearing the anger.
I’m speaking as London Irish . I didn’t support the IRA but I felt defensive of aspects of the cause . I imagine there are many Irish Jews who don’t support Netanyahu but feel defensive about the only Jewish country . That can’t be an easy position for them.

That doesn't mean the Irish state should button up and not criticise Israel. Nor does it mean that that criticism has come from a place of systemic antisemitism.

Yes - But you know I didn’t say that.

Yes no one should feel fearful and I do think people are getting more aware of not linking Jews in Ireland to the actions of the Israeli government more so now than ever because of the focus this has got in Ireland. Unlike in the UK Ireland has not had weekly marches likely because the government are not supporting Isreali actions. It is also important to point out that the vast majority of Jews are in Dublin so many people in other parts of Ireland are unlikely to have ever met any.

Yes - thank you .

So, she wants Irish people to acknowledge that there was a history of antisemitism? I mean, sure, I have no problem admitting that. Ireland has a pretty awful history of many abuses. Things have changed enormously in the past 20/30 years to the point that the country and attitudes are pretty much unrecognisable from the country that it was. Like Israel, Ireland is a very young country, although incredible strides have been made in the past few decades, I think it is fair to say that a lot of mistakes were made along the way.

Like other posters have said I am sure that some people in Ireland are antisemitic. I'm sure some Jewish people do feel uneasy, unfortunately I am sure that that is the same the world over. If Irish people admitting that makes people feel better about being here then absolutely people should speak up and admit that.

What people object to the most is the very common presumption and one that is often repeated here, is that Irish people couldn't possibly care about what happens to Palestinians, that it is actually hated for Israel that drives them not a feeling of kinship with the oppressed occupied people who are being starved and having their land stolen from them. If Israel stops the oppressing and the occupying, I guarantee Israel would barely get a mention here. Israel is really irrelevant to most Irish people; it's just someplace far away that means nothing to us, the same as any other place far away with very few emigrants, little shared culture, little shared history and little Irish tourism. It's about Palestinians, not Israel, for 95%+ people. Imagine how much your average Israeli cares about ireland, thats about how much the average Irish person cares about Israel.