Ireland - wearing black armbands for a game near October 7th?

[mids2019]

So the Irish football team thought it would be some sort of protest to wear black armbands for their recent mat h against Israel and guess what strangely the Israeli team wore black armbands for the victims of the worst terrorist atrocity in their country. So the Irish were left wearing black armbands for victims of the Israeli Gaza conflict but I guess not the victims of October 7th? No wonder the Israeli players were pissed. Ireland then dress and threw the dummy out the pram by saying they shouldn't be playing Israel again......pretty pathetic.

You can also see how for countries like Ireland October 7th is being erased from history as when they went for their black armband protest they probably very stupidly forgot about the proximity of a day of Israeli national mourning.

https://www.un.org/unispal/document/children-and-armed-conflict-report-of-the-secretary-general-a-79-878-s-2025-247/

the Israeli army is apparently not a terrorist organisation, why is behaving like one?

I’m also baffled by why I had so much push back over the connection between the situation in NI and Palestine . It’s obvious that connection exists when you see how Kneecap use the symbols of Irish paramilitaries and Hezbollah and Hamas.

@OpheliaWasntMad
Speaking for myself, I don’t live in NI, Kneecap have absolutely no relevance to me, and I abhor the terrorists, republican and loyalist (as well as Hamas, obviously).

There is a connection, no-one has denied that, but it’s not a connection that motivates the majority of Irish people. The opposite really for most I’d say. That’s the point and why you’re getting pushback. Most Irish people have concerns about Gaza for humanitarian reasons. They’re not terrorists and they certainly do not support terrorists like Hamas. (I can’t believe I even have to explain that, but it appears I do.) There are a small minority who think otherwise, the lunatic fringes as a pp aptly called them. You’d probably see that support in hardline republican areas in NI more so than anywhere else. It isn’t at all representative of most of NI and of ROI.

Despite my support of Palestine, I did pause yesterday in thought about the events of two years ago . The thought of young people killed and kidnapped while attending a music festival is horrific . Totally condemn that action .

Hamas is to the Palestinians as the IRA was to the Irish in NI . You can support the cause of Palestine, condemn the atrocities being inflicted by Israel without being anti-Semitic or being accused of condoning terrorism. As too you can be angry about the UK involvement in NI without condoning the violence of the IRA.

No one is talking about “the majority of Irish people “. I certainly didn’t.

I actually spent time pushing back on the idea that antisemitism was a problem in Ireland earlier in the thread . After my experience in this thread and listening to @Jewishcraic I have changed my view. I now think Ireland has a much bigger problem than I realised. ( That’s not an “anti Irish” position- I think the same about the UK )

A small loud mouthed minority can have a big effect. That’s what terror groups rely upon.

The popularity of Kneecap demonstrates what I mean about the linking of the IRA and the Palestinian conflict.

at no point did I say this reflects the views of the majority of Irish people.

I agree with you. Most right minded people would.

This thread is actually disgusting and I think MN should remove it.

I'm Irish and actually live here and want to say that I have never experienced any anti semitism from my countrymen and do you know why? I, like most of Irish people, live rurally and don't actually know any Irish Jewish people. They are not a significant demographic here and therefore we don't generally have any thoughts or feelings about them. I studied history and we were taught in school both Irish history and about WW2 and the horrors committed in both. According to my fellow students from England, Irish history was rarely taught in schools so the average English person does not fully understand our history or even relatively recent history. The British media made the troubles look like a one sided terrorist campaign by the IRA without showing the violence and oppression from the other side.

I will say that the October 7th attacks were horrendous and any terrorist attacks on innocents are to be condemned. Most Irish people feel the same. Also, here not all Irish Catholics are terrorists, even if they want a United Ireland.

The problem is in societies where certain demographics are believed to be second class citizens. The British often looked upon the Irish as 'Less than' and to be honest, it is clear that sentiment still exists. It is when certain groups are classed as one mass of thought and feeling, most of Ireland did not support the IRA. Not all Irish people are terrorists, not all Palestinians are terrorists in the same way not all Jews are Zionists. How can people not see that? The terrible October 7th attacks do not justify the abhorrent and disproportionate action carried out upon Palestine. The October 7th victims are afforded names and stories, they have been humanised in the media, the casualties in Palestine though more numerous are not.

Babies are not terrorists. Children are not terrorists and yet they have been systematically killed in Palestine. Aid and food has been cut off, that is genocide just as the Irish famine was genocide.

But for people saying here that they hate the Irish and negating the views of the Irish on here, that is truly shocking. I was brought up in the 80"s and 90's, I want peace, I saw the consequences of hate and do not want a return to that.

“I'm Irish and actually live here and want to say that I have never experienced any anti semitism from my countrymen and do you know why? I, like most of Irish people, live rurally and don't actually know any Irish Jewish people. They are not a significant demographic here and therefore we don't generally have any thoughts or feelings about them”

@Jewishcraic has said she feels that there is an increase in antisemitism. There certainly is in the UK .
Her feelings are more valid than yours in this topic as you’ve said you don’t know any Irish Jewish people.

'Not all Irish people are terrorists, not all Palestinians are terrorists in the same way not all Jews are Zionists'

You're comparing zionists to terrorists, really?? I think that says it all tbh.

'want to say that I have never experienced any anti semitism from my countrymen and do you know why? I, like most of Irish people, live rurally and don't actually know any Irish Jewish people'

Ah well that'll be why then if you live rurally. Surely you've access to social media as you are on mn so have seen the bile being spewed?

at no point did I say this reflects the views of the majority of Irish people.
Unfortunately, I think some on this thread do think the majority of Irish people think like that @OpheliaWasntMad. I accept you don’t (and that you’d said as much already) but I do think the fact you’re continually highlighting connections between Irish paramilitaries and terrorists like Hamas might be easily misunderstood by some on the thread. I think people can assume Irish people largely support the IRA when they very much do not! (I know that assumption has been made by some Americans I’ve met at least. It really is very trying to put it mildly.)

You can support the cause of Palestine, condemn the atrocities being inflicted by Israel without being anti-Semitic or being accused of condoning terrorism.
That’s the thing, @Nofeckingway, you seemingly can’t according to some on this thread. Also very trying.

https://x.com/rachelmoiselle/status/2107534195199513075?s=46

Not a good way to show solidarity with Irish Jews on the anniversary of one of the worst atrocities in recent history.

We have the same problem in the UK ( and across Europe) It’s not only an Irish problem. It’s not anti Irish to point it out.

I wholeheartedly agree @OpheliaWasntMad.
I saw one advertised in the city closest to me and have written a letter of complaint to the institute facilitating it. They definitely should have known better.
Morons, all of them. Such shameful behaviour on Oct 7th. There are 364 other days to hold protests if people wish.

I get that people who don’t know too much about Ireland can make those false assumptions and it is unfair and wrong.
Im only “continually” highlighting the links because I keep getting pushback and have to explain myself further.
Im more than happy to let it drop .

Thank you. Thats really good to hear.

But for people saying here that they hate the Irish and negating the views of the Irish on here, that is truly shocking.

Hating Irish people would be shocking yes, and I’ve seen 1 comment to this effect which was plainly offensive. But ‘negating the views of the Irish’, are you saying Irish people should always have the ultimate view and never be challenged?

I really think as a country Ireland has been fawned over so much and told they’re special and moral that it’s gone to some people’s heads a bit. English people are very used to being ‘robustly challenged’ and having their country relentlessly critiqued. If they’re expected to just take it, you should be too.

Can you please provide evidence that Irish people have been told they are ‘special’? And by whom? And not while holding a bowl of shamrock in the White House on st Patrick’s day. By whom? What official body? In what context? Or are you just being churlish and trying to sweeten your dislike of Irish people?

Well we see it relentlessly from Irish people don’t we?

‘We are the most popular tourists abroad’
’People abroad love us, we’re everyone’s best friend’
‘I get treated better abroad because I’m Irish’
‘Everyone loves Irish people’
’As an Irish person..’ as a precursor for virtually everything they say, whether related to culture and Ireland or not.

There have been relentless threads on here critiquing the English so Irish posters can fawn over themselves. One memorable thread was where they all turned up to say how English tourists get treated badly abroad but secretly everyone loves the Irish and they’ve had hotel upgrades, better tables in restaurants, better service etc all on account of being Irish - because everyone loves them.

The World Cup was a peak example. Endless Irish posters clamouring to display their ‘amazing friendship’ with whoever was playing England, and constantly pointing out ‘how unpopular’ we are and ‘anyone but England’.

Every other country is expected to display a level of self deprecation and self criticism, apart from Ireland, which just relentlessly praises itself and expects everyone else to do the same ‘or you’re hateful, and anti Irish’.

Apparently England are the arrogant nationalists though 🤷‍♀️

You said we were fawned over, and told we were great. Now you are saying we like our country too much as a people. I was hoping for evidence of the other countries fawning over us and telling us we are special and moral. That’s disappointing, it must not be so. Back to work.

You’re absolutely wilfully misinterpreting everything I’m saying, to the extent continuing to speak with you is utterly pointless.

Shouldn’t you be at school?

What a ridiculous thing to say. This is meaningless.

I quoted you and your unpleasant view on Irish people and asked you to provide sources of any kind. I agree it is pointless.

So: "I've not witnessed any racism because I live in a culturally homogenous community"?
Thanks for your valuable contribution 🏅

And any time self reflection is invited its "But...but...NI! The troubles!!!"
Its 2026. Time to take responsibility for where things could be done better in the here and now.