Latest news with #DermotFarrell
Irish Examiner
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Dublin archbishop urges public to report racist attacks amid rise in incidents against Indian community
The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Farrell, has urged members of the public who witness racist attacks to report them to An Garda Síochána. The archbishop spoke after a spate of attacks on members of the Indian community in Ireland in recent months. The Indian embassy in Ireland says it has received reports of 16 attacks on members of the Indian community so far in 2025 — double the total reported last year. On Monday, the co-chairman of the Ireland India Council, Prashant Shukla, confirmed that the India Day in Ireland festival in Dublin's Phoenix Park this weekend will be postponed amid concerns for the safety of participants. "We are not too much concerned about the safety at the event, we are more concerned about the perception on social media," he told reporters on Monday afternoon, adding that a perception had been created that Indians had "taken over the state" and caused housing problems. "So we want to actually balance these counter narratives, they are very, very negative. We will review the situation and we will announce new dates for India Day this year," he said. Mr Shukla made the announcement after representatives of the Indian community met with Tánaiste Simon Harris at Government Buildings on Monday. Speaking on Tuesday, Archbishop Farrell issued a message of support to the Indian community in Ireland. Archbishop Farrell said many members of the community "have been invited here to Ireland to work in our essential services. They're very much integrated into our society,' he told RTÉ Radio's Morning Ireland. 'The other message I want to convey is that the community in which they live also need to support the gardaí in terms of dealing with this matter because I assume it's a small cohort of people who are making life exceedingly difficult for them when they go out into the public domain." He said people who know the perpetrators should talk to the gardaí, identify them, and call them out so they can face prosecution. Archbishop Farrell said there could be "no place for this behaviour in our society where people are attacked on the public streets simply because of their skin colour." He said he regularly meets members of the Indian community in Ireland who are "looking after our loved ones, our sick relatives, and are recognised as being exceptionally good in the roles that they do. "So we need to support them." Archbishop Farrell said he had heard anecdotally of people from international communities experiencing racial hatred, including being spat at and shouted at on the street and on public transport. "This sort of behaviour is just completely and utterly unacceptable," he said. He also said that, as a community, "we need to deal with it as well as the guards can't deal with this just on their own, they need community support". 'They're writing to all of our parishes and parish councils, they're asking them to support the community and to help with them, help them particularly through this difficult time," he added. "They also intend to write to the schools. You know, when they open now in a couple of weeks' time – because I think schools are a good place to bring about the integration of the different communities in our country, and they're doing a good job of that, but just to encourage them to continue along that line and to name what's actually happening by some elements in our society.'
RTÉ News
7 hours ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
A call for unity following attacks on Indian community
Archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Farrell, explains his call for unity after attacks on members of the Indian Community in Dublin.
BreakingNews.ie
8 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell urges public to report any racist attacks they see
The Catholic archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Farrell, has issued a message of support to the Indian community in Ireland. 'Many of these members of the community have been invited here to Ireland to work in our essential services. They're very much integrated into our society,' he told RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland. Advertisement 'The other message I want to convey is that the community in which they live also need to support the gardaí in terms of dealing with this matter because I assume it's a small cohort of people who are making life exceedingly difficult for them when they go out into the public domain. 'There are people who know these people who are doing this, and what we need to do is to come and talk to the gardaí and identify them, and actually call them out, so that they can be prosecuted. There's no place for this behaviour in our society, where people are attacked on the public streets simply because of their skin colour," Archbishop Farrell said. "When you think about it, I've been in and out of hospitals and nursing homes on a regular basis. I meet many, many members of this community who are looking after our loved ones, our sick relatives, and are recognised as being exceptionally good in the roles that they do. So we need to support them. 'We have some Syro Malabar priests here in the city of Dublin, who are priests working in the Irish Diocese, and I had a meeting with them last week. And they specifically mentioned this to me about the attacks that were happening in the city, and in particular parts of the city. So I was aware of them from that point of view." Advertisement He also said he has asked people if they experience racial hatred, and that they say yes. 'Anecdotally, you'd meet people, because sometimes I ask people, do they experience racial hatred? And sometimes, yes, they say they do, particularly when they're on the street. But not all with violence, of course. You know, there's people spitting at them, people shouting at them. People shouting them on buses, you know, this sort of behaviour is just completely and utterly unacceptable. And as a community, we need to deal with it as well, as the guards can't deal with this just on their own; they need community support. 'They're writing to all of our parishes and parish councils, they're asking them to support the community and to help with them, help them particularly through this difficult time. They also intend to write to the schools, you know, when they open now in a couple of weeks' time – because I think schools are a good place to bring about the integration of the different communities in our country, and they're doing a good job of that, but just to encourage them to continue along that line and to name what's actually happening by some elements in our society.'
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Event in Dublin postponed as organisers ‘concerned about safety' after spate of attacks as ‘time to stand up' call made
The event has been held in Ireland since 2015 SAFETY FEARS Event in Dublin postponed as organisers 'concerned about safety' after spate of attacks as 'time to stand up' call made ONE of Ireland's top clerics has slammed the recent spate of unprovoked attacks on members of the Indian community in the capital and raged: We must call out racism when we see it. This comes as India Day in Ireland has been postponed following a 'spate of violent attacks' on members of its community in recent months. 3 Chair of the Ireland India Council Prashant Shukla said the decision was 'very difficult' Credit: PA 3 Aparna Shukla has asked for a cross-departmental taskforce to address the violent attacks Credit: PA 3 Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell said the recent attacks 'have been truly shocking' Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk The co-chairman of the Ireland India Council, Prashant Shukla, said making the decision was 'very difficult' and 'emotional', but that the safety and security of the community was more important. He said the event has been held in Ireland since 2015 and this had never happened before. Hundreds of performers had been preparing for the event at Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park on Sunday. Mr Shukla said: 'We are not too much concerned about the safety at the event, we are more concerned about the perception on social media.' He said that there has been an online perception created that Indians have 'taken over the state' and caused housing problems. He continued: 'So we want to actually balance these counter narratives, they are very very negative. 'We will review the situation and we will announce new dates for India Day this year.' Separately, Archbishop Dermot Farrell today released a statement urging people to stand up to the thugs terrorising the immigrant community in Dublin. The Ireland India Council met with Tanaiste Simon Harris this afternoon to ask for a cross-departmental taskforce to address the recent spate of violent attacks. Archbishop Farrell said: 'Recent attacks on members of the Indian community in Dublin have been truly shocking. Five people killed in 48 hours on Irish roads as Gardai issue safety appeal after telling 'dreaded news' to families 'These unprovoked attacks on people, including a child, who were apparently targeted solely because of their ethnic identity, have generated understandable fear and alarm among the Indian community. 'The truth is that the Indian community in Dublin comprises many people who have come to Dublin to make an important and valued contribution to our society. 'We are all familiar with the vital presence of Indian professionals in our healthcare system, without whom many healthcare needs simply could not be met. Others apply their skills in other important sectors of the economy and also contribute to funding public services through their taxes. 'It is time to call out those who peddle racial hatred. It is time to stand up to those who seek to divide our community through rumour and malice.' VIGIL HELD The issue has been highlighted after an Indian man was the victim of an unprovoked attack in Tallaght, Dublin, last month. A silent vigil was held outside the Department of Justice by Friends Of India in response. The Indian embassy in Dublin has also issued a warning that there has been 'an increase in the instances of physical attacks reported against Indian citizens in Ireland recently'. PRECAUTION URGED They said Indian citizens in Ireland should take 'reasonable' precautions and avoid deserted areas. Fine Gael leader Harris has said he was 'deeply concerned' about the incidents and that he was particularly affected by a reported attack on a six-year-old girl in Waterford. He said one of the most concerning things was the 'very young age of those that have been involved in some of this racist activity'. The Ireland India Council said they wanted assaults on members of the Indian community to be recognised as hate crimes, to ensure the offences are 'appropriately recorded and addressed'. On Sunday, Minister of State Colm Brophy said he wanted the incoming Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly to prioritise addressing these incidents.
Irish Daily Mirror
24-04-2025
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
Crowds gather to sign book of condolences for Pope Francis at Pro Cathedral
Queues formed outside Dublin's Pro Cathedral on Wednesday morning as faithfuls waited to sign a book of condolences for Pope Francis. The church has a special connection to the late pontiff, who visited the cathedral during his 36-hour trip to Ireland in 2018. Led by Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell, the church placed the book beside a framed photo of the pope to the right of the altar. By afternoon, long queues had died down but dozens waited inside as others trickled in to pay their respects. One of those signing the book was Rosemary Connolly, from Co Down, who said Pope Francis meant a lot to her. She told the Irish Mirror: 'I think he was a great pope for our time, any time really. It was his profound humanity, his empathy for the more disadvantaged, and we are unfortunately in a world that is bereft of anything like that. 'He stood out, he was always decent and good and he radiated that.' Rosemary travelled down to Dublin to spend the day with her daughter Eimear Burns Convery, who is sad that the world lost a decent man. She said: 'He was definitely a really great pope, he was more progressive, which connected much more with me as a younger person in the church and he will definitely be missed. He had such a kind way about him, very much like Francis the saint, he connected with that title and he had a good sense of humour as well. 'He will be missed, at the minute things seem very scary and it's sad to lose a very poignant and amazing figure who could have done a lot of good.' Liam O'Keefe travelled from Kildare Town to sign the book of condolences in Dublin's Pro Cathedral on Wednesday. He believes Pope Francis was 'a humble man' who 'changed the way the Vatican was being run'. The Kildare man added: 'He was less conservative, particularly with transgender people, he was trying to reach out to all of them. I hope the next pope follows in his footsteps. 'I prayed for him to get better and thanked the lord for making him so well when he came out, it was great to see him blessing people in St Peters Square on Easter Sunday. Then when I turned on the radio on Monday to hear he had died, it came as a shock.' Angela Farrelly, from Kilnamanagh, Dublin, brought her eight-year-old grandson Joe Coady in to pay his respects to the pope. She said: 'I think he was the only child there but he said he would like to do it! 'Sometimes I don't agree with everything in the Catholic Church but I found the pope to be trying to make a change and that's important; hopefully the next pope will continue that. He was very good to the poor, I remember when he became pope he went down to pay his own bill after buying his papers, that will be his legacy. He was a kind man.' Dermot Holmes, from Mullingar, Co Westmeath, said he would like to see the next pontiff be like Pope Francis, and make a change. He said: 'As far as religion goes, the perception was that he was changing things so it will be interesting to see who takes his place and what is going to happen. 'I have four kids between 25 and 35 and religion is the last thing on their radar. They are going to have to do something serious to get that generation back in, I don't know how they are going to get around it- changes definitely. I can't understand how women haven't been going up in arms that they aren't in more power. "If you go into any mass the women are fixing the altar, doing all the jobs but they aren't able to climb the hierarchy.' Ken Fitzsimons, from Tallaght in Dublin, also hopes that the next pope will bring change to the Catholic Church. He believes the first step is allowing priests to marry. He said: 'I think there's big decisions to be made now and priests getting married will be one of them, otherwise it's going to die. [Pope Francis] was pretty good overall I thought, he was less conservative than previous ones and he was very open. He was more with the people than other ones.' Books of condolences for Pope Francis have opened all across the country and around the globe. Fianna Fáil TD Sean Fleming signed the book in the Holy See Apostolic Nunciature in Dublin on Wednesday, as he reflected on meeting the pontiff twice. He and his wife Mary had a private audience with Pope Francis last December before he represented Ireland at a Consistory in St. Peter's Basilica, where 21 new Cardinals were being appointed. Speaking fondly of the late pope, Deputy Fleming said: 'My abiding memory is that he was a kind, gentle, friendly and holy person and it was almost like speaking to an elderly parent. 'I presented him with a St. Brigid's Cross and told him the story of St. Brigid and that Ireland has recently made her feast day a public bank holiday. He spoke strongly about the wars in the World and he was very disappointed that Europe was not playing a greater part in protecting innocent civilians around the world and especially in Gaza.'
