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Irish Times
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
De Valera's condolences on the death of Hitler continue to provoke 80 years on
There was no book of condolences and it was a legation not an embassy, but the finer details hardly matter at this remove. Taoiseach Éamon de Valera's visit to the German representative in Dublin (not the ambassador as commonly presumed), Dr Eduard Hempel, on May 2nd, 1945, brought worldwide infamy on him and on Ireland. De Valera addressed the Dáil in the morning and then travelled to No 58 Northumberland Road to express his condolences on the death of Adolf Hitler , who had died by suicide in his Berlin bunker two days previously. De Valera knew this would be controversial. Both the secretary general of department of external affairs Joseph Walshe, who travelled with him to the fateful meeting, and his deputy Frederick Boland tried to deter de Valera and warned of the consequences to the country's reputation, already low because of Irish neutrality during the second World War . READ MORE De Valera never deigned to offer a public explanation, instead telling his representative in the United States , Robert Brennan, that he would observe diplomatic protocols to the last irrespective of the consequences. He justified it on the basis that it would be an 'unpardonable discourtesy' to the German nation and to Dr Hempel as his conduct during the war was 'irreproachable ... I certainly was not going to add to his humiliation in the hour of defeat'. Last December the National Archives of Ireland released files covering Ireland's legation in Washington during the war, much of it surrounding the reaction to de Valera's visit. There was already a great deal of hostility towards Ireland in the US because of Irish neutrality, and some of the greatest criticism of de Valera's actions came from Irish Americans. 'I respectfully ask you to close the Irish legation. It is a standing insult to all of us. You stink, you are swine,' James O'Callaghan cabled, adding that he was from Donegal. 'Please give us full facts concerning de Valera's actions on the death of Adolf Hitler. Local controversy makes immediate answer imperative,' cabled Jack O'Loan, the secretary of the Gaelic League in Detroit. 'Every man and woman of Irish blood regrets the stupid action of prime minister [sic] Éamon de Valera of Éire,' wrote Irish-American lawyer Frank Hogan. Walshe and Boland accurately predicted the backlash. What they could not have predicted is how enduring that criticism would be. Eighty years on from that episode, it is still regularly cited as Irish perfidy. The Irish Times report of taoiseach Éamon de Valera's visit to the German legation on May 2nd, 1945, following the death of Adolf Hitler. Twenty years ago, during a visit to Auschwitz, then president Mary McAleese was asked if she should apologise for de Valera's actions. She declined. Cork City Council this year passed a resolution calling on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to issue an apology. The sponsor of the resolution, Green Party councillor Oliver Moran, stated that the original insult has been compounded by the failure of the State to atone subsequently. Two years ago, Russian ambassador to Ireland Yuriy Filatov marked International Holocaust Memorial Day by telling Ireland that it was in no position to lecture other countries on morality given its neutrality during the second World War. He wrongly stated that de Valera had wished Hitler a happy birthday in 1945 when 'Soviet and Allied soldiers were still dying in the battle against Nazis'. Ireland had observed neutrality during a war in which 27 million Soviet Union citizens had died, the ambassador pointed out, though he failed to acknowledge that the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact of 1939, which dismembered Poland and made the Soviet Union the biggest Nazi collaborators of them all until Hitler invaded in June 1941. The biggest backlash has come from the Israeli government and supporters of Israel , especially after October 7th where the de Valera incident is cited as an example of Irish anti-Semitism. 'Decades after Éamon de Valera offered Germany his condolences on the death of Adolf Hitler, the country he helped found seemed permanently stuck in time,' one commentator among many noted as Ireland agreed to join the South African case against Israel at the International Court of Justice . In December last year, Israel closed its embassy in Dublin. At the time minister for foreign affairs Gideon Sa'ar cited Winston Churchill's famous speech at the end of the second World War which was critical of de Valera and was seen as a direct rebuke of de Valera's visit to Dr Hempel. ' Winston Churchill , during the war, in his speech on V Day in Europe, noted how Ireland had carried on a love affair with Nazi Germany,' Sa'ar stated in his justification for the closure of the embassy. It is one thing to criticise de Valera's visit to the legation; it is quite another to claim that Ireland carried on a love affair with Nazi Germany. Churchill never said as much and there is overwhelming evidence now that Ireland was neutral on the side of the Allies. Last December the National Archives released a 1944 letter from the Jewish Representative Council of Éire which, at the time, described allegations that Ireland was an anti-Semitic country as 'false, irresponsible and mischievous'. 'The Jewish community live and have always lived on terms of closest friendship with their fellow Irish citizens. Freedom to practice their religion is specifically guaranteed in the Irish Constitution. No Irish government has ever discriminated between Jew and non-Jew,' the letter said. Letter signed in 1944 by the Jewish community in Ireland refuting suggestions that Ireland was an antisemitic country It has often been forgotten that de Valera was the subject of multiple anti-Semitic slurs throughout his career because of persistent allegations that his father was Jewish. It was first used when de Valera stood in the Clare byelection of 1917 and repeated while he was in the US fundraising during the War of Independence. The Gaelic American newspaper described him as a 'half-breed Spanish-American Jew' and a 'half-breed Jew from Bruree'. The slur was picked up by the Nazis themselves in July 1933 after they came to power. One Nazi newspaper described de Valera as a 'half-caste Jew'. De Valera's Constitution in 1937 explicitly recognised the Jewish religion. In 1966, a delegation of Irish Jews dedicated a forest near Nazareth to de Valera in recognition of his support for their community. The woodland remains today even while relations between Ireland and Israel remain at a historic low.
Irish Times
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Was Bono morally wrong to accept a US medal of freedom? It's not that simple
Bono has got plenty of abuse over a 40-year career straddling pop and politics. So the heat he has been feeling over his stance, or lack of stance, over Israel-Palestine must come as no surprise. The role the U2 frontman played in Northern Ireland politics featured in the recent BBC series Simon Schama's Story of Us in which the British historian also examined the pressure put on Seamus Heaney to take sides in the Troubles. Bono defended Heaney's refusal to engage in political rhetoric, saying 'he is trying to get you away from the obvious topsoil; he is saying: dig deeper into who you are'. Bono took a more literal approach on the North, repeatedly condemning both republican and loyalist violence, and pouring scorn on those misty-eyed Irish Americans who helped to fund the IRA 's bombing campaigns. On the Middle East, he has been studiously even-handed. In an article in The Atlantic timed for publication with his receipt of the US presidential medal of freedom in January, Bono wrote 'freedom must come for the Israeli hostages' but also 'Israel will never be free until Palestine is free'. Such comments cut little ice with critics of Bono's decision to accept the award from Joe Biden , with several peers in the music industry accusing him of selling out . Bono's purported crime was one of omission, not of commission. He should have turned the award down, critics say. Failing that, he should have used the opportunity to condemn Biden over America's arming of Israel. In short, the problem was not that Bono did something; it's that he did not do something. It's perfectly legitimate to criticise someone over an act of omission. However, the moral calculation appears to be more opaque, because for every act you perform there are an unlimited number of acts you don't perform. READ MORE Sins of omission are central to a new critique of the left by Eric Heinze. In his latest book, Coming Clean: The Rise of Critical Theory and the Future of the Left, the London-based law professor examines a key contribution that liberals have made to our understanding of the world. Critical theory is the name given to a school of thought that places current affairs in the context of inherited power dynamics or systemic injustices. A boy and a girl sit by the ruins of a destroyed building in Gaza City. Photograph: Omar al-Qattaa/AFP via Getty Heinze thinks critical theory is a good thing but believes it should be applied consistently. In recent years, left-wing activists have championed social reforms through scrutiny of structural biases and 'histories of racism and colonialism' – the #MeToo movement, Black Lives Matter and LGBT+ solidarity can be seen as products of critical theory. But Heinze wants us to look at all histories, not just those in which the villains are pale-skinned western European men. He brings the critique to bear on the Middle East, saying 'either all these histories [of discrimination] are relevant or none of them are'. There should be no free pass, he suggests, for activists who are 'insisting that they have no truck with Hamas, Hizbullah , Iranian mullahs ... or other such entities' but who 'ultimately recapitulate these entities' stances on Israel, again with little reference to a long history on the left of supporting repressive powers'. Speaking to The Irish Times, Heinze says he is not trying to call out hypocrisy – this can be found across the political spectrum. Nor is he trying to answer 'who was worse?', left or right? Rather he argues 'that once we start down this road of critical history then, by definition, we cannot pick and choose only the histories that advance our preferred political aims'. 'So yes,' he says, 'it is legitimate to examine Gaza with reference to generations of Euro-American imperialism, neocolonialism, capitalism, and racism. But then we must equally examine it with reference to the devastatingly violent and repressive role played, for example, by a Kremlin that, for decades, enjoyed at least overall legitimacy if not zealous support from major currents on the left.' Cases of anti-Semitism are sometimes reduced to 'the actions of only a small minority and not the real left', he writes, but 'this is not a distinction that leftists ordinarily draw'. He cites the examples of George Floyd and Stephen Lawrence, murder victims in the US and UK respectively, who 'are seen on the left as victims not of a small minority of racists but of broader, unconscious, and structural biases'. [ Unthinkable: In times of war, 'we have a duty to hope, as without hope all is lost' Opens in new window ] Heinze's thesis acts as important corrective – even if it does run the risk of being reduced to 'whataboutery'. Not the usual 'whataboutery' where ideological foes list off opposing atrocities. But rather a 'whataboutery' that says you need to demonstrate sufficient self-scrutiny of your ideological biases before I'll bother listening to you. (Heinze does not advocate this stance but there are prominent commentators on both the left and the right who do.) [ Unthinkable: Why free speech should be the most highly valued human right Opens in new window ] Some may feel that the scale of horror in the world today calls not for humility nor self-examination but rather pure anger. But Schama reminds us of Heaney's example. Amid 'the din of shouting, cursing and mutual hatred', the historian observes, Heaney was committed to a belief 'that we have more in common' than in contrast – and that this can be revealed by digging deeper 'into who you are'. Schama says: 'Right now what the world feeds on is exactly what Seamus Heaney didn't do, in other words, being installed in mutually warring tribal camps and degrading your enemy.'
Gulf Insider
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Conor McGregor: Ireland Is "Overrun" With Illegal Immigrants
During a St Patrick's Day visit to The White House, UFC legend Conor McGregor performed a verbal takedown on the Irish government for running an 'illegal immigration racket.' 'Our government has long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland,' McGregor urged. 'Our money is being spent on overseas issues that have nothing to do with the Irish people, he continued, adding 'The illegal immigration racket is ravaging our country.' NEW: Conor McGregor rips the Irish government for abandoning their people to import illegal immigrants."Our government has long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland.""Our money is being spent on overseas issues that have nothing to do with the Irish people. The… — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) March 17, 2025 'There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop, that have become a minority in one swoop,' McGregor asserted, calling it a 'travesty.' 'The 40 million Irish Americans need to hear this. Because if not, there will be no place to come home and visit,' the former lightweight and featherweight champion emphasised. McGregor was invited to visit the White House by President Trump, and spent time with him in the Oval office. HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY FROM CONOR MCGREGOR AT THE WHITE HOUSE! 🍀🇺🇸 @TheNotoriousMMA — The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 17, 2025 🚨 CONOR MCGREGOR TO TRUMP: "I'll tell you what. You work ethic is inspiring."The Irish need their own version of Trump so they can save their — Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 17, 2025 Click here to read more Also read: Conor McGregor Blasts Mass Migration After Slasher Knife Attack In Ireland
The Independent
18-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Conor McGregor defiant over Trump visit, claims Government ‘failed the people of Ireland'
Conor McGregor has launched a scathing attack on Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, claiming the premier doesn't represent the Irish people. This follows criticism from Martin and other Irish political leaders who said that the MMA fighter doesn't speak for Ireland after McGregor's St. Patrick's Day meeting with US President Donald Trump. During his White House visit, McGregor lauded Trump's work ethic as "inspiring," a sentiment reciprocated by Trump, who described McGregor as "fantastic." The Dublin-born fighter also told reporters that Ireland's money was 'being spent on overseas issues that is nothing to do with the Irish people'. 'The illegal immigration racket is running ravage on the country,' he said. 'There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop, that have become a minority in one swoop, so issues need to be addressed and the 40 million Irish Americans, as I said, need to hear this because if not there will be no place to come home and visit.' McGregor, who has previously expressed interest in running for the Irish presidency, criticized the Irish government as an administration of "zero action with zero accountability." His visit to the White House came months after he was found civilly liable in a High Court damages case in Dublin taken by a woman who accused him of rape. Nikita Hand, also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin, won her claim against McGregor after accusing the professional fighter of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018. Hand, 35, was awarded damages and costs after a three-week trial in 2024 in which the jury found him civilly liable for assault. A judge at the High Court in Dublin later said the jury had 'conclusively determined' that McGregor had raped Hand. McGregor is appealing against the outcome of the civil case. Rachel Morrogh, chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, said the meeting between Trump and McGregor was a 'very sinister event'. Ms Morrogh characterised the engagement as an attempt to normalise sexual violence and rebuild McGregor's reputation. She told RTE's News At One that she was writing to the US embassy over what she said was a 'really callous indifference to every survivor of sexual violence'. In response to McGregor's comments to reporters in the White House briefing room, Martin later said his claims were 'wrong' and did not reflect the views of the Irish people. Deputy premier Simon Harris said that McGregor was not in the US to represent Ireland and did not speak for the people of Ireland, and 'has no mandate to'. Asked about Martin's criticism, McGregor told Sky News: 'I am an employer of over 200 people, almost 300 people in the country of Ireland. He's an employer of none. 'Every available metric available to us has shown that the Government of Ireland currently has failed the people of Ireland. 'In 10 years, Dublin City Centre has gone from one of the most safest cities in Europe, to one of the most dangerous. 'So, shame on him for saying that, speaking down on an Irishman. I won't speak about him personally, throw a jab – I could, I could throw many jabs at him, I could throw jabs handily at them. 'However, I speak on the metrics, and the metrics show they failed the people of Ireland. They do not represent the people of Ireland.' Asked how he would respond to people who said it is inappropriate for him to attend the White House, he walked away after saying: 'God bless Ireland and God bless America.'
CNN
18-03-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Conor McGregor draws Irish leader's ire after anti-immigration comments at White House
Ireland's leader has condemned anti-immigration comments made by Conor McGregor, during an appearance by the 36-year-old former mixed martial arts champion in the White House ahead of a St Patrick's Day meeting with US President Donald Trump. Speaking in the White House briefing room Monday, McGregor said the Irish government had 'abandoned the voices' of the Irish people and claimed rural towns in Ireland were being overrun by immigrants. 'Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness,' he said. McGregor, who was at the White House to meet US President Donald Trump on Ireland's national day, has previously said he is considering running for president in his native country. Irish leader Micheál Martin was quick to denounce the fighter's comments, however, saying Conor McGregor's remarks were wrong, and 'did not reflect the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.' In a post on X, Martin said the holiday was 'a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship.' McGregor has long been vocal about his anti-immigration views and, as far back as 2022, expressed support for people protesting against immigration. His controversial social media posts have been circulated by groups with links to the far right. 'It's about time that America is made aware of what's going on in Ireland. What is going on in Ireland is a travesty. Our government is the government of zero action with zero accountability,' McGregor said ahead of his meeting with Trump. 'So, issues need to be addressed, and the 40 million Irish Americans, as I said, need to hear this,' he added. 'And I'm here to raise the issue and highlight it. You know, it's also St. Patrick's Day, so a little bit of celebrations.' McGregor's appearance at the White House came after Martin, the Irish taoiseach, met with Trump last week. During that visit, a reporter asked the president about his favorite Irish person. 'Oh, there's so many — are you kidding me? Well, I do happen to like your fighter; He's got the best tattoos I've ever seen. Conor's great, right? I'm talking about Conor,' Trump said. Once the face of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, McGregor is a controversial figure in Ireland. In a January civil lawsuit, a woman accused McGregor of sexual battery during the 2023 NBA Finals in Miami. The incident was investigated by police at the time and the Miami-Dade state attorney declined to press charges against him. McGregor, said the allegations were false. Last fall, a civil jury in Dublin awarded nearly 250,000 euros ($257,000) in damages to Nikita Hand, a woman who claimed McGregor had 'brutally raped and battered' her in a hotel in Dublin in 2018. McGregor testified that the two had consensual sex and vowed to appeal the verdict. CNN's Alejandra Jaramillo and Kit Maher contributed to this reporting.
