Holocaust academic backs decision to invite Michael D Higgins to Memorial Day event

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins

A Holocaust academic has backed the decision to invite President D Higgins to speak at tomorrow’s National Memorial Day event – but urged the head of State to focus on the Holocaust and not talk about Gaza.

It follows ongoing controversy and criticism that has engulfed both President Higgins and the Israeli ambassador to Ireland Dana Erlich.

Ms Erlich no longer lives in Ireland after the decision of the Israeli Government to close the embassy here, citing the “anti-Israeli” stance of the Irish Government.

Holocaust Education Ireland (HEI), the organisers of the Holocaust Memorial Day, has defended its traditional invite to the President to speak and not to invite Ms Erlich, who questioned the decision.

The Jewish Representative Council of Ireland has also criticised the decision not to have the ambassador speak at the event.

Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Limerick Anthony McElligott said: “I am in total agreement with HEI position. As head of state of a country that is a signatory to the Stockholm Accords, he should address the event.” 

The 2005 accords commit signatories to commemorate the Holocaust on the last Sunday of January every year.

Professor McElligott, whose book 'The Last Transport: The Holocaust in the Eastern Aegean', was published by Bloomsbury in 2024, urged the President not to mention the war in Gaza.

“I would hope he focuses on what the event is about and not confuse it with the current situation in Gaza in any specific way, other than to say, 'Auschwitz' is a warning relevant to our present day,” he said.

Separately, on RTÉ’s Saturday with Colm Ó Mongáin, Professor Tom O’Dowd, chair of HEI, said the body was set up to educate society, particularly schools and teachers, and remember the survivors.

He said the HEI “helped the State discharge its obligation” by having either the President or the Taoiseach speak at the event “We keep out of the politics,” Mr O’Dowd said. “This area attracts politics, but our emphasis is on education.” 

He said this Sunday will be the seventh time the president will speak at the event and said he knows many Jewish people.

He said there was “no blowback” last year after President Higgins mentioned Gaza but said he did not talk about it in any detail.

Mr O’Dowd said some Jewish people were critical of this year’s invite but that others were supportive.

Dana Erlich 

He said there has been “no reconsideration” of the invitation, which was sent out last October: “The board [of HEI] has remained firm that President Higgins should be invited and should deliver an address.” 

He said invitations went out to all ambassadors, including Ms Erlich, on December 3 last, but said they didn’t hear back from her. He said it coincided with the announcement of the Israeli Government to close the Irish embassy.

Mr O’Dowd said there were representations to the HEI for her to speak but said there was “a lot of confusion and still is confusion as to whether she is ambassador or not”.

He said the invitation to Ms Erlich to attend the event “still stands” but not to speak as the programme of readers and speakers is filled.

"It is a point of controversy," he accepted. "It has been politicised and we want to stay out of politics and we don’t want anything to distract from remembrance of the victims."