Limerick, – Recent allegations of anti-Jewish sentiment in Limerick have sparked a heated debate, with accusations flying from both sides. While the details of the situation are not fully known to us, it is evident that a wave of bigotry and intolerance has reared its ugly head, leading to a disturbing and unchristian atmosphere in the city.
The Limerick Leader, a local publication, has published an article shedding light on the controversy surrounding alleged anti-Jewish sentiments. The piece highlights the role played by certain individuals, such as Reverend Sloan, an MP from Belfast, and the Dublin Protestant Press, in stoking anti-Catholic sentiments by circulating letters of lament and complaint regarding the treatment of the Jewish community in Limerick.
The Limerick Leader vehemently denounces attempts to tarnish the city’s reputation, not out of bias or as a defence of Catholicism, but in the name of fairness and justice for all. It emphasizes that certain parties, with ulterior motives and connections to organizations like the “Mission to the Irish Roman Catholics” or the “Irish Mission to the Jews,” have seized this opportunity to vilify the conduct of Limerick’s Catholic population.
Moreover, the Dublin-based publication, in its relentless pursuit of a scandal, has targeted figures like the Very Reverend Father Mclnerney of Killaloe, publishing a series of letters that paint a distorted and exaggerated picture of the situation in Limerick. A correspondent from a Donlon evening paper further exacerbated the issue by falsely claiming that the city was under siege. Unfortunately, it is often easier for bigots to slander entire cities rather than individuals, as the Limerick Leader astutely notes.
The Limerick Leader asserts that those who are responsible for any hostility if it indeed exists, are the very individuals spreading libelous statements. Such actions only serve to fuel sectarian tensions. The crux of the matter lies not in matters of faith or religion but rather in trade practices. This fact was clearly explained by Father Creagh in an interview with the Belfast Protestant paper, the Northern Whig, during his recent mission to the city.
The Church Mission proponents, however, insist on framing the issue as one of religious persecution, claiming that the Jewish community is subjected to unimaginable torment. Yet, Lord O’Brien, in his address to the Grand Jury during the City Assizes, affirmed that, based on the information available to him, Limerick is in a satisfactory condition. Furthermore, Judge Adams, known for his extensive collection of white gloves, indicative of a peaceful city, recently commended Limerick’s generally peaceful state.
Amidst these unfounded accusations, the people of Limerick, having experienced the onslaught of lies and slander during the recent Catholic Association controversy in Dublin, may better understand the destructive power of false narratives propagated by bigots. It is crucial to dispel these baseless claims and focus on fostering understanding, harmony, and unity among all communities in Limerick.
Dublin Leader – Saturday 23 April 1904
