Taoiseach calls for Herzog Park renaming plan to be withdrawn
Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin has said a Dublin City Council proposal to rename Herzog Park should be “withdrawn in its entirety and not proceeded with”.
The Office of the President of Israel has expressed concern over the proposed renaming of the park in Rathgar, south Dublin.
It was named after Belfast-born and Dublin-raised Chaim Herzog, a former president of Israel, in 1995.
On Monday, Dublin city councillors will vote on a motion to rename the park.
The office of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who is Chaim Herzog’s son, said it was following reports of the move “with concern” [EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstoc]
‘Divisive and wrong’
Martin, who is the leader of Fianna Fáil, said that the proposal would erase the distinctive and rich contribution to Irish life of the Jewish community over many decades, including participation in the Irish War of Independence and the emerging Irish State.
“The proposal is a denial of our history… and will without any doubt be seen as anti-Semitic,” he said.
“It is overtly divisive and wrong.
“Our Irish Jewish community’s contribution to our country’s evolution in its many forms should always be cherished and generously acknowledged.”
He added that the “motion must be withdrawn and I will ask Dublin City Council to seriously reflect on the implications of this move”.
An agreement by members of the council’s Commemorations and Naming Committee last July recommended to the full council the removal of the Herzog name from the park. There was one objection.
In a statement on X on Saturday, the office of current Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who is Chaim Herzog’s son, said it was following reports of the proposal “with concern” and that removing the name would be “shameful and disgraceful”.
It said that the move would harm “the unique expression of the historical connection between the Irish and Jewish peoples”.
Chaim Herzog, the sixth president of Israel, was born in Belfast in 1918 [BBC]
“Beyond being an Israeli leader, Chaim Herzog was also a hero of the campaign to liberate Europe from the Nazis and a figure who dedicated his life to establishing the values of freedom, tolerance, the pursuit of peace, and the fight against antisemitism,” the statement adds.
“His father, Rabbi Isaac HaLevi Herzog, served as the first chief rabbi of the Irish Free State and left a significant mark on the life of the Irish nation in those days.
“Naming the park after his son some three decades ago expressed appreciation for his legacy and the deep friendship between the Irish and Jewish peoples.
“Unfortunately, this relationship has deteriorated in recent years, yet we still hope for the recovery of these important ties.”
‘This proposal is offensive’
Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Simon Harris said he completely opposes plans to rename the park.
“It is wrong. We are an inclusive republic,” he said on social media.
“This proposal is offensive to that principle. I urge all party leaders to join me in opposition to this.”
Ireland’s foreign affairs minister, Helen McEntee, also urged councillors to vote against the name change.
“The government has been openly critical of the policies and actions of the government of Israel in Gaza and the West Bank, and rightly so,” she said in a statement.
“Renaming a Dublin park in this way – to remove the name of an Irish Jewish man – has nothing to do with this and has no place in our inclusive republic.”
Irish minister for justice Jim O’Callaghan said the park was named after Mr Herzog 30 years ago to “acknowledge his connection with Ireland and the important role played by Jewish people in Dublin’s history”.
“Renaming the park because of the slaughter in Gaza is unfair to him and unfairly suggests Irish Jews are responsible for the appalling actions of the current Israeli Government,” he added.
‘Deeply concerning’
The Jewish Representative Council of Ireland (JRCI) has also described the move as “deeply concerning”, Irish broadcaster RTÉ has reported.
Chair of the JRCI Maurice Cohen called on councillors to reject the motion, saying the “removal of the Herzog name from this park would be widely understood as an attempt to erase our Irish Jewish history”.
A motion regarding the name of the park was first raised in December 2024 by Labour Party councillor Fiona Connelly, who sought a report on the process that was taken in naming it.
She said she had been informed that the park’s naming did not follow the correct procedures.
People Before Profit councillor Conor Reddy also raised the issue in January and sought information about the protocols for renaming the park.
In 2014, a blue plaque marking Chaim Herzog’s north Belfast birthplace was taken down [BBC]
In 2014, a blue plaque marking Chaim Herzog’s north Belfast birthplace was taken down out of concern for staff and residents living in adjoining premises.
Anti-Israeli graffiti was daubed on the building, objects thrown, and an attempt made to remove the plaque.
Chaim Herzog was born in Belfast in 1918 but his family eventually emigrated to the Middle East.
He held a number of positions in the newly-created state of Israel in 1948, including ambassador to the United Nations. He served as president from 1983 to 1993.
Last year, Israel announced it would close its Dublin embassy after accusing Ireland of “crossing every red line” [PA]
Last year, Israel’s foreign minister announced that the country’s embassy in Dublin would close over “the extreme anti-Israel policies of the Irish government”.
Former Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Simon Harris said the decision was “deeply regrettable”. He also rejected that Ireland is anti-Israel.
