Europe30 November, 20252 min read
Taoiseach Micheál Martin Demands Dublin City Council Withdraw Plan To Rename Herzog Park
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Taoiseach Micheál Martin urged Dublin City Council to withdraw the proposal to rename Herzog Park Martin said the renaming proposal was 'a denial of our history' and potentially antisemitic
7 outlets told this the same way.
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Herzog Park name controversy
Taoiseach Micheál Martin urged Dublin City Council to withdraw in its entirety a proposal to remove the Herzog name from Herzog Park in Rathgar. He called the motion "overtly divisive and wrong" and warned it would erase the Jewish community's contribution to Irish life. Multiple outlets reported Martin's intervention as a direct appeal to councillors ahead of a scheduled council debate or vote.
“Taoiseach Micheál Martin urged Dublin City Council to ‘withdraw in its entirety’ a proposal to rename Herzog Park in Rathgar, saying the move would erase the Jewish community’s long and distinctive contribution to Irish life and was ‘a denial of our history.’”
The Office of the President of Israel was also publicly critical of the proposal. The dispute has drawn national and international attention as councillors prepare to consider the matter.
Proposed renaming of Herzog Park
Herzog Park was named in 1995 after Chaim Herzog, who was born in Belfast and raised in Dublin. A Commemorations and Naming Committee recommendation has prompted a proposal to remove the Herzog name and open a public consultation.
Media outlets note the park’s historical ties to the Herzog family and to Ireland, and Echo Live and other reports highlight Chaim Herzog’s wartime service and his family’s role in Irish Jewish history. Supporters of keeping the name argue that these connections make the proposed removal inappropriate.
Herzog Park renaming debate
A renaming motion was put forward by Sinn Féin councillor Kourtney Kenny and, according to The Irish Independent, proposes renaming Herzog Park after Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian killed in Gaza. If approved, the council would also hold a consultation on a new name. Sinn Féin figures and other supporters frame the move as a community, cross-party response to anger over the Gaza crisis, while opponents say it conflates criticism of Israel with antisemitism.
Responses to renaming proposal
Reactions have ranged from condemnation by Israeli and US figures to domestic political divisions. The Office of Israel's President described removing Chaim Herzog's name as "shameful and disgraceful." Michael Herzog, Chaim's son, said he completely opposes the renaming and accused Ireland of "blurring the line" between criticism of Israeli policy and antisemitism.
US Senator Lindsey Graham was reported as sharply critical, while Irish politicians including Tánaiste Simon Harris have publicly opposed the move. Supporters argue critics conflate anti‑Zionism with antisemitism and say the proposal honours Palestinian victims.
Procedural status of motion
Reports differ on the procedural status of the motion, making its next steps unclear. Some outlets say Dublin city councillors are due to vote on the motion on Monday, while others say the council debate or meeting is scheduled imminently or on December 1.
“Dublin city councillors are due to vote on the motion on Monday.”
RTE notes the Lord Mayor has sought legal advice from the council's law agent and Chief Executive. These timing and procedural discrepancies mean the precise next steps and dates are not consistently reported across sources.
