Limerick student cites 'hysteria' after sacking as society chair over Israel stance

A LIMERICK student based in Dublin has spoken of his hurt and outrage at being removed as chairman of his college’s debating society over his political views, citing “a massive degree of hysteria”.

Jamie O’Mahony, who is from Limerick city, is in his second year of college at Dublin City University (DCU) studying business and French.

The society wrote following a meeting, “it was decided Jamie will not continue in his role as chairperson”.

“DCU debate society is a non-partisan organisation dedicated to open and respectful discussion. We exist to facilitate conversation, not to take sides. As committee members, we have a responsibility to separate our personal beliefs from our running the society,” they wrote.

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Mr O’Mahony said he is “pretty outraged” by his removal, and accused the committee of “a massive degree of hysteria”.

He confirmed he did set up a society known as Students Supporting Israel DCU (SSI).

But he said the committee were well aware of his support for the state of Israel in its conflict with Palestine - and it never played a part in his chairmanship of the debating society.

“I made one mistake in that I booked a room for an SSI meeting using my debating society account. That was a mistake from me. But it was a micro-excuse to get me out,” Mr O’Mahony said.

He said he is particularly upset because he feels he has been “airbrushed” from the history of the debate society.

“We had a whole year of events. We post photos after every event of our speakers. They deleted every single picture of me from Instagram, removing the fact I ever existed,” he said.

Mr O’Mahony - who has written an opinion piece for Jerusalem Post - also claimed he feels there is hypocrisy on campus in that BDS, a group which promotes boycotts and sanctions against Israel, openly exists.

He says when he held his first meeting of SSI earlier this month, he received death threats, and anti-semitic attacks.

The second-year student said: “It was by far and away the most vile stuff.”

Limerick Live has received a screenshot taken from a video of Mr O'Mahony in Berlin.

The sender claimed the image shows Mr O'Mahony making a Nazi salute, with his arm outstretched.

But Mr O'Mahony has categorically denied he made this salute, which was taken from a split second in a short video.

The video was provided in full to this publication.

“I can assure you, I am the furthest thing from a Nazi. Even when we were in Berlin, we went to Holocaust memorial, as I wanted the group to see the horrors,” he said.

Mr O'Mahony has also been photographed with a flag of Azov, a formation of war-hit Ukraine's national guard.

He said: "People who call them neo-Nazis are absolutely ridiculous. Some of their founding members were Jewish and have been invited to Jerusalem by Israelis."

The student pointed out they are fighting for a country led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who himself is of Jewish heritage.

He has also claimed that he has not been able to attend lectures on campus in Dublin. The Limerick man said his timetable was posted online, sparking fears for his own safety, as people indicated they were planning to approach him in class. There is no suggestion anybody from the debate society posted his timetable.

DCU Debate Society has been contacted for further comment.

DCU declined to comment on the matter.