Pat Feeley tells the story of the pogrom against Jewish people in Limerick. In 1904, Father John Creagh instigated an economic boycott against the small Jewish community that had settled in the area of Collooney St in Limerick.

During sermons, Fr Creagh slandered the Jewish community in Limerick by claiming things their business community exploited its customers and he also told myths about Jews including that they take part in ritual murders.

This economic pinch was at the heart of sermon, in which he reached into the long tradition of Christian apocrypha to rail against his Jewish neighbours. Boycott, intimidation and unilateral reneging on debts were so effective that within a year there were only about 25 Jewish families left in the city.

First Broadcast 28th February 1979.

Presented and produced by Pat Feeley. 

An Irish radio documentary from RTÉ Radio 1, Ireland - Documentary on One - the home of Irish radio documentaries