Statement by President Catherine Connolly on International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2026

Statement by President Catherine Connolly on International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2026

Date: Tue 27th Jan, 2026 | 16:00

As President of Ireland, I stand in solidarity with all those today marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The Holocaust stands as a profound moment in human history. The systematic murder of six million Jews - two thirds of the Jewish population of Europe - and the murder and persecution of millions more by the Nazi regime, including those targeted for their ethnicity, disability or sexual orientation, was a horrific atrocity which must never be forgotten.

As we mark the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, we must remember each of the individual lives behind these appalling statistics, the men, women and children killed simply for who they were.

It is important too that we honour all those who survived the Holocaust, remembering in particular those who made their home in Ireland, and the first-hand testimonies which they have given us over the decades of the suffering which was perpetrated, as well as the broader Jewish community which has made such a vital contribution to our country.

It is vital that each generation is as well informed as possible of the horrors of what was perpetrated.

On this Holocaust Remembrance Day, may we redouble our commitment to opposing antisemitism, xenophobia, racism, homophobia and all forms of intolerance in all their forms, our commitment to international law, and to upholding human rights and human dignity for all.