Robert Briscoe

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2008)

Robert Briscoe (25 September 1894 – 11 March 1969)^[1] was the son of Abraham William Briscoe and Ida Yoedicke, both of whom were Lithuanian-Jewish immigrants.^{[2] [3]} Briscoe was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) in the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) from 1927 to 1965.^[4] The original family name in Lithuania is believed to have been Cherrick.^[5]His memoir,"For the Life of Me", was published in 1958.

War of Independence

Briscoe was active in the IRA and Sinn Féin during the Irish War of Independence and accompanied de Valera to America. He spoke for the Sinn Féin cause at public meetings there and was adamant that being a "Hebrew" did not lessen his Irishness. In his biography, he recalls an incident of being recognised by a pro-Treaty opponent during the Civil War. Briscoe merely turned and walked away, confident that his enemy would not shoot him in the back.^{[citation needed]} He served in Dáil Éireann for 38 years and was elected 12 times in the Dublin South and from 1948, Dublin South West constituencies - from the 6th Dáil to the 17th Dáil. He retired at the 1965 election being succeeded by his son, Ben who served for a further 37 years.Eamon Martin, former Chief of Staff of Fianna Eireann, was best man at Briscoe's wedding. They had been close friends during the Irish War of Independence and both were involved in securing arms for the Republicans.^{[citation needed]} He was sent by Michael Collins to Germany in 1919 to be the chief agent for procuring arms for the IRA.^[6]

Jewish refugees and Irish neutrality

During the Second World War, Briscoe, at this time a member of Dail Éireann, came under close scrutiny from the Irish security services. His support for Zionism and his lobbying on behalf of refugees was considered potentially damaging to the interests of the state by officials from the Department of Justice. Briscoe was an admirer and friend of Ze'ev Jabotinsky and his campaign to liberate the Jews. ^[7][8]. Briscoe wished for Ireland to give asylum to Jews fleeing Nazi Germany, but did so discreetly in order not to be accused of compromising the neutrality policy of the Fianna Fail government.^[9]

Political career

In 1956, Briscoe became the first Jewish Lord Mayor of Dublin,^[10] although he was not the first Jewish Mayor in Ireland. That title belongs to William Annyas, who was elected Mayor of Youghal, County Cork in 1555.^[11] Briscoe served a one year term and was re-elected in 1961. After learning of a Jewish Lord Mayor from Dublin, Yogi Berra allegedly said, "Only in America!" His son Ben Briscoe was also a Fianna Fáil TD, and he too served as Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1988–1989.

The Emerald Isle immigration center in New York has devoted a special award in his name called the Robert Briscoe award. The group celebrates the close relationship between Jewish and Irish communities in New York and honours Jewish New Yorkers who have helped support immigration in the United States. The latest winner of the award was US Senator Chuck Schumer.^[12]

External links

• Emerald Isle Immigration center – Annual Briscoe Awards

References