Tomi Reichental, a survivor of the Holocaust next to the plaque dedicated to Msgr Hugh O’Flaherty on Chapel Lane. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
A PLAQUE was unveiled to commemorate the birthplace of Msgr Hugh O’Flaherty on Saturday afternoon.
Hugh O’Flaherty was Ireland’s answer to Oscar Schindler in the sense that he saved over 6,500 lives of Jews and anti-fascists during World War 2, by hiding them in monasteries and ushering them to safety.
The plaque is located on Chapel Lane, on the wall of The Huddle Bar, near Strand Street,which commemorates the fact that he lived there from 1898-1900.
There is a statue dedicated to him in Killarney as it was there where he grew up, having only spent two years in Tralee.
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The plaque was unveiled by Mayor of Tralee, Jim Finucane, in front of a number of local dignitaries. It was all part of a Festival to celebrate the life of Monsignor O’Flaherty which has been taking place over the past two weeks.
Also in attendance was holocaust survivor, Tomi Reichental.
“This is a great occasion as we should all remember, Hugh O’Flaherty. He is an example to all of us,” said Tomi Reichental.
“He was a man that sacrificed his life. He saved so many people, what he did was tremendous so you have to really respect what he did, which he did against the wishes of the Vatican,” said Tomi.
Tomi is originally from Slovakia and is now in his 80s. In 1944, he was taken to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in northern Germany. All told, 35 of his relatives died in the holocaust.
His immediate family did survive however. His father did so by jumping out of a train that was bound for Auschwitz concentration camp. When they war finished they were reunited again.
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For 60 years, he did not speak about his experiences during the war, but now gives speeches in schools and colleges and has spoken in the European Parliament and Leinster House. Two years ago, Tomi, was awarded an Order of Merit from the Federal Republic of Germany by the German president, Joachim Gauck.
“I have a very positive outlook. I lecture in schools, I warn people that we have to be tolerant today. Ireland is a multi-national society, there is racism in Ireland and we have to be very careful that the mistakes of the past don’t happen again,” said Tomi.
Fr Sean Hanafin and Mayor Jim Finucane, on either side of the plaque, commemorating where Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty spent a period of his childhood years, on the site which is now The Huddle Bar, along with local dignitaries and visitors. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
