Sir, - Your report on the establishment of a centre for Judaic studies at TCD (The Irish Times, November 4th) quoted Prof Sean Freyne as claiming that "Ireland has one of Europe's oldest Jewiwh communities." This is plainly fallacious.
The Annals of Innisfallen do record the arrival of Jews in Ireland in the late 11th century, but the date was 1079, not 1062. This does not signify the commencement of a resident Jewish community in Ireland, for what Prof Freyne neglects to mention is that Tairdelbach Ua Briain, Brian Boru's grandson, king of Munster and the most powerful king in Ireland, promptly banished them again. It is not unlikely that the five Jews who arrived at Tairdelbach's court may have been an embassy seeking permission for Jews to settle in Ireland; however, it is not clear from where they came or to where they were banished if not whence they came.
The earliest indication of a resident Jewish community in Ireland does not occur before the 1230s and, although this is an argument ex silentio, there appear to have been very long periods in succeeding centuries when there was no resident Jewish community. - Yours, etc.,
Omagh, Co Tyrone.