From Ruairi Quinn

Congratulations to the Sunday Tribune for exposing the shameful comments made by Tommy Tiernan.

Holocaust Education Trust Ireland was appalled to read of the anti-Semitic remarks made by Tommy Tiernan at the Electric Picnic festival, as printed in the Sunday Tribune (News, 20 September). As someone in the public eye, he has to take responsibility for his racist comments. We are equally concerned about the report of the audience's reaction which appears to have endorsed, sustained and enjoyed his comments. We would hope that the Irish public will choose to stay away from such racist 'entertainment' in future.

HETI utterly condemns Tiernan's anti-Semitic outburst and calls upon him to repudiate completely and apologise unreservedly for the comments made about the Holocaust and the Jews he is reported to have made.

This incident highlights the necessity and relevance of the role of Holocaust education in order to educate and inform people in Ireland about the Holocaust, intolerance and anti-Semitism.

Ruairi Quinn,

Chairman, Holocaust Education Trust Ireland,

Lr Fitzwilliam St, Dublin 2.

From Mari Gallagher

TOMMY Tiernan's inability to rachet up anything original by way of comedic entertainment is obvious in his latest "shock-jock" publicity stunt. Any performer who tries to garner laughs from his audience by jeering an atrocity such as the Holocaust, is clearly running out of artistic steam.

Coming up with fresh, entertaining, cutting-edge material is just too much hard work for a lazy comedian, such as Tiernan, who obviously is of the opinion that any publicity is good publicity.

The fact that he prefaces his performance with the disclaimer that "whatever lunacy is inside you is allowed to come out in a protected environment" is glib beyond belief.

Fewer bums on seats will be the only thing that will show him. Let's hope the public can rise to that.

Mari Gallagher,

Newbridge,

Co Kildare.

From Creeda Fitzgibbon

FURTHER to your article in last week's paper, please be assured that not only "Ireland's Jewish community" is outraged by the foul-mouthed ramblings of this so-called comedian.

Creeda Fitzgibbon,

Nutley House,

50 Nutley Road,

Dublin 4.

From Fred O'Donovan

I have spent 60 of my 80 years working in comedy, but never have I heard a so-called comedian make fun of the Holocaust.

To joke about the murder of six million Jews makes me ill. As former chairman of RTÉ, I cannot believe any responsible event would give him the opportunity to promote his nauseating statements – made on the comedy stage at Electric Picnic.

I spent a year living with some of the survivors from the camps after the war. They had lost mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters. They were traumatised but I never once heard them condemn Christians for their most horrific mass murders. I wonder if any of his family were victims – would he be so dignified?

For Tiernan to make fun of Jewish people, and for an Irish audience to consider it funny, makes me ashamed to be Irish.

Fred O'Donovan,

Balscadden House,

Howth,

Co Dublin.