http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/ireland/1999/1111/hom11.htm

Protests expected at Irving war talk in Cork 

By Emmet Oliver

Protests are expected at University College Cork on
Monday night when controversial rightwing historian
Dr David Irving is due to address the student Philosophical Society.

[Nizkor note: Mr. Irving does not have a PhD.]

Dr Irving, who has described the gas chambers at
Auschwitz as "fakes" aimed at luring tourists,
sparked heated debate in 1993 and 1988 when
student societies invited him to address them.  Those
invitations were cancelled after threats of violence
were made to the organisers.

On Monday Dr Irving is to address the theme of
"Myths of the Second World War". The invitation
was made three months ago and Dr Irving
confirmed his attendance earlier this week, said
auditor Mr Stephen Vaughan.

The decision to invite the historian was criticised
yesterday by the Socialist Party TD, Mr Joe
Higgins. He said members of his party would be
joining a protest by the Anti-Racist Coalition in UCC
on Monday evening.

"Fascists debate not in the nice language of the
Philosophical Society but with weapons in hand.
Therefore I call upon the Philosophical Society not
to be associated with this hatred and ignorance and
to withdraw their invitation," he said.

Mr Vaughan said he held discussions with the
security office at the college and was assured the
meeting would take place without any
disturbances.
He said the society's job was to "provoke" debate
and it was not endorsing Dr Irving's views by
inviting him to speak. "We provide topics for debate
and this is an important one," he added.

He said the society was seeking someone to speak in
opposition to Dr Irving, but had been turned down
by several people.

He said the UCC president's office had told him
members of the public had lodged protests about Dr
Irving's visit. The college president, Prof Gerard
Wrixon, was not available for comment last night.

Dr Irving rose to prominence with his 1977 book,
Hitler's War, which suggested it was inaccurate to
state that six million Jews died during the Holocaust.
He claimed Adolf Hitler did not order the Holocaust
and many of the Jews who died during the second
World War perished from typhoid.

Home ·  Site Map ·  What's New? ·  Search Nizkor