Hibernians Demand Huckabee Apology
The Irish Echo
By Ray O’Hanlon | July 24, 2025
The Ancient Order of Hibernians is demanding "a full public apology" from U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee after the ambassador described the Irish as having “fallen into a vat of Guinness," that they were committing an act of "diplomatic drunkenness" and after he told Ireland to “sober up” - this in response to the Irish government's desire to pass the "Occupied Territories Bill."
The bill, which is expected to come up for a vote in the fall, would put a lid on imports of goods from land seen by the Irish government as Palestinian, but occupied by Israeli settlers.
The AOH, in a statement, said that Ambassador Huckabee's language "revives 19th‑century anti‑Irish caricatures and distracts from any serious diplomatic discussion."
“No one can credibly condemn hatred while dipping their pen into the poisoned stereotypes that once fueled anti‑Irish bigotry,” said Neil F. Cosgrove, AOH Anti‑Defamation Chairman.
“We unequivocally oppose antisemitism, but invoking a tired ‘drunken Irish’ trope only offends millions of Irish and Irish‑Americans and weakens the rational discussion of any concerns.”
The AOH, referring to a letter it has sent to Ambassador Huckabee, said that it "demands an unqualified retraction and apology and urges respectful, stereotype‑free engagement going forward."
The letter from Neil Cosgrove states: "On behalf of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH), the oldest and largest Irish‑American organization in the United States, I write in my capacity as Anti‑Defamation Chairman to register our grave concern over your 16 July post on X asking whether “the Irish [had]
fallen into a vat of Guinness”, accused them of “diplomatic drunkenness” and urged Ireland to “sober up” and apologize for its draft Occupied Territories Bill.