Oct 13, 2026 · 58 min · 14 segments
In this episode, I sit down with Richard Boyd Barrett - TD for Dún Laoghaire, leader of People Before Profit and one of the most recognisable figures on the Irish left. Richard reflects on the…
Richard Boyd BarrettGuest
Sam AssadHost
I wanted to ask you that, 'cause that was the, the late 1980s, and you're saying there that was very much politically formative for you.
I mean, it-- F- right from literally the minute I entered the country, uh, I knew there was something wrong.
I mean, I went there with a sort of idealistic notion, uh, because I was very, and remain, very sympathetic to the plight of Jewish people because of what they suffered under the Nazi Holocaust, and I remain sympathetic.
So I thought, yeah, the Israeli state is some sort of attempt to provide refuge for people that have suffered terribly.
Uh, uh, now I wasn't going there, I want to stress, for political reasons or for that reason or any other reason.
That was our motivation, uh, for Irish lads looking to work in the sun.
For the three fellows who were not college goers, who were from working class backgrounds, it was literally because there was no work in Ireland, and so people were going to work abroad and, you know, see what happens.
And so we get there, and, uh, the hostility of the guys, even at, uh, the immigration in the airport to us, the fact they didn't let us on the kibbutz for reasons that were never explained.
Do you know what I mean? This was-- Like it was-- You, you could see they were trying to control you.
I wanted to ask you that, 'cause that was the, the late 1980s, and you're saying there that was very much politically formative for you.
I mean, it-- F- right from literally the minute I entered the country, uh, I knew there was something wrong.
I mean, I went there with a sort of idealistic notion, uh, because I was very, and remain, very sympathetic to the plight of Jewish people because of what they suffered under the Nazi Holocaust, and I remain sympathetic.
So I thought, yeah, the Israeli state is some sort of attempt to provide refuge for people that have suffered terribly.
Uh, uh, now I wasn't going there, I want to stress, for political reasons or for that reason or any other reason.
That was our motivation, uh, for Irish lads looking to work in the sun.
For the three fellows who were not college goers, who were from working class backgrounds, it was literally because there was no work in Ireland, and so people were going to work abroad and, you know, see what happens.
And so we get there, and, uh, the hostility of the guys, even at, uh, the immigration in the airport to us, the fact they didn't let us on the kibbutz for reasons that were never explained.
Do you know what I mean? This was-- Like it was-- You, you could see they were trying to control you.
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