Anti-Irish Racism in Britain

Funk It

Ah ya, sure I can't say that I have come across any hatred towards the Irish and I am enjoying my time here, if people don't like me for being Irish then I am better off keeping away from them. Have to say I am in a lovely part of England, a couple bad experiences doesn't change that, sure you get bad experiences in every place.

havetoquit

You are so so right and good on you that you have such a brilliant outlook on life and such a healthy attitude.

Believe me, any anti-Irish attitudes you come across will be from sad, slightly dysfunctional types and hey, if you mix in the right company you will not really come up against that sort, either here or abroad. It may sound as though in my discussion that I am now prejudiced against people who think that way, but I am not, but just feel sorry for them that their world is so non inclusive, so cut off and introverted.

If you look back on some earlier posts here, you will be reassured by the amount of positives among them.

As I became used to living in different countries, my whole perspective of how I saw myself changed enormously and the so called 'island mentality' moved on to the realization that I was simply a person of this wonderful planet and not hung up on my Irishness so to speak, but still naturally very proud of my country and the accomplishment of many of it's citizens.

Irish people on the whole have made such a huge contribution to the many countries they settled in and it is only the very ignorant who are unaware of this. Likewise there are people in every country who through lack of education who will not be aware of our heritage, our contribution to literature etc. In the same vein our fellow country men will not always be aware of the contribution to the world that many other nationalities have made and continue to make.

So I guess, it all balances out somewhere and shows that we all have something to offer, so why waste precious time on prejudices, as it shuts us off from so much and so many wonderful people.

When I was working in UK at one time and I had to come home for a bereavement, my working colleagues got together and treated me and my best friend to an amazing sunshine holiday weekend away some time later to lift my spirits. Not one of those colleagues were Irish and that was their way of showing how much they cared and I will never forget it.

havetoquit

Yes agree... mad, daft folk everywhere with nothing better to do and then we have those who can't articulate what they really want to say.

Funny old world. I hate racism or bigotry of any kind and hard to believe that it still exists and probably always will. It is bred of ignorance I guess, but can have such impact on the victims, many of whom cannot see that it comes from a small minority and therefore best treated with the contempt it deserves and ignored.

Taffy Kat

havetoquit wrote: »

Yes agree... mad, daft folk everywhere with nothing better to do and then we have those who can't articulate what they really want to say.

Funny old world. I hate racism or bigotry of any kind and hard to believe that it still exists and probably always will. It is bred of ignorance I guess, but can have such impact on the victims, many of whom cannot see that it comes from a small minority and therefore best treated with the contempt it deserves and ignored.

Spot on... the kind of ignorance that thinks that "as" has a usage equivalent to "has". The unfortunate point, as you point out, is that when you suffer racism its hard to laugh at the stupidity of the person perpetrating it.

looksee

This year I will have lived in Ireland for 40 years. I came to live here with my Irish husband with a completely open mind and willing to settle into the community.

Sadly, after 40 years I still do not feel entirely at home. Still people hear my accent and ask am I on holiday, am I going home for Christmas, and more ridiculous - and it happened just a few weeks ago, expect me to offer justification for the role of the British queen as head of the Church of England! I am expected to have defensive views on British government actions, to support the Orange order, and need to have the history of Ireland explained to me. I cannot tell you how many times people have said 'ah well you have to understand our history' then go on to explain it to me.

The situation has improved immeasurably in recent years, attitudes on Boards are a good indication of that, and I think the queen's visit was a great help.

I have worked here, been to college, run a couple of small businesses, joined groups and been involved in starting things. Still, with the exception of one couple, the people I would describe as friends are not Irish, not by my choice, but just the only people that seem willing to engage. There is a problem with English accents, but mostly I think Irish people are very private and do not want to venture outside their comfort zone. There is an innate kindness and good naturedness, but there is also a personal barrier that outsiders will not get past.

Pauvre Con

looksee wrote: »

This year I will have lived in Ireland for 40 years. I came to live here with my Irish husband with a completely open mind and willing to settle into the community.

Sadly, after 40 years I still do not feel entirely at home. Still people hear my accent and ask am I on holiday, am I going home for Christmas, and more ridiculous - and it happened just a few weeks ago, expect me to offer justification for the role of the British queen as head of the Church of England! I am expected to have defensive views on British government actions, to support the Orange order, and need to have the history of Ireland explained to me. I cannot tell you how many times people have said 'ah well you have to understand our history' then go on to explain it to me.

The situation has improved immeasurably in recent years, attitudes on Boards are a good indication of that, and I think the queen's visit was a great help.

I have worked here, been to college, run a couple of small businesses, joined groups and been involved in starting things. Still, with the exception of one couple, the people I would describe as friends are not Irish, not by my choice, but just the only people that seem willing to engage. There is a problem with English accents, but mostly I think Irish people are very private and do not want to venture outside their comfort zone. There is an innate kindness and good naturedness, but there is also a personal barrier that outsiders will not get past.

As I'm English that's interesting to hear. It's hard to believe given how much British TV and sport is consumed here that people have a problem with the accent! As you've been in Ireland for so long you've of course lived through different times and with respect have had more association with an older generation. I've been here for just 18 months and have had no problem settling in and find the Irish very friendly and easy going. Fresh from living on the continent for a few years this country by comparison very much feels just like home.

Laneyh

djpbarry wrote: »

The what now?
QUOTE]

Fairly standard from a lot of English and other people living in England
'Say thirty three and a third'

Another favourite is 'Do you like dags?' from the film Snatch.

And now thanks to Keith Lemon following you around shouting the word 'potato'.

Laneyh

I think there has always been a bit of a double standard with regard to certain 'banter'

It is seen as fair game to try and mimic and Irish accent to an Irish person
and as already mentioned try and get them to say words that contain 'th'.

I doubt they would be as quick to mimic an Indian or Chinese accent in the same way.

I also think that it is not as offensive - ignorant, unfunny and annoying yes; but I don't think its full on racist.

Once, whilst on a train with my mother a black English man said something about fenians being on board. I was surprised rather than offended but just ignored him.

The only time I experienced what I would deem to be genuine racism was from one of my bosses. Even then it was a few ignorant comments and not a sustained campaign.
An example of the comments being when talking about Liverpool he said Liverpudlians were the Irish with brains. He was just one asshole, so not worth getting het up about.


I don't think its correct to say because we're white it can't be racist. The Polish are white and on the receiving end of a fair amount of racism.

I lived in London for 6 years and in Farnborough in Hampshire for around 9 months. In London it was almost impossible to meet an actual Londoner and I worked with people from all over the world. So, race and ethinicity wasn't too much of an issue in London really. You did encounter the odd eejit when out but often the English seemed to have almost a positive prejuidice. Once they heard an Irish accent they expected you to be witty and up for a laugh etc.

I also held a bit of a double standard myself. When my Aussie & Kiwi friends would mimic my accent I didn't find it funny but I wasn't massively annoyed.
I found it endearing enough,if an English person did the same thing I thought they were being patronising gits.

There are a lot more representations of Irish people and Irishness on mainstream British TV now so I think the whole stupid Paddy notion is dying out.

Outside of London, there might be some residual mistrust in relation to the IRA and Northern Ireland.
Something I was surprised by is that most English people couldn't distinguish between Irish accents. I'm not talking about identifying the region you're from but a lot of them asked me if I was from the North or the South. I'm from Cork so I would expect my accent to sound dramatically different to a Northern accent.

Farnborough is close to a fairly large military base and is essentially a satellite town of London. It is very white and middle class and definitely not multicultural. I encountered a bit more curiosity there and the very occasional comment about my lot blowing things up. Even that was not said in an aggressive way. In a way them joking about it is a good sign, its firmly in the past and they're comfortable enough to joke about it. Nobody was ever genuinely suspicious of me or thought I was going to blow them up!

Overall the Irish accent is deemed to be sexy and the people are thought to be witty and charming. So if anything people are overly familiar with you for being Irish. Maybe they chance the slagging because slagging is part of their culture as it is part of ours. However, they can't really get away with slagging other nationalities for fear of being called racist.

The thirty three and a third schtick gets tiresome but I know a few English people who live in Ireland that get plenty of grief from the Irish too.

crockholm

I have 2 co-workers from outside Norwich at our work, I must admit that im not 100% comfortable with them referring to me as "irish" instead of using my name, if they were both a..holes I wouldnt mind as much, but they are 2 sound lads,1 of them,an ex-squaddie, had some "interesting"views on us.
Be that as it may, I believe we are work friends.
on the point that the english are treated horribly here, i have seen very little evidence from it, from returning cousins to people with british spouse's. And without vitriol,might I add, irish people have been quite tolerant, given that many look out daily at famine graveyards,destroyed abbeys and other physical reminders of our shared history. And if people still believe we are being bigoted towards the british, maybe they should look to how other parts of the empire dealt with the remaining anglo's.
Here's hoping to a better future for us both

djpbarry

Laneyh wrote: »

Fairly standard from a lot of English and other people living in England
'Say thirty three and a third'

Another favourite is 'Do you like dags?' from the film Snatch.

And now thanks to Keith Lemon following you around shouting the word 'potato'.

Can't say I've encountered any of that.

Laneyh wrote: »

The thirty three and a third schtick gets tiresome but I know a few English people who live in Ireland that get plenty of grief from the Irish too.

The hassle that my London-born missus received in Dublin was far worse than anything I've had to put up with here. I don't think she ever encountered anyone downright hostile, but was frequently on the receiving end of irritating comments and always judged on the basis of her accent.

crockholm wrote: »

I have 2 co-workers from outside Norwich at our work, I must admit that im not 100% comfortable with them referring to me as "irish" instead of using my name...

Well that's just completely out of order. The guys in question are ignorant morons.

looksee

Pauvre Con wrote: »

As I'm English that's interesting to hear. It's hard to believe given how much British TV and sport is consumed here that people have a problem with the accent! As you've been in Ireland for so long you've of course lived through different times and with respect have had more association with an older generation. I've been here for just 18 months and have had no problem settling in and find the Irish very friendly and easy going. Fresh from living on the continent for a few years this country by comparison very much feels just like home.

Yes, I completely agree and as I said, things have improved immeasurably in the last few years. And you are quite right about the older generation, I find myself associating much more with younger people and find them much more receptive.

Pauvre Con

crockholm wrote: »

And without vitriol,might I add, irish people have been quite tolerant, given that many look out daily at famine graveyards,destroyed abbeys and other physical reminders of our shared history.

Well why shouldn't they be given how long in the past that was? It's tragic that anyone would carry around grievance over something they've not been in anyway personally affected by.

havetoquit

looksee wrote: »

This year I will have lived in Ireland for 40 years. I came to live here with my Irish husband with a completely open mind and willing to settle into the community.

Sadly, after 40 years I still do not feel entirely at home. Still people hear my accent and ask am I on holiday, am I going home for Christmas, and more ridiculous - and it happened just a few weeks ago, expect me to offer justification for the role of the British queen as head of the Church of England! I am expected to have defensive views on British government actions, to support the Orange order, and need to have the history of Ireland explained to me. I cannot tell you how many times people have said 'ah well you have to understand our history' then go on to explain it to me.

The situation has improved immeasurably in recent years, attitudes on Boards are a good indication of that, and I think the queen's visit was a great help.



I have worked here, been to college, run a couple of small businesses, joined groups and been involved in starting things. Still, with the exception of one couple, the people I would describe as friends are not Irish, not by my choice, but just the only people that seem willing to engage. There is a problem with English accents, but mostly I think Irish people are very private and do not want to venture outside their comfort zone. There is an innate kindness and good naturedness, but there is also a personal barrier that outsiders will not get past.

Sorry to hear of your negative experiences here and I am sure many would agree with me that most such comments and attitudes are born out of ignorance and often by certain types of the older generation who have never actually lived away from home or perhaps not even holidayed away. One sometimes meets such types, who for want of a better word appear to be very insular in their outlook.

I am Irish and because I have lived on the continent for years am often asked where I come from!! My friends here are a nice mix of locals, along with good English, German and Finnish friends who live here and we all get on brilliantly.

I lived in parts of Britain and countries on the Continent and thankfully have never experienced any form of prejudice. Apart from a certain type of person, which one finds in every country, I think that generally people do not intend to offend or hurt the feelings of a non national when they make these silly comments and they would possibly be genuinely surprised to realize that sometimes they do just that.

As far as Britain and Ireland are concerned, I genuinely think we have way more in common than not.

I found any British people I met through life to be friendly, courteous, tolerant, open minded and basically with the same attributes that I found in the people of my own country, so I think the insensitive remarks are at best ignored and put down to sheer ignorance.

Life is way too short, so surround yourself with positive people whenever possible.

Take care and best wishes to you.

Ryu Hayabusa

I have been called a "fenian" and have had references made to "semtex" etc to me in my workplace.

I work in the construction industry over here as a project manager for an Irish company ironically.

who the fug

Ryu Hayabusa wrote: »

I have been called a "fenian" and have had references made to "semtex" etc to me in my workplace.

I work in the construction industry over here as a project manager for an Irish company ironically.

fenian was the other party from north of hadrians wall


still hope the story about the Irish project manager at the emirates, sacking a bloke in the back of an ambulance is true

Solair

I've spent a lot of time in England (London and rural Yorkshire) and also in Wales and I've never experienced anything other than general friendliness towards me.

However, I was up in Northern Ireland and was told to "f*** off back to England". I wasn't quite sure what to make of that one. Perhaps a sectarian who was hard of hearing?

I don't have anything remotely resembling an English accent! I usually am assumed to be Irish or, the odd English person will mistake me for a Canadian or a Yank which is understandable enough as I spent time there too.

Jack B. Badd

Bring this thread back on topic now please. I don't want to see any more derailment into an argument about Northern Ireland.

Thank you,
Jack

r3nu4l

Thanks Jack B Badd, good intervention, I was reading this thread and planning on making a similar post before I saw yours.

Now, on topic, as I mentioned earlier in this thread, in eight and a half years living in the UK I've only encountered three instances of anti-Irish racism directed at me. I did have to put a work colleague in her place during my first week of a job I had six years ago, where she started trying to impersonate my 'Oirish' accent. Other than that I've found the general English and British population to be incredibly welcoming and very much interested in Ireland and Irish people.

There are yobbos and ignorant people everywhere, let's just remember that. Nelson Mandela never once sought retribution for his suffering and if you listen to his speeches even directly after he was freed, they all talk about the future rather than harking back to the past.

Mod note: I think this thread is done now. I'm going to delete a LOT (EDIT: 35 posts) of the posts from the past couple of days. If anyone feels strongly about having the thread reopened please send me a PM.