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Why did all the Italians come here and set up Chippers?

Augmerson

F'king serious. Why would Italians come to Ireland? Isn't it always warm and sunny there? Maybe they knew we like fried foods. Cheeseburgers ftw. Ah no seriously. It seemed in the 1950s and onwards lots of Italians people moved to Ireland and ended up setting up takeaways and restaurants.

If you compare immigration in Ireland to other European nations, we haven't really had many peoples come here prior to the 19th and 20th centuries. We had French Huguenot's and European Jews plus all the many people of Scotland, Wales & England.

People from Eastern Europe and Africa came when Ireland was a more prosperous place. What made the Italians want to come back in the 1950s or around that time? Was it because we were a Catholic nation too? Were things worse in Italy?

It'd make you think.

****in' love a Cheeseburger now though.

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dlofnep

I asked this question on here before - the consensus was that Italy is extremely poor and corrupt, and that they have a better life in Ireland.

Zaph

mikemac1 wrote: »

The Italians may be good but they'll never beat McDonaghs in Galway

Having seen numerous posts praising McDonaghs on Boards over the years, I eventually got round to eating there last year. A truly underwhelming experience if there ever was one, very average fish and chips. I've been in plenty of chippers in Dublin that are far better (and admittedly some a lot worse).

wilkie2006

I just thought it was one massive Italian family - the Borzas - that came over

Mr.Biscuits

Good documentary if you can find the full version online:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaJTSsV7zzo

Bandana boy

I always thought they came here via Scotland where the notion of chippers originated

mikemac1

I think wan n'wan came about as the Dubs and the Italians couldn't understand each other

Nowhere else in Ireland uses that

LH Pathe

They're only dirty crook guido son of some sicilian who are almost more established here than the Irish emselves yer they rarely seek to improve their piss poor practice and do their great nation a disservice so don't buy it

Pride Fighter

The Mezzogiorno region of Italy was very poor. So many left to find employment elsewhere. Some made their way to Britain in the 19th Century (Ireland was a part of Britain then, as much as we'd hate to admit it), and found the locals liked battered fish and chips. There was no demand for their indigenous food and it would have been to expensive to import Italian foodstuffs anyway. They set themselves up, brought over their relatives and kept their take aways in the family.

3hn2givr7mx1sc

Aquila wrote: »

Mountrath...
Mountrath :eek:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6qFJ09KY-A

:pac:

Thankfully I live a few miles outside it!:D

K-9

Good few emigrated to Northern Ireland as well.

patrickbrophy18

Zaph wrote: »

Having seen numerous posts praising McDonaghs on Boards over the years, I eventually got round to eating there last year. A truly underwhelming experience if there ever was one, very average fish and chips. I've been in plenty of chippers in Dublin that are far better (and admittedly some a lot worse).

It really depends on what chipper you are used to or brought up with. For example, if you have a chipper from a Borza's for your entire life and then switch to a Mario's, Marsella's, Macari's or McDonaghs there is bound to be some difference in the taste or texture of the food. So, of course, there are people who will be biased or favour their local chipper over those elsewhere because it has sentimental value. Completely understandable though!

pawrick

One of my ancestors left Italy in 1799 due to the wars with France around that time and settled in Belfast before moving on to Brazil. His sons came back here however otherwise I wouldn't exist and the world would be a poorer place for it!

LH Pathe

silvios, borza etc they've got a monopoly on food. it's an extortion racket always some shady goings on with these guys Mario's micro-chain for the middle classes doesn't do it for me and these greasy racketeers never change their oil, let alone their menu

Run_to_da_hills

National Fish & Chip day in two weeks.

http://www.itica.ie/

Eggy Baby!

I got a friend who has a chipper here in Navan and I think he told me his grandad left Italy during the war and settled in Ireland. Presumably he set up a chipper the same way Chinese might set up a Chinese restaurant abroad.

P.S the chipper my friend's family owns does a lot of authentic Italian stuff. I'm guessing a chipper is some sort of symbiosis between Italian and English fast food cuisine.

dermo88

I think like Ireland, Italy was a poor country, especially the Mezzogiorno, with a poor economy that could not sustain the population levels. But it still does not answer why they choose Ireland.

If I am not mistaken, traditional Fish and Chips as we know it is actually a Jewish kosher recipe, prepared and made the night before Sabbath.

One of my classmates, Marco Marsella, if I am not mistaken said his Grandfather came over in 1946 after World War Two....

So a logical deduction - here goes.

Likely, what I think happened, was the first 'wave' of emigration between 1880-1910, which then stopped with World War 1, War of Independence, etc. The families stayed in contact by post, sending letters, possibly even money back to the 'old country'. Then we can readily assume that between 1940-1946 communication with WW2 on would be impossible, and that when contact resumed, the 'second wave' of emigration took place.

But the fish and chip recipe itself, despite numerous secret variations on the formula has Jewish origins, and it is likely that the Italians would have some awareness of their food traditions also. It fulfilled all the basic requirements of a successful business, especially in a Catholic country on a Friday. It was cheap to buy, could be bought in large quantities fresh, and could be sold in large volumes.

And whoever got there first, was on to a winner.

IrishAm

The Irish enjoy their drink. A staple of the Irish diet is the humble potato. The Italians saw a niche market. Fried spuds, drunk Irish. A match made in heaven.

We shall beat them next month, they wont be so smart then!

IrishAm

mikemac1 wrote: »

It's just a few hundred people and most of that was decades ago, 1950's

That, it was. Most set up wee markets/take aways in Dublin. They had little english. Hence the Dublin term one and one, when talking about fish and chips.

Uno, point to chips on the menu. And uno, whilst pointing at fried fish on the menu.

Thats me lunch sorted for tomorrow.

Dinner box, batter sausage, pint of milk, nice weather and the happiest cunt in Dublin, I shall be.

opinion guy

Gee Bag wrote: »

Here ya go!

http://www.itica.ie/

Kamjana wrote: »

Theres your answer.

patrickbrophy18 wrote: »

It really depends on what chipper you are used to or brought up with. For example, if you have a chipper from a Borza's for your entire life and then switch to a Mario's, Marsella's, Macari's or McDonaghs there is bound to be some difference in the taste or texture of the food. So, of course, there are people who will be biased or favour their local chipper over those elsewhere because it has sentimental value. Completely understandable though!

Hmm I'm inclined to think bull**** on this. I remember the 80's. All these chippers had different names in different places. Then through the later 90's and 2000's they all started streamlining and all became Macari's. Seems more like some consolidation of the market to me. I also think Eddie rockets is now part of the same chain since the woman running the eddie rockets near me used to work in the macaris near where i grew up.

Sindri

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

National Fish & Chip day in two weeks.

http://www.itica.ie/

Can't wait. Half price Fish 'n' chips. Yum yum.

mikemac1 wrote: »

I spy some drunken posting

Have you seen the movie 'The Van'. 'Wha' would ye like'? 'Wurld peace'. 'Fuck off.'

Fuck Schillaci.

mikemac1

I apologise Sir

No, never seen The Van

I'm loading it up now, going to see what Colm Meaney has to say about these Schillaci loving *****

All the same, Schillaci isn't a bad lad.
I remember he's a Smithwicks drinker :cool:

IrishAm

mikemac1 wrote: »

I remember he's a Smithwicks drinker :cool:

All the cool kids are drinking the pale ale. Not that I would know, of course.

IrishAm

dlofnep wrote: »

I asked this question on here before - the consensus was that Italy is extremely poor and corrupt, and that they have a better life in Ireland.

Most of them come from a certain region of Italy. Val Di Comino. A rural village in south Italy. The Macaris came to Dublin in the 1880s. Now, they run the show. The Borzas come from the same area too, if I remember correctly. Other non Dub chippers as well.

By the turn of the 20th century, pre Irish independence, there were at least 15 chippers in Dublin. At least. Some historians claim double.

But with this story, the only double I want to hear about is drenched in a ****load of salt and vinegar. Always vinegar first, so the salt sticks.

God bless Val di Comino.

IrishAm

JG009 wrote: »

Because Irish men are generally fat p1ssheads who like a bite after the pub.

The Irish male enjoys the finer things in life. The pint, the chipper after. Its as enjoyable as any cultural tradition.

The chipper is a thing of cultural beauty. Dont over indulge, but.

When one leaves this rain ridden beautiful island of ours, there are two things one longs for(except loved ones).

The chipper and all the glorious offerings.

The full Irish breakfast and the cup of scald.

LH Pathe

You know whichever guido grill I order a burger from.. I always invariably get the same pale imitation of a Wopper.

IrishAm

LH Pathe wrote: »

You know whichever guido grill I order a burger from.. I always invariably get the same pale imitation of a Wopper.

Burger King burgers are better. But their chips pale in imitation to the Italian chippers.

What to go for, such a conundrum!

LH Pathe

Food Fare my arse Grease Stop is more fitting

/oo-er.

humanji

LH Pathe wrote: »

You know whichever guido grill I order a burger from.. I always invariably get the same pale imitation of a Wopper.

Cut out the casual racism. /mod

Ash.J.Williams

Are they actual Italians or are they roma-Italians?

Abi

The amount of chippers in the town next to me is just appalling. I hate seeing the local schools emptying out at lunch hour, they just head straight for the crap food. And the size of some of them.

For the sake of the kids health in the town the best thing that could happen is the recession wipes the chippers out.

As an earlier poster said, it's an awful pity they didn't bring their native cuisine with them.