How much of a problem is anti Irish racism still in the UK today?

[Cybercubed]

I was born and raised in England to Irish parents. I moved back with my parents to Northern Ireland aged 14 where I lived since. I'm thinking about moving back to England for the first time as an adult, but just wondering about how much of an issue anti-Irish sentiment (if any) there is in the UK?

Growing up I experienced quite a lot of prejudice for my Irish background, although I don't take it too seriously because I know kids can be cruel at that age and if it wasn't my Irish background they would have picked on me for something else, but has left me feeling a bit paranoid/insecure of Irish background, even if I have an English accent.

I do see a a lot of anti Irish commentary online which worries me, disproportionately from some Scots online relating to the old firm, Rangers fans singing the famines over why dont you go home, which of course is very painful to hear from somebody in the Irish diaspora, and worries me how widespread those views are elsewhere in the UK. (I'm aware Celtic fans behaviour is often equally sectarian). I'm also aware Irish online often can appear anti British too at times.

I know this is going to sound offensive but sometimes I feel I wish I wasn't of Irish descent and that that my parents came from a country that didn't have such an ugly past with the UK like Sweden or something.

There is much, much less ‘anti-Irish sentiment’ in England than there is anti-English sentiment in Ireland.

I would have said there wasn't any anti-Irish feeling any more, but my friend, who is from just outside Belfast, and has lived here nearly 20 years still gets bomb and terrorists "jokes" and "Paddy" comnents.
He's a big man, worked the doors, and well able to stand up for himself, so how much it would have been if he was more vulnerable in appearance is anyone's guess 🙁

My kids are half northern Irish and it's not something we've come across in our naice rural idyll and school. Do know someone who got a lot of abuse for being Northern Irish at work in the nearest big city. Perpetrators are big rangers fans. Got to the point they were signed off work with stress and GP reported it to the police as a hate crime. 90 minutes or so from Glasgow.

Honestly cannot believe people choose to behave that way in this day and age.

I should have said, we're in North East England, and he does have a VERY strong accent - unless he uses his "phone voice" as we call it, he can be practically incomprehensible, so it is very obvious where he's from as soon as he speaks.

I'm born in England with Northern Irish parents, very much still have their accent and irish-isms if you know what I mean.

My DF very occasionally gets an IRA joke (they're from Derry) but my DM doesn't have any issues at all. If you had asked this in the 90's I'm sure it would be a very different story.

My DM often says it's much easier to be Irish in the U.K., than it is to be English in NI!

I'm Irish, from the back of beyonds, and have lived in London for 30 years. Apart from one 'Potato' joke the first year I arrived I don't think I've ever experienced anything anti-Irish.
I work in a large multi cultural organisation, I suspect if you worked in some other industries(eg construction) or locations you may experience some 'banter' but racism would be unusual.

There is much, much less ‘anti-Irish sentiment’ in England than there is anti-English sentiment in Ireland.

This is true, and I say that as an Irish person. Obviously there are historic reasons, but it's also just a socially acceptable target for abuse.

@BlueMoons90

I actually have had a lot less abuse for having an English accent in Ireland than having an Irish ancestry in England. I know usual experience is often the other way around, but maybe it was just my school and hanging around in the wrong crowds.

Hmm it’s strange as I’m from an Irish/London family and was regaled of the stories of the 70s being no “no blacks, no dogs, no irish” (with irish under the dogs), but it was seen as a historic prejudice in the 90s, and personally I didn’t even realise that paddy was offensive (according to pp) as no one I know would be offended unless it was spat with vitriol (but surely that would apply to any word?) so I guess it all depends on your definitions.

Football fans do not equate the rest of society

@Cybercubed that's interesting, but I'm assuming that was a while ago if you were younger than 14? Correct me if I'm wrong!

I have a VERY Irish name, as do my brothers and we've never experienced any issues so honestly, I wouldn't be any concerned if I were you

I'm from Belfast and have lived in the Midlands for over 20 years - in the early 2000s, I did get quite a bit of stick for being a Terrorist, owning a gun etc, but I haven't had anything in years.

Nowadays it's much more complimentary with people telling me how much they like my accent.

I honestly wouldn't worry Op.

Most celtic and rangers fans don't even understand what they're chanting about.

Only anti-irish hate I've heard is from an Northern Irish relative - no one from the mainland seems to care.

I'm Scotland - East Coast, although still loads of Celtic/Rangers fans around.

I'm from the republic and have never experienced any anti-irish opinions while living in England. In my experience people tend to like the Irish and assume you're a laugh. On the other hand, I get a lot of anti-English racism from an uncle (by marriage) living in the republic but originally from Northern Ireland. Some of it has rubbed off on my aunt and cousins which is disappointing.

@BlueMoons90

No you're right it was based on when I was a child, but sometimes trauma in your childhood can linger about still into later life. My school in NI was much better just generally which is why I avoided any abuse there. The responses on here seem quite positive so far so I'm my experiences as an adult will be a lot of different this time. Sometimes reading stuff online I assume can be deceptive as well as there appears more racists online, on forums, twitter etc than IRL.

An Irish friend of mine. living in Kent, has been greeted by his neighbour every morning for the past ten years, with 'Hi Paddy'. My friend's name is not Paddy. Neighbour knows what his actual name is but thinks he's hilarious.

Back in the 90s I experienced some overt anti Irish behaviour. However in recent years I can't remember a time when I experienced it. I work in an organisation that has very few Irish people (can't think of any at the moment) and sometimes I am aware of my accent and wonder how it lands. I can't help but think those anti Irish sentiments are likely still there just hidden.

It is harder to identify Irish people unless we speak and even then our accents are probably softer for all the years we have lived here. So, I think you can probably get by without any (or not too many) jibes. Although that paddy story would suggest I am wrong.

I was at school in London during the 70s and anti Irish comments were rife but it doesn't seem to happen anymore. A beautician said something offensive about 25 years ago but that was the last time I heard anything like that.

OTOH, my son who was born and raised in the U.K. went to uni at Trinity Dublin and got a lot of anti-Brit racism aimed at him. Not in shops or bars but from fellow students on his course.

In my experience, it still exists in a big way in England. Not in a direct way (although it may do, I'm just saying I haven't seen it) , but in the more veiled way that happens with a lot of prejudice dressed up as 'banter'.

I've seen many , many comments being made about Irish society being backward, potatoes, etc, all done in a jokey way but it is obviously pretty offensive. This is all mainly in a work context as well.

I'm marrying an Irishman next year after ten years together here in the UK. I've never seen any racism towards him. People make potato jokes and say the word paddy, same way when I go to Ireland I'm called a black and tan and people make fun of my accent. If you take the word paddy as an insult I think you're being too sensitive.

Irish isn't a race and NI is in the UK. Are Brits still unable to differentiate between two different countries? I met English people 30 years ago who couldn't tell Belfast from Dublin, but surely post Brexit people have more sense?

@Confusedandshaken

Its weird how some posters have spoken of experiences of anglophobia whilst in Ireland but I've never had that here and I've lived in some very nationalist/Republican areas in NI. I'm an ex student of Queens University Belfast, no problems, I'm beginning to wonder whether some of stuff actually goes on behind my back now instead lol. Most people don't even ask me where abouts I came from in England or notice my accent. Maybe I'm just not interesting enough or have too much of a bland personality.

The Old Firm thing is limited to a very small number of football fans, Glasgow is the only place where I've ever heard (someone who wasn't even religious) refer to someone being protestant or catholic! I've got lots of friends who grew up in Northern Ireland and I've never heard anything derogatory aimed at them, or them complain about it.

I met English people 30 years ago who couldn't tell Belfast from Dublin, but surely post Brexit people have more sense?
Do you think we'd currently be "post Brexit" if they did?!?

I worked in retail (in England) with an Irish lady. She sometimes complained that customers treated her poorly because she was Irish. However, one day I was by her when she served a customer and afterwards she asked me if I’d heard how rude the customer was to her - I had listened to the transaction and in my eyes the customer wasn’t rude at all.
I’m not saying every time - but perhaps sometimes it’s not down to racism but different perception/expectation.