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Original poster

Irish racism in England

677 replies

angell84 · 13/12/2019 11:22

I am shocked. I am half English, half Irish. My Irish mum lived in England for a long time, gave birth to us children there with her English husband, and then moved back to Ireland.

The reason that she always gave me for returning to Ireland, was that, "she could not take the nastiness to her anymore". She described one incident of many to me: she went to my brother's primary teacher in England, and said that he had lost something, he must have been six at the time, and the teacher said to her , "sure what do you expect - he is half Irish".

I always thought of it in an abstract way, I never really understood what she meant. Until I spent quite a long time in the U.K this year.

I was absolutely shocked at the hatred and nastiness, and calling Irish people stupid.

How can it be possible? The U.K stole alot of Ireland's land, committed mass genocide during the famine, eradicated the Irish language,

And yet instead of apologising, many people are going around calling Irish people stupid.

Isn't it nearly unbelievable? It would be like a German going up to a Jew and calling them stupid. That it was their fault , thhat everything happened the way it did.

I am really shocked

OP posts:
Piglet89 · 13/12/2019 13:56

@OkPedro there is definitely a distinctly “Irish” look: usually fair skin, blue eyes, maybe freckles.

OkPedro · 13/12/2019 13:59

There really isn’t pigletjohn Confused

JaneJeffer · 13/12/2019 13:59

And yet instead of apologising, many people are going around calling Irish people stupid.
Who do you expect to apologise to you?

I had a few incidences when I lived in England but the vast majority of people were fine. The IRA were active at that time which probably had a lot to do with it.

I don't see the point of this thread.

Heretodaygoneforgood · 13/12/2019 14:03

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LexMitior · 13/12/2019 14:03

Well I am just surprised anyone thinks it would not exist. Britain is an imperial concept. I understand that Ireland isn’t anything to do with that but really, you actually expect people in England to be divorced from their own history, which they did well out of?

It’s naive. You should be polite to people I believe, but here’s the thing, most people don’t think very consciously about being pro or anti Irish in Britain.

ethelfleda · 13/12/2019 14:03

YANBU OP.
I fear this, and other types of hatred, will only become more acceptable now too.
And most people know nothing about Anglo Irish history either.

Spidey66 · 13/12/2019 14:04

I'm Irish descent-dad Irish, maternal grandparents irish, we (as in me and siblings) born and raised in London.

I'm in my 50s, and do remember in the 70s/80s/early 90s there was definitely a lot of discrimination, as there was a stereotype that the irish were thick, uneducated spud eating terrorists. The part of London I grew up in was, at the time, very Irish, and I was mainly educated at Catholic schools (so many of my classmates came from a similar background) but even despite the fact I was surrounded by Irish people and was never directly affected I was aware. When I left school, I went through a phase where I didn't want people to know-my surname was not an obvious giveaway, and I've got a London accent. But if people got past my front door, met my dad with his Irish accent, smelt the boiled bacon and cabbage, and heard all the Irish country and western music it was clear, so I often didn't.

1970s ''comedians'' always had the Englishman, Irishman, Scotsman jokes, with the Irishman being the ''thick eejit'' and during IRA campaigns Irish people similar treatment as many Muslims in the UK do today. In fact I think it may have been worse for the Irish as I think diversity wasn't tolerated as much as it is these days.

Then with the Celtic tiger it became cool to be Irish-plus I grew up a bit so since then, while I describe myself as a Londoner, of Irish descent.

I don't think racism against the Irish is as bad as it used to be. Many of my friends wish they had my background, mainly cos I'll still be able to get an EU passport post-Brexit.

SillyUnMurphy · 13/12/2019 14:08

DH’s parents are Irish and DH feels anti Irish sentiment deeply. The other day he was in a cafe and someone was spouting how they “fucking hate the Irish.”

MIL is a nurse and has been called a “fucking IRA bitch (she’s from Cork!)” by a patient.

To me it is as unacceptable as any racism.

JaneJeffer · 13/12/2019 14:08

Is that meant to be a joke Heretoday?

Sushiroller · 13/12/2019 14:08

@Okpedro
You are either being facetious or haven't been to Ireland. There us definitely an irish look.
I mean I have typically Irish features and Irish people generlly assume when they see me I will have an Irish accent. Some of them are then visibly shocked/go from smiley to unfriendly when I have the audacity to have a british accent don't.

Deemail · 13/12/2019 14:09

@brassbrass are you really so clueless that you're shocked to hear what England did to the Irish been compared to what the nazi's did to the Jews?
The Irish famine has often been refereed to as the first ethnic cleansing on record, it was genocide, please stop denying our history.

ChristmasSpirtsOnTheRocksPleas · 13/12/2019 14:09

I’ve never really noticed this except on mn where people insist it happens. Maybe it’s a regional thing? I’ve noticed a degree of anticatholic sentiment though which I suppose might get tied up with Irishness though.

LexMitior · 13/12/2019 14:12

I just think it’s inevitable. Two historic enemies, a long history of conflict... why would it be that harmonious in the first place? Particularly if you are working or seeking employment. It’s not as if the English and the Irish don’t have differences. They do and they have!

Spidey66 · 13/12/2019 14:13

I worked in catering for years and had lots of Irish colleagues. Most of them were thick and lazy. Worse still was how two faced the women were. I’d have a happy team, but the minute I hired anyone Irish that fell apart.

That is so unlike my experience I'm shocked to see it. Practically every Irish person I've known has had a very strong work ethic. As an example, I could count on one hand the amount of times my dad was off work sick. In fact I can only remember one time he was off sick but not in hospital, when he took about 3 days off with flu. That's stuck with me 40 years later because it was so unusual for him. And trust me, he grafted when he was at work (he was a self employed builder, he was in and out of the house all day collecting tools and equipment.) Plus he extended both the family homes we lived in. I'd say he was pretty typical of Irish people I know. I think the fact your colleagues were lazy was nothing to do with them being Irish, and just to do with them being lazy.

Kimbaland · 13/12/2019 14:15

Absolutely ridiculous. My other half is Irish and has been here for 10 years.

I get more racism when i visit Ireland and they call me a 'tan'.

LemonPrism · 13/12/2019 14:17

I have a strong Yorkshire accent and the stupid/backwards comments and insinuations do occasionally crop up towards me in posher circles. Could it possibly have more classist roots?

LemonPrism · 13/12/2019 14:19

And yes I was only taught about English-Irish history (famine, Ulster, IRA) in year 13 after choosing to take History A level and then other parts (colonialism/ eugenics) during my English degree so most English people will never have been taught any of it.

Namelessinseattle · 13/12/2019 14:22

I am so intrigued to know what are typical Irish features Grin pale and freckled? Can someone point me to celebs with them so I can better understand it?

Piglet89 · 13/12/2019 14:24

@OkPedro think you tagged the wrong person. Poor @pigletjohn

As other posters have corroborated, there definitely is an Irish look. There’s also a darker Irish person, which folk say are descendants of the Armada-ites but how true that is, I don’t know.

unicornflakegirl · 13/12/2019 14:24

I'm Irish living in the UK and have experienced some anti Irish sentiment but from people who are generally ignorant and anti all kinds of immigration and racist to other nationalities too.
In a work context someone said it was "an Irish way of doing things" to describe a stupid method. I was told that you wouldn't know I was Irish from my emails Hmm.
I've been called a paddy by a British diplomat who should have known better what with representing the UK and all that (and being put up in fantastic accommodation and children's schooling all paid for by the British taxpayer, myself included).

However those incidents make me think those individuals are twats and I truly believe not representative of the majority of people in the UK.
I actually have a British passport too which has been convenient for work as I travel a lot and sometimes need to leave a passport to get a visa and having both makes life easier. I always use my Irish passport for travelling to the US though, it usually gets a very friendly response.

SillyUnMurphy · 13/12/2019 14:25

To me Marian Keyes has very typical Irish features; pale, dark hair and vivid blue eyes. The McGanns are also very typically Irish looking, particularly their wavy, thick hair (which my DH also has)

Piglet89 · 13/12/2019 14:26

Gillian Anderson looks Irish. Sure enough, I read in Wikipedia she’s of English, German and Irish ancestry.

All of the Corrs look Irish.

LexMitior · 13/12/2019 14:28

I think there’s a little piss taking here on the “look Irish”...

Spidey66 · 13/12/2019 14:30

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OkPedro · 13/12/2019 14:32

I’m Irish living in Ireland @Sushiroller Hmm

Sorry pigletjohn and @Piglet89 Grin