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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:
eurochick · 13/12/2019 19:59

My Irish Catholic mil came from a wealthy family. Private boarding school, horses, cars when they learned to drive.

I'd be surprised if my husband thought he experienced racism in the U.K. (He's not here now to ask.) He can remember the appalling "no dogs, no blacks, no Irish" signs from the 70s but I'd be surprised if there was anything in the last twenty years.

LexMitior · 13/12/2019 20:03

Of course there is an irony in the statement. But you miss the point. The British got to do this because they won. If they hadn’t, then the Holocaust would have been unremembered.

But no one has answered my question - if the English are so racist, why would you expect them to teach the Potato Famine as a form of genocide?

Andysbestadventure · 13/12/2019 20:03

Why would I apologise for something I didn't do? Also you do realise a large portion of the population in 'England' are probably around 1/4 Irish, right? Am I supposed to apologise to myself?

DoTheHop · 13/12/2019 20:03

She could well be Michael O'Leary's dd for all I know Grin
Or one of Bertie's?

There has always been an affluent Catholic middle class in Ireland

Who? Bishop Eamonn Casey's son? Grin

Surfskatefamily · 13/12/2019 20:09

I'm so sorry you've had that experience and your mother too. It's definitely not how everyone here feels and I hope you have only positive interactions from hereon

DoTheHop · 13/12/2019 20:11

My Irish Catholic mil came from a wealthy family. Private boarding school, horses, cars when they learned to drive

Give me a name.
What century?
What county?
What sort of shite are you talking about?

Not sure where she'd have boarded, as I don't think Irish Catholics were allowed to board in the Protestant boarding schools.

What occupation had her father?

DoTheHop · 13/12/2019 20:13

It's worth mentioning that since Ireland removed the British from Ireland, we have prospered. Thick and all as we are Wink. Not sure how we've managed to get our seat at Europe, us being loutish, uneducated, uncouth fools.

Funny how our society has moved on in leaps and bounds while Brexit blights the GREAT british empire........

JaneJeffer · 13/12/2019 20:14

There are Catholic boarding schools DoTheHop. I don't know why you don't believe that poster?

LexMitior · 13/12/2019 20:15

Well that’s the case then. Why are you bothered what the English do?

Deemail · 13/12/2019 20:15

I'll answer Lex, in my opinion not teaching about the England's rule in Ireland and the famine that was forced on the Irish highlights a form of denial from for past behaviour under British rule. I don't think it's racism though.
Why is it only Britain's roles as the good guys that deserve a place in the history books and days of remembrance?

roisinagusniamh · 13/12/2019 20:17

dothehop wow!
I come from a catholic background and have a middle class Irish accent. I am not a practicing catholic.
My mother grew up in a three storied Georgian house in Galway. Her family had maids, nannies and a housekeeper! We still own the house and many properties that my grandfather bought in the 30s.
Mum and her sisters went to a boarding (Convent) school in Dublin.and then me and most of my cousins went to a boarding school in Athlone.
I grew up in the south side of Dublin. We had a housekeeper.
How ignorant you are to think nobody in Ireland comes from a family like that!

ChristmassySpice · 13/12/2019 20:18

Some very skewed comments on here so far OP.
I'm half Welsh half English. Live in the North East. Almost touching the Scottish border. Have very close Scottish relatives. I have no problem with any of us. We live. We breathe. We try our best. But some people are hellbent on making us Different. And so, stoking up hatred. It's so sad. Much love to you.

DoTheHop · 13/12/2019 20:19

I don't know why you don't believe that poster?

Because she's denying her Irishness. Considering herself a class above us - had a housekeeper/doesn't speak with an Irish accent - yes that makes her a better class of Irish does it?

Class in Ireland is nothing to do with how you speak/whether you've had a housekeeper. Money can't buy class.

LexMitior · 13/12/2019 20:20

Is the obvious answer to that generally, the dominant narratives in history tend to be the favourable ones, not the ones where you might look bad? I think that principle applies to every country in the world when they teach history. It is partial.

Academic history is another matter but schooling is not. You can’t expect the Potato Famine to be taught in England. By all accounts the English are racist against the Irish so why would this occur? Who is going to make the case?

roisinagusniamh · 13/12/2019 20:21

dothehop what sort of upbringing did you have?
One that definitely nurtured your tiny mind!
Off you hop, now!
Slan leat!

DoTheHop · 13/12/2019 20:21

That your excuse for not being able to recite the Hail Mary? That you're not a practising Catholic? Are you SURE you're Catholic? What was your father's occupation?

roisinagusniamh · 13/12/2019 20:22

Ok dothehop, I cannot be Irish because I come from money?

DoTheHop · 13/12/2019 20:22

One that nurtured my mind alright.

DoTheHop · 13/12/2019 20:23

No, because an Irish person wouldn't brag about coming from money, nor for not having an Irish accent.

LexMitior · 13/12/2019 20:24

This is an interesting thread though - nationalism, history, realpolitik and then the flavour of a family argument that you can neither resolve nor stop...

roisinagusniamh · 13/12/2019 20:24

My father was a Lawyer, my mother a doctor (only practiced briefly before she married and had us as was the norm in the 60s)
What were yours?
What made you so bitter?
You obviously didn't mix with people from different backgrounds!

HamAndPineapple · 13/12/2019 20:26

I never encountered it in a decade+ 1994 - 2007 is but the oiks have grabbed the wheel since then.

roisinagusniamh · 13/12/2019 20:27

I know the Hail Mary and the Our Father and can even remember the Rosary😅
Saying I come from money is a fact, not a boast.
Should I make up a background that involved riding a donkey to school barefoot while reciting the Rosary, just to keep you happy?

Anoisagusaris · 13/12/2019 20:28

I think @DoTheHop is taking the piss.

JaneJeffer · 13/12/2019 20:29

Lex it's like an Irish family Christmas. Enjoy!

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