Ah you're a Catholic!

[Appleday11]

I moved to England to work last year. I'm Irish.

When I arrived at my workplace, one of my colleagues said "Ah you are Irish, this is a nice city, there is a Catholic church down the road that you can go to".

I think she was trying to be helpful but I thought it was quite bizarre. I'm not Catholic and I told her so.

Second time - I was out in the pub with a mixed group of people. Some of them I had never met before. One man said "ah you're Irish, you're a Catholic!" I told him Im not.

Third time- I was at another group. A woman said to me "you are Irish. Ah so you like such and such. And you are a Catholic". I told her I am not.

I found it strange as I have never really thought about religiom. Do some people here think that all Irish people are Catholics? My family were not religious at all and I was never brought up any religion

🙄

I try to think the best of people but time and time again, these ‘I just want to comment on something about English people as an Irish person…’ is just an excuse to start yet another thread having a pop at England, how racist/colonialist/imperialist we all are, how Ireland/Scotland/Wales are just better countries full of better and more enlightened people, blah blah…

Yet you all live here.

🤷‍♀️

(disclaimer - does not apply to all or even most Irish/Scottish/Welsh, but there is a hardcore whose entire identity seems to rely on ‘being better than the English’)

I also find these accusations of racism hilarious in the context that England is FAR more diverse than Ireland, and accepted far more immigration than Ireland before the far right lunatic marches started. Ireland already has them, despite minuscule levels of immigration and a population 10 times smaller than ours. Draw your own conclusions 🤷‍♀️

I have to say I agree with this. As I’ve said I have Irish parents and spent a fair amount of time there- so I don’t say this as criticism but as sort of arms length observation.

Irish people have recently been infected with the same far right facism that has infected pretty much all of Europe. They’re not immune to it, and it’s growing.

irish people have always had a reputation for being incredibly welcoming, part of the reason it’s such a popular tourist destination. However, the reality was there was little immigration, particularly by refugees or asylum seekers. That began to happen when Ireland became richer, more easily accessed and had more opportunities.

it’s become clear that when they feel something is being taken, they can be as unkind and as unwelcoming as the British, French, Germans, swedes etc.

I have to say I agree with this. As I’ve said I have Irish parents and spent a fair amount of time there- so I don’t say this as criticism but as sort of arms length observation.

Irish people have recently been infected with the same far right facism that has infected pretty much all of Europe. They’re not immune to it, and it’s growing.

irish people have always had a reputation for being incredibly welcoming, part of the reason it’s such a popular tourist destination. However, the reality was there was little immigration, particularly by refugees or asylum seekers. That began to happen when Ireland became richer, more easily accessed and had more opportunities.

it’s become clear that when they feel something is being taken, they can be as unkind and as unwelcoming as the British, French, Germans, swedes etc.

I have to say I agree with this. As I’ve said I have Irish parents and spent a fair amount of time there- so I don’t say this as criticism but as sort of arms length observation.

Irish people have recently been infected with the same far right facism that has infected pretty much all of Europe. They’re not immune to it, and it’s growing.

irish people have always had a reputation for being incredibly welcoming, part of the reason it’s such a popular tourist destination. However, the reality was there was little immigration, particularly by refugees or asylum seekers. That began to happen when Ireland became richer, more easily accessed and had more opportunities.

it’s become clear that when they feel something is being taken, they can be as unkind and as unwelcoming as the British, French, Germans, swedes etc.

I have to say I agree with this. As I’ve said I have Irish parents and spent a fair amount of time there- so I don’t say this as criticism but as sort of arms length observation.

Irish people have recently been infected with the same far right facism that has infected pretty much all of Europe. They’re not immune to it, and it’s growing.

irish people have always had a reputation for being incredibly welcoming, part of the reason it’s such a popular tourist destination. However, the reality was there was little immigration, particularly by refugees or asylum seekers. That began to happen when Ireland became richer, more easily accessed and had more opportunities.

it’s become clear that when they feel something is being taken, they can be as unkind and as unwelcoming as the British, French, Germans, swedes etc.

I have to say I agree with this. As I’ve said I have Irish parents and spent a fair amount of time there- so I don’t say this as criticism but as sort of arms length observation.

Irish people have recently been infected with the same far right facism that has infected pretty much all of Europe. They’re not immune to it, and it’s growing.

irish people have always had a reputation for being incredibly welcoming, part of the reason it’s such a popular tourist destination. However, the reality was there was little immigration, particularly by refugees or asylum seekers. That began to happen when Ireland became richer, more easily accessed and had more opportunities.

it’s become clear that when they feel something is being taken, they can be as unkind and as unwelcoming as the British, French, Germans, swedes etc.

dupe

Yes I also want to clarify I’m a Roman Catholic of (very recent and on both sides) Irish descent, although I consider myself English.

sorry for multiple posts Mn is playing up and won’t let me edit

I studied History A level back in the late 90s and Irish History was a whole module, taught by an Irish teacher no less but that was then, this is now and I'm genuinely shocked that British people on the scale the OP has found, have any idea about the history let alone practice these prejudices. I certainly don't think any young people would have a clue unless they studied it. Equally, I live in one of the most secular places in the UK and diversity is not a catch phrase, heritage is interwoven and blended. I think that's not the case in Ireland and there is lots of projection going on here. Segregation in small English/British towns may happen but IME it isn't even deliberated!

What’s he done to be locked up out of interest? I know him as an MMA fighter but not much else about him

He’s a rapist. And sadly popular among far right types in Ireland.

Irish history education in the uk is woeful (shouldn’t be surprised as all colonial historyis) and we were fed British propaganda throughout the troubles. I can safely say very few people knew about segregated housing etc. as I say, I had Irish grandparents and extended family living in the south throughout and even I didn’t know- they never spoke of it.

I do have to say I think talking about the uk as Christian now or 30 years ago is a little misguided- it has never been comparable to catholism in Ireland. The baby groups etc… churches are used as venues for hire. The church schools- the schools historically were built on church land. I don’t want to be offensive but cofe is generally “lightweight” as a religion and isn’t the same as say Protestants of Ulster. Regular worship isn’t even common (ie my nan went to mass every evening, most cofe church goers go on Sunday)

I agree as well as the constant reference to the Europeans loving the Irish but hating the British which is always the same old trope about the Spanish/French hating the drunk, Boorish Brits but romanticising the Irish character which in itself is a tale of clichés and surely perpetuates Irish stereotypes. On this Brit bashing threads they never want to hear about your loved experience with colleagues from all over Europe and the world, they never want to hear that Europeans includes Northern Europe and IME with family and friends from Scandinavian countries, they don't have this attitude at all.

My Canadian relatives visited me in Ireland late 2024 and were trying to source a Conor McGregor hoodie for their daughter. I told them not to! If anyone needs information then Google is your friend although the details are deeply awful.
I was in England for most of the 1980s. I had a friend from Cavan who worked in a big hospital...lots of research related to university and lots of staff from all around the world. There was a coffee morning advertised as for 'staff from Ulster ' so she went along. In reality it was for people from Northern Ireland and not Donegal Cavan and Monaghan.
Im from Belfast but don't have a strong accent. In work I was known as the Scottish girl. And because I didn't yell like Ian Paisley it was assumed I was Catholic.

That’s just because of the deep rooted (justified) hatred of the British. It’s not like the way the English and French have an affectionate hate relationship it’s genuine hate. Like the Pakistanis and Indians or Taiwan and China. A local, ancient hatred. We just all live with it in our bones now although of course it’s outwardly greatly reduced in recent decades

I find the idea of living like that exhausting. I can’t imagine defining my identity by hating another nation. It’s all quite sad. Other countries seem quite resilient in terms of moving on from past events.

Sorry what's justified deep rooted hatred between who and who?

It’s not exhausting though. It’s generational trauma

Also i don’t think other countries are better at moving on- like who?

I think in some ways they’re almost offended that truly most English people don’t really think about or care about past grievances with Ireland. They want to carry on the grudge at all costs, because it’s so defining to their identity they’re not sure who they are without it.

Most Irish people I know are thankfully not at all like this.

Well, a million Brits were slaughtered by the Axis powers less than 100 years ago, their cities were destroyed but they seem to have moved on from that nicely.

Not this again.

Everyone has generational trauma.

Thankfully most people choose not to live in it.