Historical article on Anti-Irish racism

Briefing on Anti-Irish Racism, Good Friday Agreement and Brexit - Wed, Aug 21, 2019

On 13 July 2019 the Irish in Britain group held a conference entitled BREXIT Through the Green: Interpretation, Identity and Irishness at Resource for London in Holloway Road. The notice sent out for the meeting read:

“The vote to leave the EU has shaken many securities that Irish citizens in Britain had taken for granted. In the lead up to the Brexit vote in June 2016, Anglo–Irish relations were at an all–time high. The Irish community in Britain enjoyed and contributed to strong community relations, a long way from the anti–Irish discrimination of the mid–20th century. 

The fundamental rights of the Irish in Britain appear to be protected in Brexit scenarios. However, pro–Brexit tabloids are often critical of the Irish Government, political cooperation in Northern Ireland is stalled and many in the Irish community are again aware of the sense of “other.”

One of the speakers at the event was Padraig Belton, an Irish journalist. He commented “The day after the referendum when I dared publicly question the sage wisdom of the result, I had friends tell me because I was Irish, I had no right to comment, and should bugger off home”. He also recalled a member of the House of Lords saying that the Taoiseach was a “typical Indian”.  (This was a reference to a remark made by Lord Kilclooney, previously Ulster Unionist Party MP and MEP, John Taylor, in response to a BBC Newsline headline in 2018 which read “DUP: Varadkar’s visit to Northern Ireland showed “disrespect”” )

Anti-Irish sentiment in Britain: ‘I feel like I am back in the 1980s’

We asked readers in Britain if they had encountered anti-Irishness. Never, said some. Yes, said others.