Original post by BeastOfSyracuseThese days I don't think English people do look down on the Irish. But up until even 20 or 30 years ago, there still was substantial prejudice and I think I can identify four particular areas that promoted this view.
First, from the 12th century onwards when the English crown commenced its conquest of Ireland, the native Irish were viewed as being quite primitive and superstitious. Their culture was perhaps closer to its iron-age roots than were the Anglo-Normans who came to Ireland and whose culture was somewhat more evolved (they knew how to build cathedrals, they had a sophisticated legal system, etc) whereas Ireland was more tribal.
Second, Ireland was viewed with some contempt from around the English reformation onwards as they were predominantly Catholic, and Catholics were viewed as superstitious (their obsession with saints and miracles, etc) and so this underlined that view of the Irish as being backward. The Irish were also a turbulent subject people and rebellions frequently had to be put down, thus they were viewed as wilfull and stubborn savages.
Third, from around the 19th century (and continuing even to today) many Irish immigrants started travelling to mainland Britain for work. Many Irish immigrants worked as labourers and had a somewhat itinerant lifestyle. Their manners were rough and lacked the refinement of England, they might spend the money they earned as builders on drink and suchlike. You might compare the view of the Irish in the 19th century perhaps to the way gypsies are viewed today.
Finally, after the Irish uprisings and independence from the 1910s-1930s, there was a sense of belligerence between England and Ireland. And then when the troubles started in the 1960s/1970s and we saw Irish Republican Army terrorists murdering British soldiers in Northern Ireland, setting off bombs in central London, firing mortars at No.10 Downing Street from just a few blocks away (and almost hitting the Cabinet meeting room whilst the cabinet was in session... the windows were smashed by the force of the blast)... these incidents along with the perceptions of Irish "navvies" and builders, and the vestiges of the historical views of the superstitious, almost tribal, "Papist" (meaning Catholic) Irish solidified as an overall negative perception.
But I'd say since the Good Friday Accords and peace in Northern Ireland, and since Ireland managed to find its own way to have a modern prosperous economy and evolved from its agrarian base to a service/information economy, a fellow member of the EU, and as the memories of the Troubles and the historical chauvinist and religious views against the Irish faded, so too has the prejudice. I think most people in England are somewhat fond of the Irish. These days it's more like a sibling rivalry (like England and Australia's relationship). We tease each other with reference to supposed national stereotypical traits (the Irish are heavy drinkers and very religious, the English are cold and unemotional etc). I think this trend toward warm and fond feelings will only increase over time