Irish People & People of Irish Descent

I'm part Irish. That's all you need to know

OP are you Irish? and have you experienced discrimination?

Personally, I don't view Irish people any differently than anyone else, in fact their accents can be quite charming

I am (2nd gen).
and i have.

.....

but yea i was just curious what other peoples experiences were or if im just unlucky lol.

But y'all look English enough so no random chav will shout racist abouse at ya!

Aw man, that doesn't sound great, I am sorry you've gone through that! I am black, so I have also experienced racism in the past, although all of it was during primary school. I found that quite distressing, since I was younger, and was upset easily. The only other incident was the one time someone shouted "Go home!" in a car driving past; it didn't really much of an effect on me, and I brushed it off. Obviously, it's a bit sad that we live in a world where such ignorant people exist; but at the same time, I am happy that most of the population appear to be more tolerant than that small minority.

did you think your experiences made you hypersensitive to that type of antagonism or gone the other way?

I'm Northern Irish, which to most English people is the same thing as just being 'regular' Irish (the number of times I had to explain the difference at uni... Obviously not everyone assumed they were the same, but a significant number did :s)

The worst I've had is people telling me they can't understand me tbh. My accent's thick, I say some words differently and I talk quickly.
There was a couple of terrorist jokes too (from people who knew the difference), and jokes about potatoes, but it's all in good humor so I really couldn't call it abuse or discrimination.

Not sure how helpful that is tbh. But it's at a point where I basically just go 'yeah I'm Irish' if I cba explaining the whole North/Republic thing. And I haven't had any trouble.


Sorry to hear you did have issues though that's not cool.

Hmm, it's really tough to judge the impact, since I don't know how I would be without those experiences. But I think if anything it's made me grow a tougher skin, and realise that some people will say those hurtful things; but it's better for me to simply move on, rather than dwell on what they say. Although even if someone says something in a jesting manner, I can always differentiate between those with a darker intention and those which are truly light hearted jokes. The former does make me slightly sad, but as I said, I try to forget it since it's 100% their problem to have such an attitude; and their comeuppance is due sooner or later since its illegal to discriminate against people. And one day someone won't let it slide that they've made such a remark, and they'll get in trouble for it.

obviously I'm aware I'm asking a certain audience here. (mainly middle class, safe background etc.)

but I'm curious

Have any of you had any sh*t for being Irish? (that your aware of)


Optionally
I'd be interested to know.

also if you respond I'd appreciate it if you leave your
age
if you are 1st, 2nd, 3rd generation / mixed descent
and possibly what class you are.

(living in a hostel, council flat/house, flat share, flat rent, house rent, house mortgage, house paid for. ruff area, nice area. blue collar/white collar family.)

thanks. yea ive met people that thought ireland (as in the republic) was part of england and i've had to explain the north several times lol.

yea i remember i was in trouble at school and my mom had a meeting with some of the teachers and there was a moment when one of the teachers kept asking her to repeat her self cause she couldnt understand it and one of the other teachers was smirking and trying to laugh. so they were really taking the piss. that was a special moment that significantly p*ssed me off.

not gonna lie i find the potato jokes offensive due to the history. but i dont really say much about it. considering irish people themselves joke about it. although i draw the line at people asking me to say "potato"

im guessing your from a NI catholic since you found your way to the thread? also have you grown up in britain or just over for uni?

3rd gen mixed, 20, upper middle class

I had one guy when I was at school call me a terrorist and tell me to **** off back to Ireland, but other than that and a few jokes, no.

hi thanks for the input.

do you remember the year around he/she said it?

i ask because Im curious how much stuff echoes from the troubles.
like it makes more sense that there was more trouble during the 90s when bombs were still going off. but if its continued till after then that does make me wonder.