Happy St. Patrick's Day, Lessons from the Irish Journey

Posted by thorogoodhr on 17.03.2025, 09:28 155 0

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! A day when Irish identity is celebrated around the world.

My Irish grandparents would be astonished at how warmly Irish culture is embraced across the UK today. When they arrived in London in the 1940s, they faced open hostility and prejudice (“No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs”). The Irish were stereotyped as drunk, violent, and untrustworthy and these experiences gave my grandparents deep empathy for outsiders and newly arrived immigrants.

So, how did the Irish transition from being marginalised to widely accepted? Today, Irish individuals and those of Irish descent are prominent in British politics, entertainment, media, and sport—Penny Mordaunt, Emily Maitlis, Laura Whitmore, Dermot O’Leary, Graham Norton, Cillian Murphy, Jack Grealish, and Harry Kane - the list could go on.

In an era where “outsiders” are often blamed for societal issues—whether it’s housing prices or voter fraud—are there lessons we can learn for other communities facing similar prejudice today? Communities that are labelled as “un-British” or framed solely as an economic burden?

The Role of Cultural ‘Soft’ Power

For any immigrant community, balancing assimilation with cultural preservation is a challenge. Immigrants are often criticized for “failing to integrate” when they settle in communities with their own people—just as Kilburn in North London became known as “County Kilburn” due to its large Irish population. But such areas provide a sense of belonging and sustain cultural traditions through community events and religious practices.

Despite facing hostility, the Irish community preserved and celebrated its heritage. And over time, Irish music, literature, and festivals didn’t just survive in Britain—they became part of British culture itself. (A good example is the Guardian's article today, "The Look of the Irish: a 'green wave' takes over pop culture and fashion").

Take Riverdance: in 1994, Irish-American Michael Flatley introduced it during the Eurovision interval. The performance captivated 300 million viewers, and his show Lord of the Dance went on to become the fastest-selling dance show worldwide. This wasn’t just entertainment—it was cultural diplomacy in action.

Final Thought

Acceptance isn’t automatic. It’s built through persistence, representation, and cultural integration. The Irish didn’t just ‘jig’ their way to acceptance; they also made undeniable contributions to the economy (especially in construction) and engaged in grassroots politics to challenge discrimination.

But the Irish also had two key advantages: they were White and English-speaking. Many migrant communities today—especially people of colour—face additional barriers to acceptance.

We can, without tokenism or exoticization, actively celebrate Black, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist influences as part of British identity. In his resignation speech, Rishi Sunak reflected on how, two generations after his grandparents arrived in the UK, he could watch his daughters light Diwali candles on the steps of Downing Street.

My grandparents never imagined St. Patrick’s Day would become anything more than a niche cultural event. Perhaps, in the future, Diwali and other cultural festivals will be embraced just as wholeheartedly.