Anti-Irish sentiment
Anti-Irish sentiment, also Hibernophobia, is bigotry against the Irish people or individuals. It can include hatred, oppression, persecution, as well as simple discrimination. Generally, it could be against the island of Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, or Northern Ireland. Specifically, it could be directed against Irish immigrants, or their descendants, throughout the world, which are known as the Irish diaspora.
It occurred in the Middle Ages, the Early Modern Age and the Age of Enlightenment. Also instances recorded during Irish immigration to Great Britain, North America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa are notable. Anti-Irish sentiment can include internal conflict dealing with social, racial and cultural discrimination within Ireland itself. Sectarianism and cultural, religious or political conflicts are referred to as the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
History[edit]
Pre-Modern era[edit]
Negative English attitudes towards the Gaelic Irish and their culture date as far back as the reign of Henry II of England. In 1155, Pope Adrian IV (himself an Englishman) issued the papal bull called Laudabiliter, that gave Henry permission to conquer Ireland as a means of strengthening the Papacy's control over the Irish Church, although the very existence of the bull is disputed by modern historians.[3][4] Pope Adrian called the Irish a "rude and barbarous" nation. The Norman invasion of Ireland began in 1169 with the backing of Pope Alexander III, who was Pope at the time of the invasion and ratified the Laudabiliter, giving Henry dominion over Ireland. He likewise called the Irish a "barbarous nation" with "filthy practices".[5]
Gerald of Wales accompanied King Henry's son, John, on his 1185 trip to Ireland. As a result of this he wrote Topographia Hibernica ("Topography of Ireland") and Expugnatio Hibernia ("Conquest of Ireland"), both of which remained in circulation for centuries afterwards. Ireland, in his view, was rich; but the Irish were backward and lazy:
Discrimination against Irish Travellers[edit]
Irish Travellers are an ethnic and cultural minority group which has lived in Ireland for centuries, despite this fact, it experiences overt discrimination throughout Ireland and the United Kingdom.[81][82][83] In nature, such discrimination is similar to antiziganism (prejudice against the Roma)[84] in the United Kingdom and Europe.[83] Anti-Traveller racism is similar to the form of racism which the Irish diaspora was a victim of during the 19th century,[85] and in the United Kingdom and Ireland, media attack campaigns have been launched in national/local newspapers as well as on the radio.[86][87][88] Irish Travellers who work forthe the Irish media have stated that in Ireland, they are living under an apartheid regime.[89] In The Irish Times in 2013, the Irish journalist Jennifer O'Connell wrote that "Our casual racism against Travellers is one of Ireland's last great shames".[90] While there is a willingness to acknowledge that there is widespread prejudice towards Travellers in Irish society, and a recognition of discrimination against Travellers, there is still strong resistance among the Irish public to calling the treatment of Travellers racist.[89]
Examples of it include the destruction of houses which were allocated to the Travellers by the state during Traveller feuds.[91] In 2013, a Traveller home in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal was destroyed by fire days before members of a Traveller family were due to move in.[90] Local Councillor Pearse Doherty said the house was specifically targeted because it was to house a Traveller family and was destroyed due to a 'hatred of Travellers'.[92] Another local Councillor Sean McEniff of Bundoran caused controversy and a complaint under the 'Incitement to Hatred Act' when he stated that, due to the house's initial purchase, Travellers "should live in isolation from the settled community." and "I would not like these people (the family) living beside me".[92]
In England, the British television series Big Fat Gypsy Weddings has been accused of instigating bullying and it has also been accused of inciting racial hatred of Irish Travellers. The series has been the subject of a number of controversies, including allegations that its advertizing is racist[93] and allegations that it has instigated a rise in the rate of racially motivated bullying.[94]