Lots and lots of stories about the numbers of “non-nationals” living in Ireland of late especially that of the number of Polish people in Ireland. There does seem to be a lot of Polish people about. There’s now a Polish TV show on new Dublin TV station, a new Dublin to Warsaw Bus Route, there are posters for the Polish Presidential election around Dublin and Irish Eagle reported on a Newsweek Article about the Polish in Ireland which gave the impression they endure quite a shock when they get here. No streets paved with gold.
Even in Cork we have Polish taxi drivers, who refrshingly don’t talk about the bloody immigrants coming into our country stealing our dole or other nefarious crap and we have Polish bars in Cork – one on Albert Quay and one in the basement of a bar on MacCurtain Street.
So where are the Polish Bloggers in the Irish boggersphere? 🙂 Are they too busy doing the work that us nouveau riche Paddys refuse to do, now that we have an extra few shillings a week? Surely we should be seeing a Polish section on boards.ie or even Boards.pl being added to Mr. Breslin’s expanding empire? A .pl domain costs about 50 Euros
It would be good to see the views of these new future citizens, especially on their take on Ireland and the Irish. Irish people are biased and we cannot judge our culture or our attitudes to others fairly. We’re part of the system and it is hard to stand outside and be critical. So says Edward T. Hall anyway.
It irks me at times when Irish people demand that new citizens/migrant workers/refugees need to adhere to our laws and our culture. Culture changes and cultural change cannot be governed. Bringing new views and attitudes and new blood to this country is good. Just like the Irish strongly influenced the culture of the UK and the USA, these new visitors to our shores are going to change our culture. Cuchulainn couldn’t fight the sea, Irish people can’t keep their Irish culture from changing.
It’d be good to get an insight into the current views of those moving to Ireland and working for and with the Irish. Bring on the Polish, Nigerian, Estonian and Philipino bloggers!
“Cuchulainn couldn’t fight the sea, Irish people can’t keep their Irish culture from changing.”
Why not? These things – like the movement of people into the country – have nothing to do with actual laws passed by the Irish legislature, do they? Like neo-liberal Mary Harney agenda of supporting a race to the bottom for Irish unskilled wages, rejected by saner countries in socialist Europe?
We have – like every other nation on the earth – the right to protect out culture and our borders, and low paid workers ( who quite clearly are being replaced :read about the Irish Ferries). Not to do so is inherently undemocratic, makes the Irish people slaves to the interests of capitalism and the colonised sleeveen class who populate the Dublin 4 suburbs: who get richer by the day as migrants push up overheated property prices, while the proletarians are pushed out to the horrible lives in commuter hell, displaced by foreigner workers.
“So where are the Polish Bloggers in the Irish boggersphere?”
They write blogs in Polish 🙂
Your post is one of the nicest thing I have heard about Poles comming to Ireland. I wont comment that eoins post- its just not my class.
So, where are these Polish blogs Merry? Point me to them!
Hi there,
I’m polish man who is working here in Ireland (Cork ), I’m architect in one of Cork’s offices. I’d like to thank you for your post, and I also want to thank all Irish people for positive atmosphere here. You are very nice people, friendly and opened to others. We ( my wife and my son )feel good and safe here. We tell all our friends in Poland only good words about Ireland. Most of polish workers here respect local law regulations, they pay taxes here and very often do jobs unwanted by Irish people, and they do it very well. From time to time I’m visiting construction sites, everywhere poles have very good opinion. People are different, sometimes you meet some asshole, but most of us are just normal people. Most of currently staying here poles will come back home, economy is growing in Poland and the economical situation is changing.
We love our country and most of us will come back, even if you’re nicest people in the world. So don’t be affraid, this is only temporary situation, try to treat this as a kind of fresh multicultural breath – emigrants are in every european country, in Poland too ( from many exotic countries of Asia and former soviet block), this is normal!!! Your culture is great and famous all over the world, I don’t think that It’s in any danger, it’s too strong!!! You should also remember about millions of irish emigrants living in States or in other countries. So once again: Thanks a million for Ireland as it is!!!!
Cheers,
Tomi
“It irks me at times when Irish people demand that new citizens/migrant workers/refugees need to adhere to our laws and our culture. ”
Hmm – I agree on the culture bit, but I think you have a typo there, they should adhere to our laws … or do you suggest they should ignore them?
“Sorry Your Honour, in my country this is legal ….”
BTW, nice post Tomi.
Hi Damien,
3 years late but glad to come across this posting. I spent 2 1/2 years in Poland, just returned to Dublin and will more than likely end up back in Poland in 2009 long-term as my girlfriend is from Warsaw. It’s nice to see such a positive and encouraging posting regarding non-nationals. I started up a my blog when I was in Poland, partly out of curiosity, partly out of interest in keeping friends and family abreast of my shenanigans over there. The blog title used to be ‘Paddy in Poland’ and may well revert back to that next year.
I met my girlfriend in 2002 in Paris so it is truly phenomenal for us to return to Ireland and see the cross-polonisation. It’s great that I can practise my Polish almost every where I turn nowadays.
Is there any aggregator now of of Irish non-nationals’ blogs in English?
Thanks and all the best.
Damien Moran