From O’Connell Bridge to the Gate Theatre, via Jamaica, Finland, Ukraine and France – Maurice J Casey

Introduction :

Maurice Casey’s article is brilliant.

Source : https://archiverats.substack.com/p/an-immigrant-history-of-a-dublin?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=284949&post_id=139148426&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=2k0bu8&utm_medium=email

This article should encourage all Irish revolutionary socialist activists who are anti-racists to examine our connections with the Eastern part of the European continent.

Below Maurice’s article we publish the words of Imelda May’s stunning poem “You Don’t Get to be Racist and Irish”.

An Immigrant History of a Dublin Street – From O’Connell Bridge to the Gate Theatre, via Jamaica, Finland, Ukraine and France

My thoughts are with all those impacted by the attack that took place in Parnell Square, Dublin, on 23 November. You can find some fundraisers to help here.

Irish migration history is traditionally told as a history of emigration outwards. We rarely talk about the history of immigration inwards to Ireland.

Yet a migrant population has existed in Ireland throughout its modern history. And this community’s overlooked story reflects common European migrant experiences: adversity, cultural influence, assimilation, xenophobia, and so on.

In other words, it is the kind of history that defies notions of Irish exceptionalism.

To explain more, let me take you through the immigration history of a single patch of Dublin city centre. Together, we can traverse the same streets associated with the appalling images from last Thursday; from O’Connell Bridge up towards the Gate Theatre.

I’ll try and give those images of the far-right instigated riots, now burned into so many of our anxious minds, a few historical counterpoints.