I was chatting to my mum the other day, As a child with a permanent sun tan, that always felt comfortable visiting her Irish home town, I naïvely worked on the assumption that as a nation of people, they weren't racists.
She recounted a story about her, at very short notice, borrowing money to fly back to Ireland to see my maternal grandmother before she was due to pop her clogs, My, London born, great grand father, refused to let my mum to see my great grandmother because my mum turned up with a non-white kid (my sister) .
My mum did an about turn and left Ireland.
I guess I had rose tinted glasses.
I was in London pub back in 2018. I was about to go home until I heard a woman from a traveler community ripping the proverbial out of a racist polish guy. She reminded him about the no blks, no Irish, no dogs signs. I came back into the pub to buy her a drink.
After what my mum told me, I am less proud of my Irish heritage.
She recounted a story about her, at very short notice, borrowing money to fly back to Ireland to see my maternal grandmother before she was due to pop her clogs, My, London born, great grand father, refused to let my mum to see my great grandmother because my mum turned up with a non-white kid (my sister) .
My mum did an about turn and left Ireland.
I guess I had rose tinted glasses.
I was in London pub back in 2018. I was about to go home until I heard a woman from a traveler community ripping the proverbial out of a racist polish guy. She reminded him about the no blks, no Irish, no dogs signs. I came back into the pub to buy her a drink.
After what my mum told me, I am less proud of my Irish heritage.