“Anti-migrant sentiment’ has grown in Ireland recently, according to a woman who moved here from Uganda in 2002. 

On The Hard Shoulder today, Linda said this change in attitude is linked to the growing presence of social media in our lives.

Linda, who has been an Irish citizen since 2011, now feels “less welcome” than ever here.

She said she has even started to hear anti-migrant sentiment from her friends and neighbours.

“My friends and neighbours say, ‘I don’t want [migrants] coming in, they’re taking over.’

“At first, I feel shocked; it’s unexpected and sometimes I try to use humour and say, ‘I’m one of those people you talk about’ – but they say, ‘You’re different, you’re grand’.

“When they give out about foreigners coming in, how am I supposed to feel with that?”

Irish migration

Linda said Irish people should understand the need to migrate more than anyone.

“This is a land where people have emigrated from for years and years,” she said.

“I don’t think, as Irish people, we get to say that ‘we don’t like foreigners in this country’ because most people’s families, neighbours, or friends have moved abroad for whatever reason.

“A lot of them have been welcomed and accepted; they’ve gone on to thrive and do well – why shouldn’t that be the same for others?”

Linda in studio with Kieran Cuddihy earlier. Image: Newstalk

Linda said moving to Ireland took some getting used to at first.

“It was a bit of a culture shock and quite cold so that took a bit of getting used to,” she said.

“I went to Griffith College for about four years and did a degree in journalism and media, I’ve done different jobs in retail and people were generally friendly, nice, and welcoming.

“There weren’t as many people of colour at that time, Ireland wasn’t as multicultural as it is today.”

Linda thinks social media has played a large part in the attitude change towards migrants.

“If you open X or Facebook, it’s the first thing you see now,” she said.

“People are making whole careers based on dislike for immigrants.

“Their whole political agenda is on the basis of disliking people coming in.

“22 years ago, you wouldn’t have seen that, you wouldn’t have people so brazenly saying how much they dislike migrants, or they don’t want migrants coming in.”

Linda said she “doesn’t feel Ugandan anymore” but also doesn’t feel welcome in Ireland at times.

“So where do I belong?” she asked.

You can listen back here:

Main image: Linda in studio today talking about her experience of racism in Ireland. Image: Newstalk