Irish eyes share their side of pluralism

On an island with one seaway separating the Irish from Brexit, the new European Union agenda for the member states, and another ocean separating them from a newly elected ruler in the United States, Ireland’s finest are brazen in their beliefs for a hopeful future.

Photo by Xueer Zhang/Mary Street is a centre of commerce in Dublin.

“We are a more open society at this moment in time than ever we have been in our history,” said Jack Roche, 73, a locally renowned storeowner in the capital city of Dublin. “We were already called ‘insular type of people’ for years and years, but now we are much more open because of the influx of everybody from different countries. We embrace it better.”

Photo by Xueer Zhang /Jack Roche  has been a focal point in the heart of Dublin for more than 70 years and has his own ideas about pluralism.

Although Britain voted to separate themselves from the rest of the EU in 2016, there is little worry across Ireland about its future. From the Irish perspective, a closer connection with EU will bring more benefits to the country than that with England. Many Ireland natives say their country is now more diverse than it ever has been, and separate themselves from the immigration issues that many Americans are now dealing with under the reign of President Donald Trump. They are proud of their recent achievements, including legalizing gay marriage just two years ago, and its growing pluralism in a more divisive world.

Three very different Irishmen talk about their thoughts on how the Irish fit into the big picture of pluralism.

Jack Roche has been a focal point in The Liberties community in the heart of Dublin for more than 70 years. Everyone in the community knows the owner of Liberties Green Grocery on Meath Street since he was a teenager growing up in a very different Dublin. But his customers have changed over the years, just as his neighbors.

Photo by Xueer Zhang/Jack Roche proudly introduced his political commentary on his store window in Dublin.

As Ireland’s capital city, Dublin has the most diverse demographics. According to 2017 World Population Review, there are more than 250,000 foreign-born people living in Dublin in 2011, a 51 percent growth from 2002, comprised of 23 percent of its residents from the United States, 13.5 percent from Poland and four percent from Lithuania. For the first time since 2009, the number of immigrants entering Ireland outnumbered those leaving the Ireland, according to the Central Statistics Office in Cork.

“The Irish culture is a culture defined by people from all over the world,” said Roche, explaining his understanding of Irish pluralism.

The Liberties Green Grocery has been standing in the community for more than 60 years. The store has received much attention of late from its customers and local press because of the U.S. President Donald Trump satire Roche put on the store window.

The hand-printed signs read:

“In America, anyone can become president. That’s one of the risks you take.”

– Adlai Stevenson

“Being president is like running a cemetery. You’ve got a lot of people under you but nobody’s listening.”

 – Bill Clinton

Photo by Xueer Zhang/”In America, anyone can become president. That’s one of the risks you take.” – Adlai Stevenson “Being president is like running a cemetery. You’ve got a lot of people under you but nobody’s listening.” – Bill Clinton

The signs, ironically placed above the enlarged price tags for bananas and melons, was part of Roche’s proud “store culture.” He usually changes the signs, either funny or philosophical, twice a week, he said, but the current ones, which are unconventionally about politics, were left unchanged since Christmas.

Photo by Xueer Zhang/ Passersby stopped to read the political commentary on Jack Roche’s store window in Dublin.

“It’s a bad faith of capitalism,” he said, referring to the U.S. election result. “It’s possibly the worst decision America has ever made.”

Roche said it could mean the biggest tragedy for not only immigrants, but also independent farmers who specialize in agricultural exports.

“They are going to tax them more, making America more insular,” he said. “That is the worst they could possibly do. It won’t win.”

He said he wouldn’t be surprised if Donald Trump was “taken out” or assassinated during his term like former President John F. Kennedy.

Besides his strong opposition to Trump’s policies, Roche said he also wanted to pass on an important message to whoever walked by the window.

“I put up these signs because everybody is welcome, black, white, small, big,” Roche said. “All the tourists took pictures of it. Irish people also came. And my friends would come and say, ‘Hey Jack, you haven’t changed them for four weeks!’ ”

Roche said neither Trump nor Brexit would be likely to stir up anti-immigration sentiments in his country unlike in the rest of Europe.

“When Irish came to England in the 1940s, they had a hard time,” Roche said, citing the country’s emigration wave back to England to escape the country’s poor economic condition following the establishment of the Irish Free State.

“They know how it felt,” Roche said.

“I wouldn’t worry about Brexit,” Roche added. “What Ireland has to do is to steer to the middle of the road. We should course up to Europe more than we should course up to the United Kingdom, although we still don’t want to lose it either.”

Ken Muophy is a Dubliner who has roots in both the United States and Canada. He describes himself as an immigrant – one of the many who could be impacted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest executive order.

“My wife and I are probably the only people I know in my family and her family who are supposed to be going home this Christmas,” Muophy said. “Everyone else is in the States or Canada. So we ARE immigrants.”

He added he didn’t think Trump’s presidency was going to affect the country’s pluralist environment because of Ireland’s long history with immigration.

According to World Population Review, 82.7 percent of the Dublin population identifies themselves as Irish origins, while 2.9 percent are Asian, 2.9 percent are Polish, 1.8 percent are from the EU, 1.7 percent from the UK, 1.6 percent are African, 0.8 percent are Lithuanian and 0.3 percent are American.

Muophy said Ireland’s level of openness had been growing over recent years and would most likely keep going up.

“Essentially, I suppose, being gay isn’t an issue anymore,” he explained. “Abortion still isn’t allowed now but that is an issue that’s being forced.”

He thought this positive trend was largely due to the collapse of Irish Catholic Church. “There is a big vacuum, which is the Catholic Church is gone,” he said. “We are pushing for change, instead of depending on the Church, or depending on the EU.”

“I think all the European countries have very strong self-expressions: what it is like to be a French man or someone who lives in Norway,” he said, explaining the distinctive factors that caused the country to remain pro-immigration. “But Ireland is, because of its colonial history, developed a false sense of what they were. And that’s gone now. That’s why people are more international-looking.”

He added he doesn’t think Brexit will have an impact on the Irish either.

“I wouldn’t say Brexit is negative,” said Muophy, who goes to Dublin Food Co-op for weekly grocery shopping. “I think we should look away from England and look toward the EU.”

Photo by Xueer Zhang/Fruits and vegetables line the Dublin Food Co-op.

Nicolas Hu came to Dublin from mainland China 11 years ago. Now, he and his wife run a ramen restaurant called Yumo at Aungier Street. Although it’s only been there for one year, the restaurant was packed with customers at dinner time.

Moving to Dublin in 2006 – two years before the Great Recession, Hu witnessed great changes in this country during the last decade.

“Before 2008, the Irish government planned to build a Chinatown around Parnell Square where a lot of Chinese immigrants lived,” he said. “But due to the economic crisis, the community declined and the plan was aborted.”

Photo by Xueer Zhang/Yumo Ramen Bar on Aungier Street in Dublin is owned by Nicolas Hu.

Despite the difficulty, he said, it clearly felt that Chinese immigrants’ situation had been improving since then.

“Ireland as a nation has been thinking about ways to turn its economy on after the financial crisis,” Hu said. “And it’s getting better.”

Hu said there was obvious economic growth throughout 2016 as Ireland’s consumption  was boosting, especially over last Christmas.

He said the quickly recovering economy enabled many Asian immigrants to move back to Parnell and had made it easier for the immigration communities to flourish.

“Ireland’s tourist industry growth has always been steady,” Hu said. “People come here and fall in love with this city. That’s what makes Ireland great. It’s small but it’s believed to be one of the best places to travel or live because of its beautiful natural and social environments.”

Photo by Xueer Zhang/ Malls and retail stores on Mary Street in Dublin are popular tourist destination.

According to the UN World Urbanization Prospects, the population of the Dublin Region will reach 2.1 million by 2020 and pass five million by 2031, with most people living in the greater Dublin area, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow.

“From what I see, Ireland’s attitude towards immigration is becoming friendlier,” said the 39-year-old restaurant owner, whose employees are mostly young Asian immigrants, including Chinese, Korean and Japanese.

Photo by Xueer Zhang/ Immigration communities near Parnell Square plays an important role in Ireland’s economy.

In general, Irish people believe immigration is a positive force,” Hu said. “That’s why, I think, we are less affected by the rising nationalism across Europe.”

He said Ireland’s unique history could be the main reason why most locals strongly resisted Donald Trump and the less immigrant-friendly trend.

“Although Ireland is part of the Western Europe, it used to be the least developed country in the area,” Hu said. “There was little attempt from Britain to industrialize the nation before its independence. Instead, it’s used as an agricultural base.”

“It’s not that open until the 1970s, when the country went through a set of liberal reforms,” Hu said. “It obtained the EU privilege to keep the lowest corporate tax. That’s how it was able to attract a number of multi-nationals, including Google, IBM, Microsoft and Facebook. They preferred to lay their headquarters in Ireland more than any other places. This pushed Ireland’s economy to a new height.”

Photo by Xueer Zhang/Asian Food Co. on Mary Street in Dublin is popular among new Asian Dubliners.

The nation now has about four million people,” Hu said. “These giants have created a lot of jobs and opportunities.”

“As for Irish citizens, they saw how they’d been benefited from industrialization and commercialization over the recent decades and thus favor a more open, liberal, outgoing system,” Hu added. “That’s why the majority believe immigration is a good thing.”

When asked whether he was worried about Brexit, Hu said that wasn’t the biggest problem the country is facing right now.

“Our biggest concern is the United States,” Hu said, citing more than 85 percent of Ireland’s foreign investments come from the United States due to lower tax rates, common ancestry and language convenience.

“Trump said he’s moving American companies back to where it comes from,” he said. “If he did so, it’d be a huge blow to Ireland. That’s why people are more worried about Trump than about Brexit.”

However, Hu added, that doesn’t mean those companies would follow what Trump says.

“After all, Trump is not the sole commander,” he said. “And it’s all about doing business. They can’t just let go of the European market.”

“It’s more like a catchword than a concrete action,” said Hu. “I don’t think there’s going to be any big change.”

Photo by Xueer Zhang/Dublin still looks vibrant at 10 pm.

 

Conclusion: Dublin Has Changed Me

I can think of at least a dozen of reasons why Dublin ended up one of my favorite cities. But if I have to choose only one word to conclude this fantastic experience, it’d be unfair to pick anything else other than ‘friendship.’

There are so many things this trip has taught me in terms of professional skills. Pinpointing certain immigration communities most suitable for interviews enhanced my research and communication abilities; getting back to Jack Roche Fruit Store without the help of Google navigator makes me a better planner and a more mindful traveler; managing to interview the Chinese owner of the ramen bar I happened to visit gives me a deeper understanding of the chances and oddities in journalistic work.

However, I might be able to acquire any of the similar skills above, if not identical, on other professional occasions. The only one thing unduplicatable is the memories my co-travelers and I created collectively: that first time we tried genuine Irish Guinness beer at the Temple Bar, that same epiphany we achieved while watching the incredibly beautiful scenery at Howth Harbor; that aching agony we felt at the prison where the valorous Irish nationalists were executed; that deep, soul-touching, late night talk we had about life, death and future.

These feelings and conversations are so meaningful and precious in that I felt like a part of the group. It’s not only the nice Dubliners who made me feel cared. I felt constantly loved when I was with my classmates and friends.  It happened either when they were just joking around or when they were trying to explain to me a slang word, a concept, a popular American TV show or their favorite bands. Their passion and sincerity to understand, to communicate, to share and connect broke the preconditioned culture and language barriers that sometimes held me back from having my own voice heard. The message behind these kind attempts is rather strong: even the most trivial thing about yourself is worth sharing, from your favorite ice-cream flavor to your preferred sitting position. Those are not less important than your political preference and religious belief. They all, equally, are what makes you unique and loveable.

I spent my last night in Dublin walking along the Stephen’s Green Street. It was 2 am, yet the city was quite alive. Lights were still on, tourists wandering for Dublin night views or looking for food after several drinks in local bars. It occurred to me that there was something changed about myself. It’s unbelievable that a two-week trip would have such significant and irreversible impact on a person. But I did feel it. I felt more confident, happier and more relaxed. I had the courage and willingness to express myself, to make my opinions known and my existence remembered when I didn’t have to. I made friends, friends I could hang out with after I come back to Chicago. I became less reserved, less of an observer but more of a participant.

Thank you Dublin, and all of those who made it even better.

An Inclusive Dublin: A Nation of Love and Empathy

Dubliners are the nicest, most tourist-friendly people I’ve ever met.

I was deeply touched by how the city had nurtured a truly inclusive culture as well as an understanding and considerate people. As a tourist and an Asian girl who’s spent a lot of time alone in the western world, it’s hard not to feel uncomfortable or alienated at some point of the journey. However, I always feel loved and cared because of Dubliners’ natural willingness to help and their strong passion about building connections, regardless of who you are and where you come from.

I was trying to get back to Jack Roche Fruit and Grocery to interview its owner on Saturday morning. The absence of Google navigation plus my poor sense of direction indicated the trip to be a hard struggle. Not surprisingly, I lost my way ten minutes after I went out. Yet the map in my hand seemed like a strange picture from another dimension. I had to stop in order to figure out my way.

While contemplating, I suddenly felt someone standing in front of me. It turned out to be an old couple, who came from across the street. They smiled and asked if I needed any help. I felt lucky that they happened to pass by and noticed a stranger in trouble. There were few people around. I’d probably have to wait for another ten minutes to get help.

After knowing I was looking for The Liberties neighborhood, they said they wouldn’t mind walking me there because it’s a big area. But deep down I knew it’s mostly because I looked very confused and they’re simply too kind to leave me alone at a fork road.

They walked me all the way to the crossroad before Dublin Food Co-op, which is only three blocks away from my destination. I thanked them, with my heart swelled with gratefulness.

After taking photos of the food markets, I decided to take a short break. As I stood outside the market entrance, a young Irish man who walked by suddenly turned to me and said something. He has strong accent, his voice slightly snappy, I wasn’t able to understand him until he repeated himself several times.

“Your money!” he said, pointing at his pocket. I realized there was a 20-euro note poking its head out of my pocket, ready to fall. I would have easily lost it but for his kind warning. And that was the only cash I had with me that day.

It was indeed my lucky day. The interview with Mr. Roche went very well. The energetic old man was always ready to talk. Due to the store’s popularity and rush hour, Mr. Roche had to squeeze time for me while greeting his customers, many of whom seemed to be his good friends. The conversation was intermittent, but also informative and illuminating.

Sometimes, people would make a stop to read the Trump satire slogans he put up on the window. He said it was a proud ‘store culture.’ He said he usually changed it twice a week, but the current ones had been there since Christmas.

“What I want to tell people is, everybody is welcome, regardless of your race or religion,” Mr. Roche said.

On my way back to the hotel, I was helped again. This time it was a middle-aged man. Like the old couple, he approached me without I asking. He did so simply because I stood there looking at the map for a few seconds.

“Do you need help?” he asked. I said I was looking for Stephen’s Green Street. He showed me the way and explained it a couple of times. Five minutes later, I was pulled onto the sidewalk by a young Irish man who saw a bus coming from behind me. It wouldn’t necessarily hit me, but it was enough to scare me.

As I continued walking, I couldn’t help but start to think of what happened today. I came to realize it wasn’t just my good luck, it was the culture. It was the Irish culture of treating everyone as family, the strong faith in human goodness, the long-standing virtue of being a helping hand, the deep-rooted habit of looking after each other and the natural ability to love and empathize.

You sort of know the nation’s future by how you are treated by its people. Cheerful, warm-hearted, patient and hopeful, these are what Irish people are. I have never met people in any another place who would ask for a photo when they see you walking with a camera. It’s “can I have a picture” instead of “can I take a picture of you.” How bizarre; but how wonderful!

What I experienced over this weekend convinced me that Ireland’s culture of pluralism as well as its inclusive temperament is truly sustainable. It also made me think that the idea of humanity does not just come from big, world-saving acts. It can be small acts of kindness, the willingness of connecting with people regardless of their race or nationality.

 

A Different Dublin: The Liberties Neighbourhood and Howth

I never knew seven days could pass so quickly.

Since I came to Ireland, there’s not a single minute when I wasn’t excited about or amazed by what I saw, felt and experienced. Beside what I learned from my wonderful companions, two of the trips I have had so far can be called life-changing: The Liberties neighborhood and Howth.

We spent our first day walking in one of Dublin’s most time-honored and culturally important neighborhoods, with two local journalists, Harry Browne and Catherine Ann Cullen as our tour guides. It was the first time when I could get to know a city from a less tourist but more journalistic perspective. I was able to get first-hand information on Dublin’s people and its daily reality – something I can hardly learn from books or museums.

I was educated about the neighborhood’s history and its current condition. It turns out that Dublin does not just exist in my imagination. It’s not only about the colorful cottages that I once dreamed about for reading too much fairytale. It has serious flaws, and like other big cities, these flaws frustrate its dwellers but have been constantly, and even deliberately being filtered by foreign visitors.

I’d never have known that the once thriving neighborhood is going through a hard time. I also wouldn’t have known that a number of local markets had been losing customers and the neighborhood had been waiting for several long-promised reconstructions. After all, no one would ‘waste time’ on a declining neighborhood during a short stay. People tend to see what they want to see, believe what they want to believe and expect their preconditions to be confirmed. But it’d always be better, I think, to look for different aspects of one subject in order to get closer to the truth.

The two-hour walking tour inside The Liberties did show me a different, and personally speaking, more important side of Dublin. I was able to get the idea of what their food markets look like, what kind of local food is popular, how much the vegetables are, etc. These common but revealing scenes interest me more than those famous tourist attractions because they made me feel like part of the community. The more I feel how the locals feel, the easier it will become to understand their culture.

As for the second best tour, it gives me new perspectives on living in a small town and reminds me of the simple joy that I almost stopped feeling since my adulthood.

We spent one day in Howth – a village on the peninsula of Howth Head, forming the northern boundary of Dublin Bay. The water looked like a perfect mix of blue and green; ships in various sizes and colors resting against the harbor; gentle breeze kissing my face and neck. They made me feel relaxed. They seemed to be seducing me to come closer and have some fun.

So I came down to the beach and started to pick stones and sea shells, like I used to do when I was young. There was a moment when I was so absorbed that I forgot about my surroundings and my own existence. All the noises of people conversing, the tides clapping onto the reef faded far into the distance. The only thing left was my mind, and the sea shells in my hands. That was the rare moment when I thought I knew what true freedom and pure joy feel like. It’s beyond description. I felt infinite.

On my way up to the hill, I saw the sea and the sky blending into one huge stretch of light blue. It took me some time and effort to get to the top. But I wouldn’t complain. It’s all worth it.

I used to think I’d never really want to live in a small town. But Howth made me change my mind. My big city impression on Dublin had been broken. It’s neither that active nor all prosperous. It’s less about fancy night views or roaring skyscrapers than about ordinary street scenes and peaceful seaside life. But I think that’s why I’m more in love with it than with any other city I have been to.

 

My trip to Ireland: departure!

I always feel blessed to be a big city girl.

My family came to Beijing from Shanghai before I was born. Beijing is where I grew up and Shanghai is where I’d go to visit my relatives. I have been to Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Rome, Tokyo and London. Each time I was fascinated with how the city was enlivened by the skylines during the day and the lights at night. The metropolitan atmosphere always sounds exciting to me. With little exception, they share the cultures of diversity, inclusiveness and creativity – the most humane aspects of our civilization. That’s why I expect my two-week trip in Dublin, the largest city in Ireland, to be another unforgettable experience with these shining values and people who uphold them.

Photo from guidedublin.org

My early impression of Dublin came from my favorite writer Oscar Wilde. It’s the genius’s birthplace. I expect it to be a colorful wonderland, with similar qualities displayed in the artist himself: unparalleled beauty and inexhaustible imagination. I couldn’t help but connect the city with those amazing fairytale scenes Wilde created, like the castle in The Nightingale and the Roses and the garden in A Selfish Giant. Such impression only got stronger when I saw pictures of Dublin’s stylish houses lining up alone the streets. The shapes as well as the colors, put together, look pleasantly warm and enthusiastic.

Photo from ireland.com

Later from my history book, I got to know the more realistic side of Ireland. As a liberal democracy, Ireland has a high level of freedom of speech, press, religion and hold great value in civil rights. It has a long history of wars and immigration. The country has grown out of uprisings and turbulence and became one of the strongest economies in Europe. I assume this prosperity to be another reason for its unshakable belief in pluralism beside its diverse ethnic composition. These made Ireland a nation of empathy and open-mindedness, a sure sign of unity and stability.

That’s why I’m looking forward to talking to people on the street, at major tourist attractions and in Dublin’s wonderful neighbourhoods. I want to hear their stories and get a better understanding of the role that Ireland’s culture of pluralism plays in its business activities, schools, and people’s daily interactions.

Photo from journalistontherun.com

In some sense, today’s Europe is in crisis. A number of liberal nations are suffering from rising populism, terrorism and uncertainties brought by the Brexit agenda and America’s president-elect. Meanwhile, they have to figure out ways to create jobs and cut budgets. Ireland is, no doubt, a good example of strengthened economy, democracy and social values. There’s much to learn about and draw inspiration from how the Irish society flourishes thanks to its culture.

A pluralist, prosperous Ireland is definitely something worth documenting and exploring in person.

Can’t wait to start this trip with professors and students from Columbia College Chicago!