By virtue of being Ireland’s capital, Dublin is a cosmopolitan city by nature. Its strong history en-twined with the United Kingdom is just one explanation for the multicultural aspect of the city – and it’s one that can be seen everywhere.
The first feeling visitors to Dublin often get is that it looks like an English city. Certainly many elements of what’s considered ‘English culture’ are present in Ireland – the big fried breakfast and tea breaks are just two of these.
But seeing signage written in Irish – on road and street signs, on the destination boards of buses – will remind you instantly of exactly where you are, even though the language (supposedly Ireland’s first language) is rarely if ever spoken by people in Dublin. In fact, in two months living here I have never heard anyone speak in Irish.
Dublin is also remarkable as a student city, one which welcomes a number of Erasmus students from around the European Union. When you go to the pub, it’s not rare to hear people speaking in Spanish, French or German. Indeed, watching a soccer match filled with supporters of continental clubs such as Barcelona is not at all unusual.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Dublin also hosts sizeable communities of Indians, Pakistanis and Chinese, who are particularly visible for their restaurants and takeaway outlets, not to mention large numbers of eastern Europeans such as Lithuanians and Poles – their specialist shops are hard to miss.
Last but not least, Dublin can also count a big community of Africans, mostly from west and central Africa. They have, along with all other migrant communities, woven themselves into the fabric of the city. All are well represented by groups and associations that can assist in finding jobs and places to live.
Their presence has fed directly into Dublin’s cultural life, too. African music concerts take place almost weekly, Bollywood films are celebrated with festivals, and Polish bands are now touring here to entertain their expatriate fans.
Dublin presents a shining example to someone like me, hailing from France – a country where the integration of and discrimination against ethnic communities is a hot button issue. In sharp contrast, Dublin is a place where communities seem well integrated but can also keep their own culture.
Romain Dedoutey is an intern with Metro Éireann.
