About this website

This is a site for people who say of Ireland “This is not the land of my birth but it is the land for which I hold the greatest affection.” Have you ever been roaring your head off, in support of Ireland, at a sports match when a polite Irish man observes that you must have been away from the auld country for a long time? That can be very deflating. If Ireland loses the match what do you say when another well intended Irish man congratulates you on your win? Situations like this can be uncomfortable but they are not insurmountable.

I was born in London in 1952 to Irish born parents. I decided to move to Dublin in 1985. This is a decision which I have treasured ever since. I have always been fascinated by the draw which Ireland has for me and for all those second and third generation diaspora around the world who feel the same way. London was good to me and it is my second most favourite city but Dublin is the one I love.

You certainly do not need to acquire an Irish accent in order to feel a genuine sense of Irishness. We have all cringed at bad Hollywood Irish accents, Tom Cruise comes to mind. The trick is not to try too hard to be Irish. Let your natural affinity show itself.

An Irish passport would be nice but this may not be practical for those living outside of Ireland. Anyway, I am excluding the issue of Irish passports from the scope of this site. I don’t want to confuse an intrinsic, heartfelt feeling of Irishness with the process of awarding Irish passports through naturalisation, which is at the absolute discretion of the Minister for Justice.

In London I was seen as Paddy the Irish man and I was happy with that. In Dublin I am seen by some as Irish and others as John the Englishman. Hence the title of this website is London Irish Dublin English, which is also the title of a book I have published.

London Irish Dublin English is not just a light-hearted examination of the trials and tribulations of being a second generation member of the Irish diaspora. It is also an unapologetic celebration of all that I love about Dublin – its characters, humour, pubs, literature, architecture, coastal scenery, history and much more. Every day I thank God that my parents gave me such a strong draw towards Ireland that I eventually got off my backside and came to live here.

What’s your story?

This site is not just for people with a London – Dublin connection. It’s for everyone who feels an innate Irishness within them but who are not quite 100% indigenous Irish. Maybe you’re a New York Irish- Galway American or  a Sydney Irish- Cork Australian or a Buenos Aires Irish – Westmeath Argentinian?

I would love to hear your story.