Irish Tribes of London

S.M.B.

Now that's a decent article. The one in the OP irked me even though it was supposed to be taken tongue firmly in cheek.

'Semigrants' may be a silly name but I do agree with the sentiment of the piece and I would happily lump myself into the semigrant 'tribe'

Santa Cruz

silvervixen84 wrote: »

Now we're being referred to as 'Semigrants':

http://www.independent.ie/life/the-semigrants-the-young-mobile-london-irish-30334357.html

Probably the same fellow that coined the word "staycation"

Reekwind

I don't like the term 'semigrants'. Admittedly I've never heard of it until now - would anyone actually say that word out loud?

But, aside from being just silly, I think the term downplays both the degree of estrangement from Ireland and the realities of emigration. So I (generally) don't face open discrimination in London? Nice. I'm still working in a foreign country because there's a lack of opportunities at home. I still moved here because I needed a job, not because of an abundance of quirky burrito joints. I still get to see my family 3-4 times a year.

Which is fine. I've a decent life here (much better than previous generations would have) and was never under any illusions as to what emigration meant. But sentiments like "people seemed really excited and motivated by the chance to use the education and the drive they have to build careers and lives for themselves [after the economic collapse]" and "young people coming here say, 'Thank God, finally I'm in a place where my skills and drive can be rewarded'" are entirely alien to me.

I think such thoughts are just a new take on the same old Irish inferiority complex. The not-so-hidden subtext is that Ireland's a dump and thank God I'm out of there and in a proper country. Again, not something I'd agree with.

Plenty of people will of course have moved to London as a career choice, rather than out of necessity, and fair play to them. But it seems strange to characterise an entire generation of emigrants in such terms, particularly when, as the statistics suggest, most of us recent arrivals were pushed to leave Ireland by the crash.

enda1

Reekwind wrote: »

I don't like the term 'semigrants'. Admittedly I've never heard of it until now - would anyone actually say that word out loud?

But, aside from being just silly, I think the term downplays both the degree of estrangement from Ireland and the realities of emigration. So I (generally) don't face open discrimination in London? Nice. I'm still working in a foreign country because there's a lack of opportunities at home. I still moved here because I needed a job, not because of an abundance of quirky burrito joints. I still get to see my family 3-4 times a year.

Which is fine. I've a decent life here (much better than previous generations would have) and was never under any illusions as to what emigration meant. But sentiments like "people seemed really excited and motivated by the chance to use the education and the drive they have to build careers and lives for themselves [after the economic collapse]" and "young people coming here say, 'Thank God, finally I'm in a place where my skills and drive can be rewarded'" are entirely alien to me.

I think such thoughts are just a new take on the same old Irish inferiority complex. The not-so-hidden subtext is that Ireland's a dump and thank God I'm out of there and in a proper country. Again, not something I'd agree with.

Plenty of people will of course have moved to London as a career choice, rather than out of necessity, and fair play to them. But it seems strange to characterise an entire generation of emigrants in such terms, particularly when, as the statistics suggest, most of us recent arrivals were pushed to leave Ireland by the crash.

Then the term simply doesn't apply to you

I take it as more a mental decision taken that you're not some famine boat estranged immigrant. For what's it's worth of the Irish in my core group of friends, none came here out of necessity nor out of desperation. All chose to come to London for positive reasons, be they creative, financial or ambition. I think the perceived extent of the financial exile is somewhat of a myth perpetrated by certain political parties.

Reekwind

enda1 wrote: »

Then the term simply doesn't apply to you

The problem is that it feeds into attitudes like "I think the perceived extent of the financial exile is somewhat of a myth perpetrated by certain political parties."

If people moved to London out of choice then fine. Happy for them. Let them call themselves whatever they want. But emigration did not jump post-2008 because hundreds of thousands of people suddenly woke up to the attraction of countries in which it doesn't rain 360 days a year. That is not a myth. Nor is it particularly honest to talk (as the article does) of this wave of emigrants as uniformly positive go-getters, happy to have left Ireland behind. As if a university degree automatically comes with a plane ticket.

I'm aware that that's how some people think of themselves but, as I said, I see that as a new form of old complexes.

enda1

Reekwind wrote: »

The problem is that it feeds into attitudes like "I think the perceived extent of the financial exile is somewhat of a myth perpetrated by certain political parties."

If people moved to London out of choice then fine. Happy for them. Let them call themselves whatever they want. But emigration did not jump post-2008 because hundreds of thousands of people suddenly woke up to the attraction of countries in which it doesn't rain 360 days a year. That is not a myth. Nor is it particularly honest to talk (as the article does) of this wave of emigrants as uniformly positive go-getters, happy to have left Ireland behind. As if a university degree automatically comes with a plane ticket.

I'm aware that that's how some people think of themselves but, as I said, I see that as a new form of old complexes.

Emigration begets emigration. I do think a large number moved (and more than is pretended by Irish media) for positive reasons. They saw friends in London for example earn lot's of money, discover new things etc. and saw their life mapped out for themselves in a suburban semi-d and decided "feck this" and moved. I'm fully aware of how that sounds - that it feeds the stereotype but stereotypes come from somewhere.

The article is a bit happy go lucky/arrogant yes, but that's journalism, they try to emote a response.

Lastly in my opinion there is nothing more draining than those who come to England and just complain that they were pushed out: use it as a chance to (even if you are conning yourself) chose that you choose to emigrate and thrive in London. A bit like the pioneers travelling across the great plains of the US (though in a massively downsized, watered down less Steinbeckian manner).