Common forms of racism in Ireland

This content is from INAR’s Responding to Racism Guide: How to report racism and where to find help.

There is often a misconception that due to our history of colonisation, racism does not take place in Ireland, but this is not true. Racism has existed in Ireland for a long time and it is important to educate ourselves about the different types of racism that people can experience in order to actively work to be anti-racist in our daily lives.

Read our articles on what is racism and the different aspects of racism to learn more.

Different forms of racism in Ireland

Anti-Traveller racism

Anti-Traveller racism refers to racism or discrimination experienced by people because they are or are perceived to be Travellers or from a Traveller background.

Anti-Black racism

Anti-Black racism, sometimes referred to as Afrophobia refers to racism or discrimination experienced by people because they are or are perceived to be black or African or from a black or African background.

Anti-Muslim racism

Anti-Muslim racism, also referred to as Islamophobia refers to racism or discrimination experienced by people because they are or are perceived to be Muslims or to be from a Muslim background.

Anti-Roma racism

Anti-Roma racism, sometimes referred to as anti-gipsyism or Romaphobia refers to racism or discrimination experienced by people because they are or are perceived to be Roma, Gypsies or from a Roma or Gypsy background.

Anti-Migrant racism

Anti-Migrant racism, also referred to as Xenophobia refers to racism or discrimination experienced by people because they are or are perceived to be migrants or from a migrant background.

Anti-Jewish racism

Anti-Jewish racism, also referred to as Antisemitism refers to racism or discrimination experienced by people because they are or are perceived to be Jewish or from a Jewish background.

Racism towards religious groups

Because the history of racial and religious discrimination are closely connected and overlap widely, INAR considers discrimination and hatred towards minority religious groups as being related to racism. For example, the oppression of Irish Catholics was not due to their catholic beliefs, but because of their identities as Irish people instead of British/Protestant, and Jews and Muslims are similarly treated as a “different”. In all these cases it is not someone’s religious beliefs that are the issue but the stereotypes that are associated to their real or perceived “Muslimness”, “Catholicness”, “Jewishness”, “Hinduness”, or “Protestantness”.

If you have experienced or witnessed racism in Ireland you can report it at iReport.ie.

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