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Black people in Ireland, also known as Black Irish, Black and Irish or in , are a multi-ethnic group of Irish people of African descent. Black people, Africans and people of African descent have lived in Ireland in small numbers since the 18th century. Throughout the 18th century they were mainly concentrated in the major cities and towns, especially in the
Limerick Limerick ( ; ) is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is in the Mid-West Region, Ireland, Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. W ...
,
Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...
,
Belfast Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...
,
Kinsale Kinsale ( ; ) is a historic port and fishing town in County Cork, Ireland. Located approximately south of Cork (city), Cork City on the southeast coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon, and has a populatio ...
,
Waterford Waterford ( ) is a City status in Ireland, city in County Waterford in the South-East Region, Ireland, south-east of Ireland. It is located within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster. The city is situated at the head of Waterford H ...
, and
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
areas. Increases in immigration have led to the growth of the community across Ireland. According to the 2022 Census of Population, 67,546 people identify as Black or Black Irish with an African background, whereas 8,699 people identify as Black or Black Irish with any other Black background.


History

Among the earliest examples of a Black presence in Ireland is from the account given that around 860AD, during the medieval Viking period when Scandinavian Dublin had an active
slave market A slave market is a place where slaves are bought and sold. These markets are a key phenomenon in the history of slavery. Asia Central Asia Since antiquity, cities along the Silk road of Central Asia, had been centers of slave trade. In ...
, Black prisoners were rounded up in Morocco and subsequently sold in medieval Ireland. During the 18th century it was common and even fashionable for middle-class
Anglo-Irish Anglo-Irish people () denotes an ethnic, social and religious grouping who are mostly the descendants and successors of the English Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. They mostly belong to the Anglican Church of Ireland, which was the State rel ...
families to take Black servants into their households as a sign of wealth and prestige.  In particular, having a young Black servant attend an Anglo-Irish lady of the house was considered a sign of exceptional wealth and high position in society. One of the most well-known Black servants in Ireland during this time was Tony Small. During the
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
(1775–1783), Small fled his owners from
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
, finding
Lord Edward Fitzgerald Lord Edward FitzGerald (15 October 1763 – 4 June 1798) was an Irish aristocrat and revolutionary proponent of Irish independence from Britain. He abandoned his prospects as a distinguished veteran of British service in the American War of Ind ...
in a near-death condition and assisting his recovery. Subsequently, Lord Fitzgerald returned to Ireland, where Tony Small became a dear friend to the family. Later, on a trip to London, Tony met his future wife, a French maid named Julia. The couple later had three children, Moirico, Harriet Pamela and Edward, moved to London and established a business. Although many Black servants in Anglo-Irish households were enslaved Africans, not all of the few Black people in Ireland during this period were enslaved. Many were independent domestic workers, travelling musicians, artists, soldiers and tradesmen. Others were servants who received a salary and were considered free people. A small number of formerly enslaved Black Americans relocated to Ireland. In addition to Tony Small, the preacher John Jea and the scholar
William G. Allen William Gustavus Allen ( – 1 May 1888) was an African-American academic, intellectual, and lecturer. For a time he co-edited ''The National Watchman,'' an abolitionist newspaper. While studying law in Boston he lectured widely on abolition, equa ...
both resided in Ireland for several years before all three relocated to England. Some Black people who settled in Ireland assimilated into the wider Irish population, including entering into mixed marriages and having children with white Irish people. 'Mulatto Jack' was also a child of interracial marriage. Abducted from Ireland in the early 18th century, he was subsequently sold as a slave in
Antigua Antigua ( ; ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the local population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the most populous island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua ...
. After helping plot a slave rebellion, he was discovered by the colonists, and his release was negotiated for several months until agreed upon provided his instant deportation back to Ireland. The Black Irish singer
Rachael Baptist Rachael Baptist, also referred to as Rachel Baptiste and Rachael Crow (fl. 1750–1775) was a Black singer active in Ireland and England in the mid-18th century. Life Baptist was born sometime in the second quarter of the 18th century, but nothi ...
, also known as Rachael Crow, lived and worked throughout Ireland in the mid-18th century, as well as spending 10 years in England. According to at least one estimate, the number of Black people in Ireland throughout the 18th century ranged from two to three thousand with many residing in Dublin, this concentration made the city the second largest in 18th century Europe, after London, in terms of Black Inhabitants. Formerly enslaved people who visited or toured Ireland included
Olaudah Equiano Olaudah Equiano (; c. 1745 – 31 March 1797), known for most of his life as Gustavus Vassa (), was a writer and abolitionist. According to his memoir, he was from the village of Essaka in present day southern Nigeria. Enslaved as a child in ...
and
Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 14, 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. He was the most impor ...
.
Afro-Caribbean Afro-Caribbean or African Caribbean people are Caribbean people who trace their full or partial ancestry to Sub-Saharan Africa. The majority of the modern Afro-Caribbean people descend from the Indigenous peoples of Africa, Africans (primarily fr ...
people descended from
Irish Caribbean Irish Caribbean people are people who live in the Caribbean, but were born in Ireland, or are descended from people who were born in Ireland. Irish Caribbean people include Irish immigrants to Barbados, Irish immigrants to Saint Kitts and Ne ...
people, especially those on
Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...
,
Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
, and
Montserrat Montserrat ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is part of the Leeward Islands, the northern portion of the Lesser Antilles chain of the West Indies. Montserrat is about long and wide, wit ...
, often have Irish surnames, speak a form of
Caribbean English Caribbean English (CE, CarE) is a set of dialects of the English language which are spoken in the Caribbean and most countries on the Caribbean coasts of Central America and South America. Caribbean English is influenced by, but is distinct to ...
influenced by the Irish vernacular and, in some cases, sing Irish songs.


Since Partition


Republic of Ireland


Mid-20th Century

In the mid-20th century, the Irish government ran schemes aimed at attracting students from African nations, with the aim of providing them with skills that would be useful in the growth of newly independent countries. In 1962, there were 1,100 African students in Ireland, comprising roughly a tenth of the student population. Many of these schemes were facilitated using links between Irish missionary organizations. This also included military training, with a military college taking on a delegation of Zambian cadets in 1967, citing Ireland's lack of a history of imperialism. Their stay was mostly temporary since many returned to their countries after graduating and gaining sufficient skills to prosper back home. However, throughout the 1960s until roughly the 1990s, the African population in Ireland, although remaining relatively small, consisted not only of students but of visitors and professionals, like doctors. Examples of Black African students in Ireland during this period include
Jaja Wachuku Jaja Anucha Ndubuisi Wachuku (1 January 1918 – 7 November 1996) was a Pan-Africanist and a Nigerian politician, statesman, lawyer, politician, diplomat and humanitarian. He was the first Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria, Sp ...
, who studied at
Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin (), officially titled The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, and legally incorporated as Trinity College, the University of Dublin (TCD), is the sole constituent college of the Unive ...
in the 1940s and would later become a prominent statesman in his native
Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
.


Celtic Tiger era

The increase of Ireland's non-white population started with the Irish boom of 1997 to 2009 is due in part to the laws which had governed
Irish citizenship The primary law governing nationality of Ireland is the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 1956, which came into force on 17 July 1956. Ireland is a member state of the European Union (EU), and all Irish nationals are EU citizens. They ...
since the creation of the Republic of Ireland in 1937. These laws, which granted citizenship ''
jus soli ''Jus soli'' ( or , ), meaning 'right of soil', is the right of anyone born in the territory of a state to nationality or citizenship. ''Jus soli'' was part of the English common law, in contrast to ''jus sanguinis'' ('right of blood') ass ...
,'' were, for a period, interpreted by the
Department of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
as allowing parents who were not Irish citizens to remain in the state based on the rights of their Irish-born citizen children. In 2001 the government under Taoiseach Bertie Ahern sent Tánaiste Mary Harney on a world trip to invite people to come to Ireland. Harney visited 5 countries in Africa, including Nigeria and South Africa which eventually saw many people migrating to Ireland. This automatic granting of residency ceased in 2007, following a decision of the
Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
. As Ireland is
Anglophone The English-speaking world comprises the 88 countries and territories in which English is an official, administrative, or cultural language. In the early 2000s, between one and two billion people spoke English, making it the largest language ...
, and the large amount of immigration between the United Kingdom and the Republic, the vast majority of Black people in Ireland are immigrants (or descended from)
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...
countries in the Caribbean and Africa. The
Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland The Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Act 2004 (previously bill no. 15 of 2004) amended the Constitution of Ireland to limit the constitutional right to Irish citizenship of individuals born on the island of Ireland to the ch ...
changed the qualifications for Irish citizenship in 2004. The 2006 Irish census recorded 40,525 people of Black African ethnicity and 3,793 people of any other Black background resident in the Republic out of a total population of 4,172,013, meaning that 1.06 percent of the population self-identified as Black. The preliminary results of the 2011 census recorded 58,697 people of Black African ethnicity and 6,381 people of any other Black background resident in the Republic out of a total population of 4,525,281, meaning that 1.42 per cent of the population self-identified as Black. The
Celtic Tiger The "Celtic Tiger" () is a term referring to the economy of the Republic of Ireland, economy of Ireland from the mid-1990s to the late 2000s, a period of rapid real economic growth fuelled by foreign direct investment. The boom was dampened by ...
boom of 1992–2007 also increased immigration into Ireland from all parts of the world, including Africa, and this led to delays in processing applications at the
Garda National Immigration Bureau The Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB; Irish: ''Biúró Náisiúnta an Gharda Síochána um Inimirce'') is a unit of the Garda Síochána, the police force of Ireland. It was formed in May 2000, and is responsible for the enforcement of immi ...
. For non-EU persons, this led to restrictive laws and hundreds of deportations annually of those not qualifying for asylum or admission. Some failed asylum cases received considerable media attention, such as that of Pamela Izevbekhai, who claimed that her daughters were likely to be subjected to
female genital mutilation Female genital mutilation (FGM) (also known as female genital cutting, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and female circumcision) is the cutting or removal of some or all of the vulva for non-medical reasons. Prevalence of female ge ...
following deportation, and that another daughter had died from the same procedure in 1994. Despite presenting her case to the Seanad in 2008 and as far as the
Supreme Court of Ireland The Supreme Court of Ireland () is the highest judicial authority in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is a court of final appeal and exercises, in conjunction with the Court of Appeal (Ireland), Court of Appeal and the High Court (Ireland), Hig ...
and
European Court of Human Rights The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), also known as the Strasbourg Court, is an international court of the Council of Europe which interprets the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The court hears applications alleging that a co ...
, the court found in 2011 that her use of forged documents was "inadequate". Individual areas have been noted as having larger groups of people descended from
Sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lie south of the Sahara. These include Central Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, and West Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the list of sovereign states and ...
than most of the country. The town of Gort, County Galway, is home to a large Brazilian population, including Black and mixed-race individuals.


2010s and present

Following the
European migrant crisis The 2015 European migrant crisis was a period of significantly increased movement of refugees and Human migration, migrants into Europe, mostly from the Middle East. An estimated 1.3 million people came to the continent to request Right of asyl ...
of 2015,
refugees A refugee, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a person "forced to flee their own country and seek safety in another country. They are unable to return to their own country because of feared persecution as ...
from conflict zones in North, East and Central Africa, such as
Eritrea Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa, with its capital and largest city being Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia in the Eritrea–Ethiopia border, south, Sudan in the west, and Dj ...
,
Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...
,
Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...
, the Congo, and
Burundi Burundi, officially the Republic of Burundi, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is located in the Great Rift Valley at the junction between the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa, with a population of over 14 million peop ...
have settled in Ireland. There are a number of challenges noted by Ireland's Black people, including casual racism, persistence of stereotypes, and inequal treatment in education. Many refugees from African countries reside in Ireland's
direct provision Direct provision () is a system of asylum seeker accommodation used in the Republic of Ireland. It has been criticised by human rights organisations as illegal, inhuman and degrading. Operated by the International Protection Accommodation Servic ...
system, an intake system for asylum seekers that has been frequently condemned for its drawn-out processing timelines and poor quality of life.


Northern Ireland


World War II

A number of African American soldiers were stationed in Northern Ireland as part of American involvement in World War II. The reaction of those in Northern Ireland was 'largely color-blind', with acceptance generally offered from both Catholic and Protestant communities, who viewed the visiting soldiers primarily as American. The Stormont government refused to enact segregation laws at the behest of the American military, though there were instances of unofficial segregation and racism, largely drawn from ignorance. It is suggested that there was, however, differing treatment of white American and black American troops by the Northern Irish population, especially in the later years of the war. The lack of a color bar, by and large, in treatment in Northern Ireland led to feelings that equality was attainable at home as it was abroad. Many women who involved themselves in relationships with American soldiers, black or white, risked ostracism by their community. Much media coverage of black American troops relied heavily on stereotypes, even when coverage was largely positive. Despite the Stormont Government not keeping records of the births of mixed-race children, official and unofficial sources note the birth of several. The equal treatment between white and black soldiers was also noted as causing significant anger among the white soldiers.


The Troubles

A number of black people from mainland Britain were stationed in Northern Ireland during
The Troubles The Troubles () were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted for about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it began in the late 1960s and is usually deemed t ...
, as part of British Army deployments. A small number of the 3,000 victims of violence during The Troubles were black, both British Army soldiers and civilians.


Post-Good Friday Agreement

At the time of the
2001 United Kingdom census A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th Census in the United Kingdom, UK census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194. The 2001 UK census was organise ...
, of the total population of Northern Ireland (1,685,267), 255 people described their ethnicity as Black Caribbean, 494 as Black African and 387 as Other Black, meaning that the total Black population was 1,136. These figures do not include individuals who described themselves as being of
mixed-race The term multiracial people refers to people who are mixed with two or more races and the term multi-ethnic people refers to people who are of more than one ethnicities. A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mul ...
. The UK census of
2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
recorded 3,616 Black people in Northern Ireland (0.2% of the total population). The next census will be in 2021. As well as help from the
Equality Commission for Northern Ireland The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland is a non-departmental public body in Northern Ireland established under the Northern Ireland Act 1998. "The Commission is responsible for implementing the legislation on sex discrimination and equal pa ...
, the EU-funded Afro-Community Support Organisation Northern Ireland (ACSONI) was formed in 2003 to represent the views of black people. ACSONI prepared a report in 2011 on other residents' perceptions and general knowledge of Africa and Africans.


Mother and Baby Homes

It was noted that approximately 275 mixed-race children were born and held in Mother and Baby Homes between 1922 and 1998. Pregnancies between White Irish and black couples rarely resulted in marriage, with resulting children often taken into these institutions, leaving them with incomplete records of family history. Mixed-race children were subject to discrimination in these institutions, with fewer being offered for adoption at the same rate as White Irish babies. Many were sent to 'reject wards' for children deemed 'unadoptable' on the basis of their skin color. A report into the Mother and Baby Homes denied there was racial discrimination within these institutions. A prominent example of racial discrimination against mixed-race children in Ireland and across Britain is the study conducted by
anthropologist An anthropologist is a scientist engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropologists study aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms, values ...
s Rachel Fleming and Herbert Fleur in 1924. It investigated the physical appearances of Black Irish children and described their unique features in terms of race. They highlighted the "otherness" of these children by closely comparing their features to those of purely British children, suggesting they could never look or be the same. In 1930 Muriel Fletcher, a social scientist, produced a similar report, although focusing on the psychological aspects of mixed-race relationships and their children. Both investigations concluded that the physical and moral characteristics of mixed-race children are defective and will prevent them from integrating into society in the future. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, specifically from 1942 until 1945, a large number of Black American soldiers were stationed across the UK. Predominantly rural positions of their military bases often resulted in mixed-race relationships between White British and Irish women and African American GIs. These relations rarely lead to marriage, although frequently to pregnancies. Children of such alliances often ended up in Mother and Baby Homes, given up for adoption, although some remained in their mothers' families, despite being a product of war-time affairs. However, mixed-race babies were not only children of American GIs, but also of African students.


Black Irish in politics

Ireland has never elected a
Teachta Dála A Teachta Dála ( ; ; plural ), abbreviated as TD (plural ''TDanna'' in Irish language, Irish, TDs in English), is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas, the parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The official Engli ...
(TD) or Senator of African descent. Likewise, there has never been any Black cabinet member, or leader of a major government institution. Black people are underrepresented in Irish politics. A number of reasons are suggested for this lack of representation, including that people of African descent tend to be younger than the rest of the population, the PR-STV voting system failing to facilitate representation of minorities not clustered in a single geographic area, as well as the highly personalised nature of Irish politics being difficult for immigrants to make vital political connections. In 2007, Nigerian refugee and politician
Rotimi Adebari Rotimi Adebari (born 1964) is a Nigerian-born Irish politician. Adebari was elected as the first black mayor in Ireland in 2007. Early life and background Adebari was born 1964 in Okeodan, Ogun State, and studied economics at the Universit ...
was elected as mayor of
Portlaoise Portlaoise ( ), or Port Laoise (), is the county town of County Laois, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Midland Region, Ireland, South Midlands in the province of Leinster. Portlaoise was the fastest growing of the top 20 largest town ...
, the first Black mayor in Ireland. In 2011, Darren Scully resigned as mayor of
Naas Naas ( ; or ) is the county town of County Kildare in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In 2022, it had a population of 26,180, making it the largest town in County Kildare (ahead of Newbridge, County Kildare, Newbridge) and the List of urban ar ...
after stating he would refuse to represent "black Africans" because of their "aggressiveness and bad manners". In 2018, Black Irish artist
Kevin Sharkey Kevin Sharkey (born 3 June 1961) is an Irish artist, political activist, and former television presenter and actor. He sought a nomination to run in the 2018 Irish presidential election, but withdrew his bid on 17 September 2018. Early life Sh ...
unsuccessfully sought nomination to contest the Presidential Election, failing to be nominated by either councils or the Oireachtas. Sharkey ran on an anti-immigration platform. As of 2021, there were only two Black councillors out of 949 – Cllr. Uruemu Adejinmi, who represents
Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil ( ; ; meaning "Soldiers of Destiny" or "Warriors of Fál"), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (), is a centre to centre-right political party in Ireland. Founded as a republican party in 1926 by Éamon de ...
on Longford County Council, and Cllr.
Yemi Adenuga Oluwayemi "Yemi" Adenuga (née Solaru) is a Nigerian-Irish politician, community organiser and advocate for social justice initiatives. In May 2019, she became the first elected black female public representative in Ireland when she was elected ...
, a former Gogglebox Ireland star who represents
Fine Gael Fine Gael ( ; ; ) is a centre-right, liberal-conservative, Christian democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil Éireann. The party had a member ...
on
Meath County Council Meath County Council () is the local authority of County Meath, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban planning and de ...
. Adenuga was the first Black female councillor elected in Ireland. In 2021, Adejinmi unsuccessfully sought the Fianna Fáil nomination for the 2021 Seanad By-Election. Former asylum seeker Ellie Kisyombe, originally from Malawi, ran for Dublin's North Inner City constituency with the Social Democrats during the 2019 Local Elections, becoming the first former asylum seeker to seek election in the Republic of Ireland. She failed to get elected, after discrepancies in her timeline for application for asylum emerged. In June 2021, Lilian Seenoi-Barr, who is
Maasai Maasai may refer to: *Maasai people *Maasai language *Maasai mythology * MAASAI (band) See also * Masai (disambiguation) Masai may refer to: *Masai, Johor, a town in Malaysia * Masai Plateau, a plateau in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India *Maasai peopl ...
and originally from
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
, was co-opted by the
SDLP The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP; ) is a social democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP currently has eight members in the Northern Ireland Assembly ( MLAs) and two members of Parliament (MPs ...
to the
Derry and Strabane District Council Derry City and Strabane District Council (; Ulster-Scots: ''Derry Cittie & Stràbane Destrìck Cooncil'') is the local authority for Derry and Strabane district in Northern Ireland. It was created as part of the 2014 Northern Ireland local go ...
, becoming Northern Ireland's first Black councillor. She subsequently retained her place on the council at the
2023 Northern Ireland local elections Local government in Northern Ireland, Local elections were held in Northern Ireland on 18 May 2023. The elections were delayed by two weeks to avoid overlapping with the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla, coronation of King Charles III. Foll ...
. In April 2024, she was selected as the next
first citizen ''Princeps'' (plural: ''Principes'') is a Latin word meaning "first in time or order; the first, foremost, chief, the most eminent, distinguished, or noble; the first person". As a title, ''Princeps'' originated in the Roman Republic wherein the ...
of Derry City and Strabane, making her Northern Ireland's first black mayor.


Impacts on Irish culture and integration


Religion

Immigration from Africa has been noted as increasing the numbers of Protestant adherents in Ireland, contributing to the reversal in the decline of numbers. A number of Catholic priests are also noted as immigrating to Ireland from African nations, owing to the declining amount of priests in Irish parishes.


Poetry, written, and spoken work

The poem 'For Our Mothers', by Nigerian-Irish poet Felicia Olusanya (FeliSpeaks) is featured on the 2023
Leaving Certificate A secondary school leaving qualification is a document signifying that the holder has fulfilled any secondary education requirements of their locality, often including the passage of a final qualification examination. For each leaving certificate ...
curriculum. Author
Emma Dabiri Emma Dabiri FRSL (born 25 March) is an Irish writer and broadcaster. Her debut book, ''Don't Touch My Hair'', was published in 2019. Her 2021 book, ''What White People Can Do Next: From Allyship to Coalition'', became an international bestsell ...
is one of a number of Irish authors with African heritage. In July 2021, the team from
Maynooth University Maynooth University (MU) (), is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland. Maynooth University was formerly known as National University of Ireland, Maynooth (NUIM; ). It was Ireland ...
, consisting of Rí Anumudu and Chikemka Abuchi-Ogbonda, became the first Black Irish team to win the prestigious Irish Times Debating Competition.


Irish language

A number of Irish people of African descent are noted as being
Gaeilgeoir This article lists notable speakers of the Irish language (, pl. ''Gaeilgeoirí''). List {{columns-list, colwidth=35em, * Vincent Barry (1908–1975), scientist * Páraic Breathnach (b. 1956), Irish actor, performer, writer and storyteller * ...
í (speakers of the Irish language), and contributing to the evolution of the language, such as broadcasters
Zainab Boladale Zainab Boladale is a Nigerian-Irish television presenter, reporter, public speaker and content creator. She was the first person of African heritage to work in the RTÉ newsroom. Career Zainab Boladale's first job was at ''Irish Independent'' i ...
and
Ola Majekodunmi Ola Majekodunmi is a Nigerian-Irish presenter, writer, producer and Gaeilgeoir. Career Majekodunmi started presenting a radio show with Raidió na Life in 2014, presenting ''Seinnliosta an tSathairn'' and later ''Afra-Éire''. She is a frequent ...
.


Sport

Track and field athlete
Israel Olatunde Israel Olatunde (born 29 May 2002) is an Irish professional track and field athlete specializing in the sprints. He competed at the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships, and reached the final of the 100 metres at the 2022 European Athletics ...
is a sprinter who has represented Ireland on numerous occasions. He holds the Irish record for the 60m and 100m sprints, and has been called "Ireland's fastest man". A number of players on Ireland's football team are of African descent.


In media


Notable people


Black people in Ireland


Black Irish emigrants


Emigrants to France

*
Kwame Ampadu Patrick Kwame Ampadu (born 20 December 1970) is an Irish football coach and former player who is an assistant coach for Columbus Crew under Wilfried Nancy. He previously was an assistant coach for Monaco. A midfielder, Ampadu featured for club ...
, former footballer


Emigrants to Great Britain

*
Emma Dabiri Emma Dabiri FRSL (born 25 March) is an Irish writer and broadcaster. Her debut book, ''Don't Touch My Hair'', was published in 2019. Her 2021 book, ''What White People Can Do Next: From Allyship to Coalition'', became an international bestsell ...
, author, academic, and broadcaster *
Layla Flaherty Layla Flaherty is an Irish Model (person), model and actress who appeared in the ‘scripted-reality’ TV show ''Desperate Scousewives'', which was broadcast on E4 (TV channel), E4 in 2011. More recently, she appeared on an episode of ''Real Hou ...
, actress and model *
Rianna Jarrett Rianna Lauren Jarrett (born 5 July 1994) is an Irish professional footballer who plays for Wexford Youths of the Irish Women's National League, and the Republic of Ireland women's national football team. A prolific forward, Jarrett was the W ...
, footballer *
Phil Lynott Philip Parris Lynott (, ; 20 August 1949 – 4 January 1986) was an Irish musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the co-founder, lead vocalist, bassist, and primary songwriter for the hard rock band Thin Lizzy. He was known for his distinctive ...
, rock singer, bassist and lead vocalist of
Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. The band initially consisted of bass guitarist, lead vocalist and principal songwriter Phil Lynott, drummer Brian Downey, guitarist Eric Bell and organist Eric Wrixon although Wr ...
*
Cassia O'Reilly Cassia O'Reilly (known professionally as Cosha and formerly known as Bonzai) is an Irish singer-songwriter and music producer. Background O'Reilly was born in Indiana, United States, and raised in Ireland, between County Wicklow and Dublin. Her ...
, singer-songwriter *
Darren Randolph Darren Edward Andrew Randolph (born 12 May 1987) is an Irish professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper. He is currently a free agent. Randolph also represented Republic of Ireland ...
, footballer * Christopher Simpson, actor


Emigrants to United States

*
Samantha Mumba Samantha Tamania Anne Cecilia Mumba (born 18 January 1983) is an Irish R&B singer-songwriter, dancer, actress, fashion model and TV presenter. In 2000, at the age of 17, she shot to fame with the release of her debut single " Gotta Tell You", w ...
, pop singer *
Ruth Negga Ruth Negga ( ; born 4 May 1981) is an Irish actress known for her roles in the AMC television series ''Preacher'' (2016–2019) and the film '' Loving'' (2016). For her portrayal of Mildred Loving in the latter, Negga received a nomination for ...
, actor *
Fionnghuala O'Reilly Fionnghuala "Fig" O'Reilly (born 20 August 1993) is an Irish-American model and beauty pageant titleholder, and a data analyst. In 2019 she was crowned Miss Universe Ireland. She made history as the first woman of color and Black woman to represen ...
, represented Ireland at the
Miss Universe 2019 Miss Universe 2019 was the 68th Miss Universe pageant, held at Stage 1 of Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, United States on 8 December 2019. At the end of the event, Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa was crowned as Miss Universe 2019 by ...
pageant *
Emma Dabiri Emma Dabiri FRSL (born 25 March) is an Irish writer and broadcaster. Her debut book, ''Don't Touch My Hair'', was published in 2019. Her 2021 book, ''What White People Can Do Next: From Allyship to Coalition'', became an international bestsell ...
, academic


Born, raised and resident in Britain

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Craig Charles Craig Joseph Charles (born 11 July 1964) is an English actor, comedian and radio presenter. He is best known for his roles as Dave Lister in the science fiction sitcom ''Red Dwarf'' and Lloyd Mullaney in the soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (2 ...
, actor *
Cyrus Christie Cyrus Sylvester Frederick Christie (born 30 September 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a right-back for club Swansea City. He is a Republic of Ireland international. Early and personal life Christie was born in Coventry, West Mi ...
, footballer *
John Conteh John Anthony Conteh, (born 27 May 1951) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1971 to 1980. He held the WBC light-heavyweight title from 1974 to 1977, and regionally the European, British and Commonwealth titles between 19 ...
, former boxer *
Liam George Liam Brendan George (born 2 February 1979) is a footballer who plays for Barton Rovers on a part-time basis, having signed for them in 2010. Born in England, he represented the Republic of Ireland in the Under 18 European Youth Championship. C ...
, footballer *
Gabriel Gbadamosi Gabriel Gbadamosi (born 1961)Killam, G. Douglas, and Alicia L. Kerfoot''Student Encyclopedia of African Literature'' Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2008, p. 14. is a British poet, playwright and novelist of Irish-Nigerian descent. He is ...
, writer, poet *
Anthony Joshua Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua (born 15 October 1989) is a British professional boxer. He held the unified champion, unified world heavyweight championship twice between 2016 and 2021. At regional level, he held the British Boxing Board of C ...
, boxer *
Dolores Mantez Dolores Brenda Harding (''née'' Mantey; 17 October 1936 – 30 November 2012), known professionally as Dolores Mantez, was a British television actress of the 1960s and early 1970s, best known for her appearances in Gerry Anderson's scien ...
, Irish actress *
Chris Hughton Christopher William Gerard Hughton (born 11 December 1958) is a professional football manager and former player. Born in England, he represented the Republic of Ireland national team. He was most recently head coach of the Ghana national te ...
, former footballer * Henry Hughton, former footballer *
David McGoldrick David James McGoldrick (born 29 November 1987) is a professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), striker for club Notts County F.C., Notts County. He will become a free agent when his contract expi ...
, footballer *
Clinton Morrison Clinton Hubert Morrison (''né'' Chambers; born 14 May 1979) is a former professional footballer and sports pundit. As a player, he was a forward. He notably played in the Premier League for both Crystal Palace and Birmingham City. He also pl ...
, former footballer *
Lanre Oyebanjo Olanrewaju Olusegun Mark Bamidele "Lanre" Oyebanjo (born 27 April 1990) is a professional Association football, footballer who last played as a Defender (association football), defender for club Welling United F.C., Welling United. He has playe ...
, footballer * Annie Yellowe Palma, author *
Kit de Waal Mandy Theresa O'Loughlin (born 26 July 1960), known professionally as Kit de Waal, is a British/Irish writer. Her debut novel, ''My Name Is Leon'', was published by Penguin Books in June 2016. After securing the publishing deal with Penguin, De ...
, writer


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Afro-Irish African diaspora in Europe
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
Ethnic groups in Ireland