In the early noughties I was standing on O’Connell St. one evening, near an African family with small children, and a group of be-tracksuited Dublin teenagers. The small daughter of the family (maybe a four year old) was standing slightly apart from her parents, all waiting at a bus stop. The kids teenagers were giggling in their direction, and one of the boys whispered ‘Slaaaave’ loudly and lasciviously at her. The parents shifted nervously and didn’t respond.

At the time I wondered what possible connotation an Irish kid in Dublin could have of slavery and Africans? What the hell do they know about it, and why is this their go to insult when confronted with the otherness of a black family in white Catholic homogenous Ireland?

Well, your excellent article explains that very well, sadly. Not that the kid is aware of any of it.

I’m aware of the inverse racism of calling Conor McGregor a scumbag, but he’s the voice of a culture who is very aware of its rights, and uninterested in the corresponding responsibilities. No doubt we’ll be hearing a lot more from him soon.