While many of these memes poke fun at England and their complicated history with Ireland, it’s important to understand why the Irish feel that way. Great Britain has a long history of choosing themselves over Ireland, including the Act of Union in 1801. This act fully integrated Ireland into the UK and promised protection for the Irish economy, but within several years, completely abandoned any support and destroyed the Irish economy.
The Irish potato famine also leads back to the English. While many assume it was purely an unfortunate ecological accident, the Mises Institute reports that “the most glaring cause of the famine was not a plant disease, but England's long-running political hegemony over Ireland”. The English had conquered Ireland more than once and had taken large chunks of land. While the Irish farmers still worked the land, the owners primarily lived in England, remotely managing operations that they were not qualified to run.
In response to the famine, the English did not seem very concerned about saving the Irish. “One account had the people of Massachusetts sending a ship of grain to Ireland that English authorities placed in storage claiming that it would disturb trade. Another report has the British government appealing to the Sultan of Turkey to reduce his donation from £10,000 to £1,000 in order not to embarrass Queen Victoria who had only pledged £1,000 to relief.”
The Irish are a tough bunch who have endured a complicated and difficult history while still managing to make significant contributions to the rest of the world. If bonding over sharing memes and tweets about their culture helps unite them, I'm all for it. Here’s to hoping their country is in for centuries of easier times, let’s see that famous luck of the Irish come through for them.
Be sure to upvote your favorite posts, and whether you're Irish or not, let us know in the comments what your favorite thing about the beautiful country of Ireland is!
#32 Our American Counter Parts Who Have Hijacked Irishness For Their Racist Exploits; This Is Who We Are
#34 All Atms In Brussels Been Updated To This. Lads, Ye F*cking Love To See It
#35 When The Nightclubs Open Back Up The Glow Will Be Seen From Space
#38 Because The Yanks On R/Mildlyinteresting Don't Understand The Significance, I Got Two Curly Wurlys In One Packet
#39 The Struggle Is Real: The Indignity Of Trying To Follow An American Recipe When You’re Irish
#40 I Have Been Drawing Different Countries Using One Line. I Recently Finished Ireland
