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Irish Times
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
‘Are you staying or going?': The question all Irish emigrants eventually face
Ireland's long-standing history of emigration is reflected in a piece by Mark Paul , London Correspondent, in which he says, 'Over the decades the area had been a magnet for Irish immigrants, but the community aged. Younger London Irish now favour Hackney or Clapham. Meanwhile, Archway's green army went grey.' While Mark's piece centres around Martin Fallon, an 'old boy from Ireland' who died in May, he speaks to locals in the traditional London-Irish community about how things have evolved. It's interesting to consider the changing face of the Irish community in London, especially since – for the most part – the whys of leaving their homeland are generally the same after all this time. For Peter Flanagan, he says that when he first moved to the UK, he expected to stay about six months. Now, after six years, however, he's wondering will he ever leave. Having bought his first home in the English capital, though, he feels that's probably an indication – and not a conscious decision – that he's here for good. Despite this, Flanagan says: 'My real fear is staying in the UK so long that I go full Pierce Brosnan. So far removed from my place of origin that I become an awkward facsimile of myself. Half-remembered visions of my childhood blurring with drunken fever dreams. Perched on a barstool in a silk cravat, waxing lyrical about the old country to anyone who will listen. 'I do miss Éire,' I'd slur. 'My father built our family home from clay and sticks on the banks of the river Liffey. I often wonder if it's still standing.'' Something students considering a move to the US should bear in mind are new visa requirements introduced this week. In a statement on Monday, the US embassy in Dublin said the US State Department is 'committed to protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process'. READ MORE The embassy said visa applicants will be required to list all social media usernames or handles for every platform they have used from the last five years on their visa application form so these accounts can be vetted. Taoiseach Micheál Martin condemned the new requirements as 'excessive' and said that they will cause 'fear and anxiety' among young people. Read more about the changes here . Columnist Laura Kennedy says there is always one question she is asked as an emigrant in Australia: 'Are you staying or going?' And while it may be a nudge from loved ones to get you home, it eventually becomes a real question in need of a serious answer. This month, she also looked at what Irish people are good at – digesting dairy, drinking and, of course, emigration. Our shortcoming? Pollen. And, by God, her allergies are not holding back in the hay fever capital of Canberra. As autumn hits down under, it's not letting up either. She writes: 'It does make me miss Limerick a bit, though, and its chaste plant-life that has the decency to die – or to play dead – once autumn shuffles in.' Adrian O'Sullivan, from Cork, has no plans to leave Berlin, which he first visited in 1988 as an 18-year-old. Speaking to Frank Dillon, he says he's noticed subtle changes over the years. 'When I came here first, what I often remarked upon was that, for Germans, everything is absolutely forbidden unless it is allowed whereas, for the Irish, everything is allowed unless it is absolutely forbidden. Sometimes Irish people have come here thinking they can do things the same was as they can in Cahersiveen, but that doesn't work.' Wicklow woman Orla McLaughlin lives in Venice and says she felt connected to the city from early on. She misses friends and family in Ireland, however, and returns once or twice a year, 'though it was easier when the children were younger. You inevitably miss out on some milestones and sharing some of your own too.' Finally, if, when you ask yourself should you stay or go, you decide a return to Ireland is on the cards, you may want to check out our guide on how to go about buying property in Ireland from abroad. Thanks for reading.
Dublin Live
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Dublin Live
Irish tourist mocks Brits as shares 'major' difference when he flies to Malaga
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A cheeky tourist has flaunted the special treatment Irish passport holders receive after touching down abroad. Comedian Peter Flanagan found himself breezing through a deserted queue at Malaga Airport, leaving UK citizens lined up for non-EU border control. Mocking the waiting Brits, he quipped: "The humble and brave country of Ireland. Look at that now, oh yeah, that's good, that's good." Since Britain left the EU in 2020 following the 2016 Brexit vote, Brits have had to join a different queue to enter EU nations. As part of Brexit, Brits lost their free movement privilege that EU members enjoy. In the comments section on his TikTok, one viewer noted: "Yes, UK passport holders will be able to use e-gates in the EU, following an agreement between the UK and the EU, though implementation will be phased in starting in October 2025." Another commented: "I showed my Irish passport to UK customs officer and he said at least you have a real passport!". A third remarked: "This is what we voted for. Some of us were educated and knew this kind of thing would happen and didn't vote for this." An additional comment from a user read: "We British people would rather spend an extra 10 minutes waiting for immigration than waste billions to support the EU bureaucracy." It comes after anti-tourism sentiment reached boiling point across Spain, with locals protesting against sky-high rents and a shortage of affordable housing for months on end. In a bold move to voice their frustration, some protesters have resorted to defacing heritage sites with explicit graffiti, including messages like "f***ing tourists" and "get out of our city." One of the historic buildings marred by vandals is the Royal Palace of La Almudaina, a 14th-century edifice that serves as the official residence for the King and Queen during their visits to Majorca. Alongside the Cathedral of Palma, it stands as an iconic symbol of the Balearic Islands' capital. Other victims of the spray-paint attacks include the ancient stone walls near the 'Hort del Rei botanical gardens and Dalt Murada, a beautifully restored manor house. The vandalism has left thousands of tourists who flock to the area each year in utter disbelief, while local tour guides have openly expressed their outrage. Pro Guías Majorca, a tour guide company, has condemned the graffiti as a regrettable assault on Palma's cultural legacy, stating that "there are many ways to protest, as long as the forms are appropriate, and it is an inalienable right. But this is unforgivable." They argue that whoever is responsible for the damage is not only attacking the city but also undermining the very values that define their community. Meanwhile, residents, no strangers to frequent protests and marches against the surge in tourism, have taken to social media platforms to denounce the acts of vandalism. "I am against excess tourism but also against graffiti. One thing does not take away from the other," one person declared. Another voiced their opinion on social media, saying: "Now it turns out that Majorca's number one enemy is the tourist, without thinking that hundreds of thousands of people eat every day thanks to tourists. This should also be considered a hate crime."
Daily Record
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Tourist teases Brits because of difference between EU and UK queue at Spanish airport
Irish comedian Peter Flanagan arrived in Malaga Airport and recorded himself zooming past a queue of Brits who were waiting for non-EU border control A holidaymaker has divulged the advantages of travelling with an Irish passport post-Brexit, as he breezed through immigration at Malaga Airport while a long line of Brits queued for non-EU border control. Comedian Peter Flanagan captured his smooth passage and couldn't resist a cheeky jibe at the longer lines. Mocking the waiting Brits, he quipped: "The humble and brave country of Ireland. Look at that now, oh yeah, that's good, that's good." Since Britain's departure from the EU in 2020, British passport holders have been stripped of the free movement privilege once enjoyed within the EU and now have to join separate queues at EU borders. Reacting to his TikTok footage, one viewer remarked: "Yes, UK passport holders will be able to use e-gates in the EU, following an agreement between the UK and the EU, though implementation will be phased in starting in October 2025." Another chimed in with a personal anecdote: "I showed my Irish passport to UK customs officer and he said at least you have a real passport!". Another Irish citizen agreed, saying: "I showed my Irish passport in France and his words to me were ''Irish very good people, you go here' pointing me to a desk with no one waiting! The other queue was at least 100 long." Another commented on the Brexit vote's consequences: "This is what we voted for. Some of us were educated and knew this kind of thing would happen and didn't vote for this." Yet another defended the wait: "We British people would rather spend an extra 10 minutes waiting for immigration than waste billions to support the EU bureaucracy." One commenter wrote: "hhahahahhHAHAHAH I'm from Malaga, I've been at the airport thousand of times I can tell you FOR A FACT, that that empty lane he just walked into leads to a row of automatic scanners THAT DO NOT WORK (never have) so right after this video switched off, he turned around and got back in the queue."
Irish Daily Mirror
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish tourist goes to EU airport and shows off 'major' difference Brits face
A holidaymaker has shared the airport perks those with an Irish passport get to experience after landing overseas compared to Brits. Comedian Peter Flanagan arrived in Malaga Airport and recorded himself filing through an empty queue at Brits waited for non-EU border control. Taunting them as he waltzed through, he said: "The humble and brave country of Ireland. Look at that now, oh yeah, that's good, that's good." Britain officially left the EU in 2020 following the Brexit referendum in 2016. Since then, everyone with a British passport has been forced to queue up to enter a separate passport control queue before entering a country in the EU. As part of the referendum result, Brits lost the right of free movement afforded to EU citizens. Commenting on his TikTok video, one user said: "Yes, UK passport holders will be able to use e-gates in the EU, following an agreement between the UK and the EU, though implementation will be phased in starting in October 2025." Another user added: "I showed my Irish passport to UK customs officer and he said at least you have a real passport!" A third user said: "This is what we voted for. Some of us were educated and knew this kind of thing would happen and didn't vote for this." One more user added: "We British people would rather spend an extra 10 minutes waiting for immigration than waste billions to support the EU bureaucracy." It comes after anti-tourism protests broke out across Spain. For months, locals have been taking a stand against soaring rents and lack of affordable homes. Protesters have even spray-painted heritage sites in their own countries with explicit messages to express their outrage, with some translating to "f***ing tourists" and "get out of our city." One of the defaced buildings is the Royal Palace of La Almudaina, which dates back to the 14th century, and is the official residence of the King and Queen during their stays in Majorca. Together with the Cathedral of Palma, it is a landmark of the capital of the Balearic Islands. Historic stone walls near the 'Hort del Rei botanical gardens and Dalt Murada, a restored manor house, have also been targeted. The area is visited by thousands of tourists who say they are shocked by the messages, while some official tour guides have reiterated their fury. Tour guide company Pro Guías Majorca said that the graffiti is regretful and an attack on Palma's heritage, making it clear that "there are many ways to protest, as long as the forms are appropriate, and it is an inalienable right. But this is unforgivable." They say that the person "who has done this, is against himself and the values that constitute us as a community". Residents who have grown used to repeated demonstrations and protest marches against mass tourism have also taken to the social networks to condemn the vandalism. "I am against excess tourism but also against graffiti. One thing does not take away from the other," said one. Another posted: "Now it turns out that Majorca's number one enemy is the tourist, without thinking that hundreds of thousands of people eat every day thanks to tourists. This should also be considered a hate crime."
Daily Mail
17-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Irish tourist taunts Brits forced to queue for passport control in Spain as he laughs and flashes his EU papers
This is the moment an Irish tourist taunts British holidaymakers forced to stand in a long queue at Malaga Airport. Peter Flanagan, a comedian, taped himself mocking the scores of Brits who were made to line themselves up in the non-EU line at border control. He was heard saying: 'The humble and brave country of Ireland. Look at that now oh yeah that's good.' As he waved his Irish passport walked ahead of the legions of queuing Brits, he repeatedly said: 'Oh yeah, that's good. Come on.' Since January 2020, when Britain officially left the European following the 2016 Brexit referendum, Brits have been forced to go through a separate passport control queue. This is because Brits no longer have access to the right of free movement afforded to citizens of the EU. Brits' travel documents must now be stamped and checked to make sure they have not overstay the 90 in 180 days limit for anyone who isn't part of the EU. Winding queues at EU borders are just part of a broad set of woes British holidaymakers are facing this summer. Over the weekend, thousands of locals marched across Spanish islands to tell Brits to 'go home' as part of widespread protests against so-called 'over tourism'. Holidaymakers were visibly stunned by the dramatic demonstrations in Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza on Sunday afternoon. Thousands of fed-up locals were seen banging their drums and chanting slogans while marching by tourists enjoying their evening meals. The demonstration began at Plaza de España, in the heart of the tourist city, shortly after 6pm. Activists claim more than 30,000 people took to the streets to voice their frustrations about the impact of tourism on the island. Placards held up by marchers read: 'Tourists go home', 'Mallorca is not for sale' and 'Mallorca is not your cash cow… go home.' Footage shows Brits visibly shocked by the demonstrations, while some tourists were seen taking refuge on their accommodation balconies. Other signs read: 'Your vacations, our anxiety.' Dozens of placards read 'tourists go home… refugees welcome', while a group of teenagers could be heard chanting 'tourists go home!' as they marched through the city. Children taking part in the protest were seen carrying water pistols, with plans to spray holidaymakers as they pass on by. Protesters were heard chanting slogans against Airbnb and 'guiris' - the Spanish slang term used to describe Brits and other foreigners. One placard read: 'Rich foreign property buyers go to hell', while another said: 'Enough is enough.' Local resident Oriol, 40, told MailOnline: 'I'm protesting because I don't want 80% of my money to go on rent. 'I don't want to be forced to speak only English or German in by apartment block. 'I don't want my friends to have to go to the mainland when they have children just to be able to afford a dignified life, a lot of us are fed up.'
