500,000 Non-Irish nationals now live in Ireland according to 2011 census

Nigga go home now.

As an agnostic who grew up in a joke "Republic" totally dominated by bigoted Roman Catholics, sharing an island with a "province" controlled by narrow-minded Protestants, I can only say Thank God for the newcomers, most of whom are fellow citizens of the European Union, plus a number of enterprising and energetic political and / or economic refugees who are treated appallingly, but who, despite the ignorant hostility they receive every day, represent the true future of Ireland.

Wish the Poles would come to the USA? We could use some more productive white people. I guess EU rules means you can't keep out the Nigerians? Lot of the Nigerians post videos about how they are "discriminated against" in a European country they voluntarily emigrated to. What's up with that anyway?

TayandCake: You spoke the Truth I feel...would love to be in the homeland of my Grandparents, but Eire's lifeblood, Spirit and Soul of Ireland is now swiftly slipping away...Much has been written and said about the unique Essence, Look and Feel of Eire, by the sensitive, dense and everyone in between. Who would've thought this COULD happen!?

I agree with WKnee that every country needs a "prudent immigration policy." No country does well when it's overwhelmed by immigrants that it can't afford to support and who make demands on the host country to change its ways to accommodate them. Irish culture will be affected by immigrants who expect the Irish to change and adapt to non-Irish cultural and religious ways instead of the immigrants respecting and assimilating into Irish culture. Whenever I visit Ireland, I expect to follow Irish customs and laws, not American ones. If I chose to move there, I'd expect to have to adapt and assimilate into Irish culture. I wouldn't expect to live in Ireland the way I lived in America. If I did, I should've stayed home. Unfortunately, not all immigrants feel that way. The Irish need to think about how much they're willing to allow their culture to be changed by immigrants who refuse to assimilate. The U.S. has some of the same problems - we can't finance unlimited and uncontrolled immigration and we want immigrants to assimilate into American culture.

Wounded Knee, Greatly appreciate your comments...a good feeling, observant, cognizant mind, soul and spirit traveling and living the entire globe, speaking and understanding myriad languages would give one a good 'feel' of the planetary pulse is what our 'leaders' would benefit greatly by. Being a 'fly on the wall' all over, would be another--without 'enablers' all 'round them. You could indeed be an Adept...

the big problem facing ireland is the large amount of nigerians who are here and with big families.in my town there are thousands of them and none working.the welfare office is full of them.as a small country on our knees we cant sustain this

I think that its great. We could do with some new blood in Ireland. Besides, the Irish are leaving in droves to find a better life in Canada. Just like I did.

I love it. The new Irish plus Irish nationalists = a new Ireland for the Irish.No more partionist free state or british unionist led agendas anymore for our nation.The transformation of all Ireland has already begun ,the reunification of Ireland will come about by European intervention so for those poor partitionist fools expecting that their GFA principle of consent vote will matter, forget about it,you will be but a tiny minority voice in the wilderness.Welcome to Ireland all you weary nationals of the world your presence will be a welcome change from those that we Irish nationals have had to put up with over the last couple of centuries.

TayandCake: Good post. Ireland is the only homeland of the Irish people, the only home they have or will ever have. As James Connolly said "Ireland without her people means nothing to me". Or as the 1916 Proclamation puts it: "We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland". But the people are now being supplanted and replaced by foreign migrants, all at the behest of the Irish boss class. Not one Irish vote was ever cast for Mass Immigration--it is truly undemocratic, even fascist. The process can still be resisted, but time is running out. By mid-century or earlier expect to see the Irish a minority in their own ancient homeland. A decade or two later and an Irishman will be as rare on the banks of the Liffey as is today a Mohawk on the banks of the Hudson.

pilib: What a moronic post. You accuse someone of "xenophobia" for wanting to see Irish nationality preserved and a prudent immigration policy implemented in that country. And just to prove you're an utter fool, you confide in us that this is "an Irish American newspaper". Gee, really??? You don't say. Actually, you're're the Know Nothing, Pilib. I travel to more countries in one year than you'll ever see in your whole life, and I speak more languages than you could learn in your whole life. Stop your dumb insults, you racist dope.

The Irish Identity is truly defined as. One who holds to a higher Moral Standard brought by Patrick in the 5th Century. One puts people first over self interest. One who is friendly and welcoming to others. One who speaks up against perceived wrongs and speaks up for the oppressed.

I'd worry about the island itself, the hills and valleys, the little stone churches in the mountains, the white washed cottages, the wee pub on every corner, the sound of a fiddle at a blazing fireplace, the cloth cap, the small chat over Guinness, the clash of the ash. Will they take of the place when the paddies cease to be. I doubt it. Its not the land of your granny anymore. Irish Americans get a hard time, but they'll treat this wee island with more love and respect than anyone else. Maybe they should move here in massive numbers.

why does the world want to destroy ireland

Does the last irishman have to turn out the lights or just rn up some heathen flag?