Mary Kenny: 'Brits may be ignorant about Irish matters, but they are seldom hostile towards us'

Meeting the people: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on a visit to Doncaster Market, in northern England. Photo: JON SUPER/AFP/Getty Images

Mary Kenny

I've never bought into the narrative that the British are essentially anti-Irish, since it's never been my experience. I never did encounter those "no Irish, no coloureds, no dogs" posters back in the day, though I did see landladies' notices in Earl's Court of "no Australians" - since the Aussies partied a little too hard with the tinnies, keeping the neighbourhood awake.

On the contrary, I've always found it an advantage being Irish in Britain, and even to this day, I'm quite often told by total strangers "I love your Irish accent". Sometimes the coda follows - "it reminds me of my mother/my grandmother" and a conversation ensues about nostalgic family holidays in Mayo or Kerry.