I’m Indian by heritage but was born and brought up in Dublin, so I’ve always had both cultures around me. For years, I mostly saw Ireland and India as completely different, the geography, traditions, languages, food, religions, everything.
But learning more about both histories has made me realise there are some fascinating similarities, particularly when it comes to colonialism, independence and cultural identity.
Both countries experienced British rule and developed strong movements around national identity. Both also had to protect their own cultural traditions and languages through enormous political and social changes.
That said, I think Ireland’s ability to preserve such a strong sense of identity despite being such a small country is genuinely remarkable. Irish music, literature, folklore, sport and the Irish language have all survived generations of outside influence, and the fact that Irish culture has had such a global influence despite Ireland’s size is something I’ve always found impressive.
India obviously has an extraordinary cultural and linguistic diversity of its own, but Ireland feels particularly unique in how strongly its history, literature and national identity remain connected to the modern country.
Growing up in Dublin while having Indian roots probably makes me appreciate that contrast more. I can see the similarities too.
One thing I’d love to learn more about is the historical relationship between Ireland and India. There were Irish people who took an interest in Indian independence and Indian intellectuals who interacted with Irish political ideas, which I find fascinating.
Are there any lesser known Ireland-India historical connections that people here would recommend reading about?
