It Could Be Worse

Where we put our situation into a global context. This time: Irish hospitality v Croatians in white sheets

We’ve had an influx of ‘New Irish’ over recent years, particularly so during the period when the Celtic Tiger was in full roar. These days there aren’t as many jobs to go around, and as a result there have been some isolated instances of resentment towards some of our friends from overseas.

But while integration can always throw up a few curve balls, we are still the country of a hundred thousand welcomes. At heart, we’re a friendly lot.

And when it comes to respecting the diverse cultures and communities of the world, we can generally hold our heads proud.

Not so at a National School in Croatia. When it came to dressing up for February’s pre-Lent competition the pupils in one class not only crossed the line but raced so far over it that had they glanced over their collective shoulders they’d have struggled to see it in the distance. With binoculars.

They could have dressed up as anything: pirates, animals, superheroes. But no, this class dressed up as the Klu Klux Klan - with the exception of the one little boy who was blacked up and surrounded. As icing on top of this particularly distasteful cake, they went on to win the competition.

You see, things may not be perfect here in Ireland, but it could be worse…