Is it just me or is the negative portrayal of the family purely got to do with their lack of desire to learn or engage with anything that isn’t traditionally Irish.
I don’t think the text implies that doing any of the Irish things, or even a group of things, is negative or bad?
I understand one piece uses negative language, and the other positive, but is the blunt extremes of both ends of the spectrum not intentional?
And then it asks the student to debate?
The main people I’ve seen objecting to this are the ones who are constantly going on about free speech and cancel culture…… Funny how they get something cancelled due to their getting offended over something….. Woke Snowflakes.
Unironically a good exercise for SPHE classes would be to read these articles and discuss this and debate whether or not they had been brainwashed etc etc.
I liked the way the publishers were so narky about people not liking it. *Well, I mean, we thought it was brilliant but if you all have a problem we’re very sorry jesus leave us alone to pig thick muck savages.*
There are people honestly saying that John Hinde blackface-Oirish stereotypes are “traditionally Irish”. That alone should tell you what faith they’re arguing in.
The funniest thing about the depiction of the traditional Irish family is the idea that they have no family members in other countries. What could be more traditionally Irish than having cousins on multiple continents?
It’s not even about the content now, it’s the negative publicity. “Pull the book and maybe they’ll shut up about it.” Never mind all the hard work put into creating every other page in the book.
What’s wrong with eating bacon cabbage and spuds every day?
Stink of the “never been outta dublin except on foreign holidays” from this depiction tbh
The Aran-wearing Irish family is described as eating bacon, cabbage and potatoes every day.
Pulled and re-edited: The Man Utd/GAA jersey, Sweaty Betty wearing Irish family eating spice bags and chicken fillet rolls every day.
It’s the right thing to do.
I know I’m a bad person for thinking this, but what exactly is offensive here? Like offensive? Maybe I’m jaded but I couldn’t possibly be “offended” by this. The word has been so watered down now. Who is upset by this?
Yea none of them are even wearing hijabs. Terrible representation of modern Ireland
It was meant to provoke debate. There were two Irish families shown, one was patriotic, insular and refused to “corrupt” their kids with anything not Irish (the Burkes basically). The other family were blended, loved travel, trying new foods and learning about new places. Considering themselves “citizens of the world”.
The idea was the pros and cons of both families were discussed along with themes like national pride, acceptance and national identity.
It was for debate, not because it was a realistic depiction of an Irish family!
I am a former textbook editor, and I’ve read it, and I didn’t think it was particularly steering anyone one way. I didn’t feel offended by either, and I would have said that if a reader feels that either of the familial descriptions provokes a response within them, the point of the exercise is to challenge your cognitive reactions. This is SPHE, it’s not history.
[removed]
Can this family please be added to the subs header image?
Has the Educational Company of Ireland produced any other racist white we should be warning children about?
I don’t live in Ireland so I know my opinion means nothing, but wow, this is incredibly racist. But it’s OK because the bad people have white skin.
Why can’t the books be written by Irish people?
Good.
The problem with it was conflating traditional Irish people with close mindedness and making hints at anti immigration.
The people in the story play GAA, they do Irish dancing, and they play traditional Irish music instruments. Those people I’d consider very cultured, and people like that are not the people fearful of foreigners or anti immigration.
Ironically, the people who are anti immigration also have no interest in actual Irish culture and do not partake in Irish culture. They’re the ones watching English premier league, only American shows on Netflix and listening to American and English popular music. There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of that, but stating that these people, who are fearful of foreigners, are the oonesimmersed in our own culture, and heritage is completely incorrect.
I have relations who are huge into Irish trad, do Irish dancing and speak Irish, and they’re the most left leaning, welcoming people I know, and they would be horrified by this caricature.
You can’t respect other people’s culture when you don’t respect your own. The people who engage and are actively involved in Irish culture tend to be the very welcoming people. The people at the anti immigration protests could not give two shites about Irish culture and heritage, and thus, that train of thought carries over to everyone else from a foreign culture arriving here.
Sphe book is €15. Probably subsidised as well?
Is Reddit a channel for the change you want to see in the world?
Why didn’t the journos say that’s where they sourced it? Lazy articles.
There had to be a whole lot of group think for that to make it publishing. So many people would have had to look at it and say “yep this is fine”. It boggles the mind.
25 comments
RIP my account but can I just ask….
Is it just me or is the negative portrayal of the family purely got to do with their lack of desire to learn or engage with anything that isn’t traditionally Irish.
I don’t think the text implies that doing any of the Irish things, or even a group of things, is negative or bad?
I understand one piece uses negative language, and the other positive, but is the blunt extremes of both ends of the spectrum not intentional?
And then it asks the student to debate?
The main people I’ve seen objecting to this are the ones who are constantly going on about free speech and cancel culture…… Funny how they get something cancelled due to their getting offended over something….. Woke Snowflakes.
Unironically a good exercise for SPHE classes would be to read these articles and discuss this and debate whether or not they had been brainwashed etc etc.
I liked the way the publishers were so narky about people not liking it. *Well, I mean, we thought it was brilliant but if you all have a problem we’re very sorry jesus leave us alone to pig thick muck savages.*
There are people honestly saying that John Hinde blackface-Oirish stereotypes are “traditionally Irish”. That alone should tell you what faith they’re arguing in.
The funniest thing about the depiction of the traditional Irish family is the idea that they have no family members in other countries. What could be more traditionally Irish than having cousins on multiple continents?
It’s not even about the content now, it’s the negative publicity. “Pull the book and maybe they’ll shut up about it.” Never mind all the hard work put into creating every other page in the book.
What’s wrong with eating bacon cabbage and spuds every day?
Stink of the “never been outta dublin except on foreign holidays” from this depiction tbh
The Aran-wearing Irish family is described as eating bacon, cabbage and potatoes every day.
Pulled and re-edited: The Man Utd/GAA jersey, Sweaty Betty wearing Irish family eating spice bags and chicken fillet rolls every day.
It’s the right thing to do.
I know I’m a bad person for thinking this, but what exactly is offensive here? Like offensive? Maybe I’m jaded but I couldn’t possibly be “offended” by this. The word has been so watered down now. Who is upset by this?
Yea none of them are even wearing hijabs. Terrible representation of modern Ireland
It was meant to provoke debate. There were two Irish families shown, one was patriotic, insular and refused to “corrupt” their kids with anything not Irish (the Burkes basically). The other family were blended, loved travel, trying new foods and learning about new places. Considering themselves “citizens of the world”.
The idea was the pros and cons of both families were discussed along with themes like national pride, acceptance and national identity.
It was for debate, not because it was a realistic depiction of an Irish family!
I am a former textbook editor, and I’ve read it, and I didn’t think it was particularly steering anyone one way. I didn’t feel offended by either, and I would have said that if a reader feels that either of the familial descriptions provokes a response within them, the point of the exercise is to challenge your cognitive reactions. This is SPHE, it’s not history.
[removed]
Can this family please be added to the subs header image?
Has the Educational Company of Ireland produced any other racist white we should be warning children about?
I don’t live in Ireland so I know my opinion means nothing, but wow, this is incredibly racist. But it’s OK because the bad people have white skin.
Why can’t the books be written by Irish people?
Good.
The problem with it was conflating traditional Irish people with close mindedness and making hints at anti immigration.
The people in the story play GAA, they do Irish dancing, and they play traditional Irish music instruments. Those people I’d consider very cultured, and people like that are not the people fearful of foreigners or anti immigration.
Ironically, the people who are anti immigration also have no interest in actual Irish culture and do not partake in Irish culture. They’re the ones watching English premier league, only American shows on Netflix and listening to American and English popular music. There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of that, but stating that these people, who are fearful of foreigners, are the oonesimmersed in our own culture, and heritage is completely incorrect.
I have relations who are huge into Irish trad, do Irish dancing and speak Irish, and they’re the most left leaning, welcoming people I know, and they would be horrified by this caricature.
You can’t respect other people’s culture when you don’t respect your own. The people who engage and are actively involved in Irish culture tend to be the very welcoming people. The people at the anti immigration protests could not give two shites about Irish culture and heritage, and thus, that train of thought carries over to everyone else from a foreign culture arriving here.
Sphe book is €15. Probably subsidised as well?
Is Reddit a channel for the change you want to see in the world?
Why didn’t the journos say that’s where they sourced it? Lazy articles.
There had to be a whole lot of group think for that to make it publishing. So many people would have had to look at it and say “yep this is fine”. It boggles the mind.