Living in Ireland, you become aware fairly quickly of the general dislike of the English.
I don’t think it’s a proper hatred.
I think at an individual level each Irish person would be just as polite to an English person as they would an Irish person.
I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that a large portion of the Irish population have close friends, if not relatives and spouses who are English.
But ‘the English’ as an abstract faceless mob, you’re supposed to dislike them.
Why?
Because the pain of colonisation runs deep.
It’s been passed down from generation to generation leaving the present crop with a hatred that can’t really justify.
So in sports the Irish would be supporting ABE (anyone but England).
Cheering on Marcus Rashford when he plays for Man United is fine but when he plays for England is a big no no.
At least that was the case until recently.
Now they’ve got a catchy song, a humble manager and a real belief that they’re going to win.
With so much positivity around their campaign it seems to be softening the Irish dislike.
The question who do you think is going to win Euro 2020 seems to be most often met with the answer – It’s Coming Home (name of their catchy song).
Now even I wouldn’t go so far as to say Ireland is behind England 100%.
Old habits die hard and when England took the lead against Ukraine in the recent quarterfinal there was definite murmurs around the outdoor seating of ‘I’d love to see Ukraine come back now’.
So maybe I’m victim to the confirmation bias?
Maybe everyone’s getting swept up in the usual summer reality TV like drama that is England in a football tournament?
Maybe all this good will evaporates as soon as they win (if they win) and are back on top?
Or maybe it’s as simple as football fans love a good chant and England happen to have the catchiest one.
But I hope I’m right.
I hope the ancient hate is lessening because I appreciate Woody Harrelson’s character in True Detective’s sentiment:
“I don’t hold grudges. I believe that’s the shit that leads to cancer”
Thomas Duggan 