1980 - Irish in London

1980: Nationwide spoke to Terry Wogan and other expats about what it was like to be Irish and living in London. Credit BBC ARCHIVE

[johnoconnell]

My father, from Glengarriff and my mother, from New Ross met and married in London, now I am in Dublin with my wife and three children. I do remember Camden Town, the opening of the Irish Centre, with Fr McNamara. As an Altar Boy I delivered the candle holders, thurible and boat etc from Kentish Town to the Irish Centre for the official opening.

[anthonymctigue]

I was n london for 40 years the best country n world n if u were reared to hard work it was play all some wanted was to drink bad job and the Englisg man was the best ever u worked for they had respect for a good worker i can count at lots of irish men who made millions n England because they werent foolish now they sent millions home from donegal to west cork and into Tipperary they kept the home fires burning im sick listening to people running down england but for england there would b nothing here my grandfather walked to boat n dublin n1912 going working to england the best ever he sed always for the English man when u go to forigen land u have to b a man stop moaning looking to b taken by the hand an d get work if u strong worker and dont b sissy u will make money we were hand digging for english firm gas workes paid every wed and if u were owed a penny it would b n packet in ireland u get not only god bless u hard to cash that

[Talira]

Terry Wogan unlike other Irishmen who hasn't assimilated into British 😂😂. Don't make me laugh. Didn't his hometown of Limerick take back his freedom of the city because he wasn't Irish enough. And who can forget his Eurovision commentary. "Us" being the Uk and "them" being the Irish. Don't get me wrong. Old Tel was a great broadcaster. Certainly a better broadcaster than he was an Irishman