Brazilians set to celebrate Christmas with mixture of Irish and home traditions

Samantha Goulart, who first came to Ireland in 2014.

Members of one of Ireland’s largest migrant communities have said they are going to mix an Irish Christmas with Brazilian traditions this year to mark their love of the country.

There are more 70,000 Brazilians registered as living and working here, according to the latest Census figures.

Many have moved here to study English, with some opting to stay on permanently and secure work visas.

Earlier this year, the Brazil-Ireland Chamber of Commerce said 1,300 Brazilian businesses have been established in Ireland which have generated more than €100 million in revenue.

Traditionally the Brazilian community celebrates Christmas on the evening of December 24.

They attend midnight mass, exchange gifts, and celebrate with large family gatherings ahead of Christmas day.

However, this year, some have said they will mix both traditions and celebrate over two days.

Samantha Goulart came to Ireland with her mother Dalava Angela Divina Guimareous in December 2014 to do a course in English.

Nine years on she is working for a software company and running her own ballet for adults’ classes which she set up before the covid pandemic.

The 38-year-old from Goiás said she has made Ireland her permanent home and does not see herself returning to live in Brazil.

“I wanted to come to Ireland because it was a nice place,” she told the Irish Examiner. "I could study English and I heard good things about this country, I love it here.

“I never thought I would stay permanently, but here I am with my business and my job and preparing for a traditional Irish Christmas.

"I also spent a lot of money to bring my dog Jimi here."

Ms Goulart was living and working in the UK before she decided to return home to Brazil where she found it difficult to settle.

“I was not happy at home, I have a nice life there, a good job and family but was interested in Ireland, so I looked into courses before I moved.

“My mother came with me to help me get a place to live and to register for the courses. I felt I didn’t get a chance to learn English in London.

“I am here nine years now; I went back to Brazil for one year in 2017 but I just could not settle. So, I came back.

“I don’t feel safe in Brazil. If I walk my dog and bring my phone, you worry your phone will be taken, so I leave my phone at home. You live with a threat to your safety.

“My life is good here; I am really happy, and I made a lot of friends. I study a lot; I work hard, and I set up my ballet classes.

“I was always a ballet dancer but now I know that adults here want to do it too."

For Christmas, Samantha will celebrate the traditional Brazilian festivities with her friends on December 24.

“In Brazil we spend Christmas different,” she said. “We celebrate it on December 24. After midnight we start eating and drinking and then we talk and drink and after that, on the December 25 we eat the left overs.

“But now in Ireland, I celebrate Christmas twice. I have the traditional Brazilian Christmas, and I will meet with my friends they cook, they all eat different things it’s a big variety.

“The dishes include farofa, salpicao, suckling pig, turkey, rice with raisins, and sweet panettone for dessert and many other desserts.

“Then on December 25, I do it again with my Irish friends in their house, and we have the turkey and ham."

Dublin stabbings

More recently, the profile of Brazilian people made the headlines when Caio Benicio, a Deliveroo cyclist intervened in a school stabbing incident on Parnell Street in Dublin which involved three children and a creche worker.

 Deliveroo driver Caio Benicio, stopped a knife attacker outside a school in Dublin.

The 43-year-old from Rio de Janeiro received more than €360,000 in GoFundMe donations from the public who described him as a “hero” when he took part in the rescue with others.

He told the Irish Examiner: “I will go home for a month to see my wife and my two children. I am really excited.

“I have come to Ireland for one year and I love it here. I feel very responsible now since the incident, and it has helped immigrant workers to receive much respect in their work.

“I will have the traditional Brazilian Christmas at home with my family on December 24, but then I will be back in the new year, I love Ireland and people have been nothing but kind to me."

'This will be my fifth Christmas in Ireland'

Another Brazilian woman Stephanie Marques, 28, moved to Ireland from Sao Paulo five years ago, also to study English.

“I was only supposed to stay for six months but now I am here five years,” she said. “I live in Dublin city centre with my friends.

“I rent a house and I share with three other girls. I have my working visa and am in full-time employment in administration. This will be my fifth Christmas in Ireland.

Stephanie Marques, who is originally from Sao Paolo.

“The first year I celebrated with some friends, we met in my course and then I went to live with an Irish lady, and I attended the last three celebrations with my friends.

“I then had two traditional Irish Christmas days with my Irish friend. With my friends, we had a small party on December 24 but now as time goes on and I am here longer, our friends have grown in numbers.

“I am a chef by trade, so I absolutely love to cook. So, this year I will have the normal turkey and ham and Chester chicken which is just a massive chicken.

“We would roast pork leg and we have rice we have amazing salad and green beans and all sorts of vegetables.

“There is bacon, sausage, grated carrots, coriander garlic and onions on the menu. We make a big deal of it."