'I don't want to live in a black/brown area' — City councillors condemn racist email

The email was enquiring about who may be housed in a new apartment complex built in the city

Green Party Cllr Dan Boyle said he wasn’t sure what was worse - the shamelessness of racism, or the lack of self-awareness at the level of racism. File picture: Denis Minihane

Several Cork city councillors have spoken of their disgust after receiving an overtly racist email complaining of too many “blacks and browns” turning part of the city into a “ghetto”.

Green Party Cllr Dan Boyle, Independent Cllr Mick Finn, and Fianna Fáil Cllr Sean Martin, who all represent the city’s south central ward, were among several councillors to receive a signed email on Thursday enquiring about who may be housed in a new apartment complex built on the Boreenmanna Road, which is actually in the southeast ward.

The sender appears to have been under the mistaken impression that the development is a local authority project when in fact it is a private development.

Mr Boyle published the content of the email in a thread on Twitter and said he was shocked at the overtly racist content. It read:

“Can you tell me who is going to be housed in the new apartments? I live in that area and I have noticed in the last year that the number of blacks and browns in the area has grown considerably.

"I strongly object to this, I do not want to live in a black/brown area that is financed by my tax money.

“We bought our house there because we use to like the area, however it is turning into a ghetto because of all those you lot are moving in there."

Mr Boyle said he was stunned that anyone would be so open in their racism or expect that as a public representative, he would respond to it politely.

He replied to the sender and said: “What you are saying is wrong. Very wrong. Do not repeat these views to me again.” 

He told the Irish Examiner he wasn’t sure what was worse - the shamelessness of racism, or the lack of self-awareness at the level of racism. “This type of ignorance has to be challenged,” he said.

“Certain people have been given publicity to air certain views, and they have achieved a status for having those views and perhaps that has encouraged or emboldened others to say these things. 

“It has unveiled something ugly and that needs to be challenged.” 

Mr Boyle, who was born abroad, said he is keenly aware of the Irish experience outside Ireland and how Ireland has given the world different perspectives.

He said:

People coming here can give us new perspectives too. We share a planet, we share countries and communities, and our communities are better when we share them.

Mr Finn said he had concerns not just about the content of the email, but also about the authenticity of the email, which came without a contact number or address.

“The content is disgraceful and I’m not going to entertain debate with someone who writes that kind of material. And I don’t know if it’s fabricated. I’m not going to waste my time on what could be a false account,” he said.

Mr Martin also condemned the racist content and said he would not be responding.