Pride and prejudice: Being a Muslim in Ireland

Against the backdrop of a declared ‘war’ on Islam and Muslim immigration by Norwegian Christian nationalist Anders Behring Breivik, Cormac O’Keeffe looks at the Muslim community in Ireland and examines issues of identity, integration, extremism and discrimination

WHILE he speaks with a smile, Ali Selim is clearly fed up of reporters constantly saying the words “Muslim” and “radicals” in the same sentence.

“It is very unfortunate that when people talk about radicalism they always think about Muslims and even worse when they talk about integration they also think of Muslims,” said Mr Selim, a senior figure in the Muslim community in Ireland.