For thousands of Goans who have made Ireland their home over the past few years—many choosing it over the UK as migration laws tightened there, others coming directly from Goa seeking better opportunities—a series of brutal attacks on Indians has shattered what seemed like a promising European future.
Recent incidents, including a 40-year-old Indian man beaten and stripped by teenagers in Tallaght, have exposed the vulnerability of Ireland’s growing Indian diaspora. Irish police are investigating multiple assaults as potential hate crimes, while hundreds of Indian community members have taken to Dublin’s streets in protest.
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This brutal incident represents the sharp edge of a disturbing trend. Ministry of External Affairs data reveals that attacks on Indians overseas have surged from just four incidents in 2022 to 40 in 2024, prompting the Indian Embassy in Dublin to issue a safety advisory urging citizens to “avoid deserted areas” and remain vigilant.
For the thousands of Goan families whose members have built lives in Ireland, these developments have cast a shadow over what was once considered a migration success story. Many Goans found opportunities in Ireland’s healthcare, hospitality, and service sectors, establishing themselves in a country that had seemed welcoming. This sense of security now feels fragile.
“Every news report makes our hearts skip a beat,” says Maria Fernandes, whose son migrated to Ireland. “We sent him there to build a better future, not to live looking over his shoulder.”
The fear is not just about physical safety—it’s about the erosion of belonging that many Goans had cultivated in society there.
“We didn’t face this issue as much, but now after this, there’s this constant awareness that we might be seen as outsiders,” explains Shane D’Souza, whose family members moved to Dublin recently.
The psychological impact extends far beyond Ireland’s borders. In Goan homes, families find themselves parsing news reports and having conversations they never imagined about racism in a country they had viewed as welcoming.
“More than anything, it’s about the quality of life being affected—for example, not being able to move around freely at night or in certain areas due to fear of attack. If the Embassy is issuing an advisory, it shows the scale this has reached. They moved there for a better life, as you don’t get those work options here—but they also need to live their lives freely,” said Christopher Rodrigues, whose family is working in Ireland.
With approximately 80,000 people of Indian origin living in Ireland, the Goan community represents a significant portion of this diaspora—many choosing Ireland due to Brexit and the UK’s tightened visa laws.
When O Heraldo contacted Adv Narendra Sawaikar, Commissioner of NRI Affairs, he said their office is keeping tabs on the matter and will check if any Non-Resident Goans in Ireland have reached out.
Senior lawyer Adv Cleofato Almeida Coutinho pointed to broader patterns. “There is an anti-immigration wave against Indians in Ireland. In 2023-24, a lakh-and-a-half Indians went to Ireland. There has been an increase of about 300% in Indian immigrants over the last decade. The locals are feeling the heat over jobs, public services, housing, etc. Migration is creating that problem all over the world. In fact, the rise of far-right politics is fuelled by the fear of immigrants.”
He notes that Ireland became a destination after Brexit. “People migrate for better opportunities. Goa is not seen as a land of opportunities. The salaries are pathetic, forcing young Goans to migrate. Goans have always migrated, but now it is very acute. The maladministration and corruption are forcing even the rich and elite to migrate.”
Former MLA Adv Radharao Gracias said the backlash was part of a broader global trend. “They’re trying to replicate what President Trump is doing in America. Every society feels threatened when they themselves don’t get jobs and others take them over. The English also walked out of Europe because of uncontrolled immigration.”
However, he clarified that this cannot justify violence. “Once you obtain a Portuguese passport, you are a lawful resident of Europe—including Ireland. Therefore, any attack on Indians who are lawfully residing in Ireland is obviously legally wrong.”
Gracias pointed out that Goans face similar instincts. “We Goans don’t tolerate outsiders coming here and grabbing our jobs either. We don’t even allow them to come here. This problem, therefore, is natural.”
He expressed disbelief that such attacks could happen in a country that had recently elected a leader of Indian origin. “Not very long ago, the Prime Minister of Ireland was Leo Varadkar—an Indian. So if they were racist, they should have rejected an Indian Prime Minister. But now they may be feeling they are being overwhelmed, just like Goans are feeling in Goa.”
Reflecting on current migration patterns, Former MLA Adv Radharao Gracias said this was part of Goan history. “We are a migrant population. We have at least three to four generations of migration history. But earlier, they would return with their children. Now, people are migrating as entire families, settling there, and the children born abroad do not identify with Goa.”
Educationist Prabhakar Timble offers a different perspective. “The shouts of brain drain should stop. Today, it should be construed as world gain. In today’s context, migration expands opportunities of education, employment, entrepreneurship.”
However, Timble acknowledges new realities. “Regional and national jingoism is creating divide and tensions. Such tensions as in Ireland will arise in other pockets also where they perceive Indians as grabbing their opportunities. Migrants will have to live with restricted freedom.”
Senior lawyer Adv Cleofato Almeida Coutinho addresses systemic issues. “In Goa, we attack outsiders in the job arena, but the big issue is poor salaries. Brain drain shall happen as long as we do not get an administration which is free from corruption and salaries are in tune with societal standards.”
Gracias believes the government has little incentive to address the outflow. “The government does not have the will to do anything. In fact, the BJP will certainly not discourage minorities from moving out. Why would the BJP stop minorities from going abroad? It very much suits their strategy.”
For families watching this unfold from Goa, the Ireland crisis represents both an immediate safety concern and a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by migrant communities in unfamiliar lands. As violence escalates and political rhetoric intensifies, Goans are left confronting the harsh cost of migration—a dream that now carries with it a deep and growing sense of unease.
The psychological impact extends far beyond Ireland’s borders. In Goan homes, families find themselves parsing news reports and having conversations they never imagined about racism in a country they had viewed as welcoming.
“More than anything, it’s about the quality of life being affected—for example, not being able to move around freely at night or in certain areas due to fear of attack. If the Embassy is issuing an advisory, it shows the scale this has reached. They moved there for a better life, as you don’t get those work options here—but they also need to live their lives freely,” said Christopher Rodrigues, whose family is working in Ireland.
With approximately 80,000 people of Indian origin living in Ireland, the Goan community represents a significant portion of this diaspora—many choosing Ireland due to Brexit and the UK’s tightened visa laws.
When O Heraldo contacted Adv Narendra Sawaikar, Commissioner of NRI Affairs, he said their office is keeping tabs on the matter and will check if any Non-Resident Goans in Ireland have reached out.
Senior lawyer Adv Cleofato Almeida Coutinho pointed to broader patterns. “There is an anti-immigration wave against Indians in Ireland. In 2023-24, a lakh-and-a-half Indians went to Ireland. There has been an increase of about 300% in Indian immigrants over the last decade. The locals are feeling the heat over jobs, public services, housing, etc. Migration is creating that problem all over the world. In fact, the rise of far-right politics is fuelled by the fear of immigrants.”
He notes that Ireland became a destination after Brexit. “People migrate for better opportunities. Goa is not seen as a land of opportunities. The salaries are pathetic, forcing young Goans to migrate. Goans have always migrated, but now it is very acute. The maladministration and corruption are forcing even the rich and elite to migrate.”
Former MLA Adv Radharao Gracias said the backlash was part of a broader global trend. “They’re trying to replicate what President Trump is doing in America. Every society feels threatened when they themselves don’t get jobs and others take them over. The English also walked out of Europe because of uncontrolled immigration.”
However, he clarified that this cannot justify violence. “Once you obtain a Portuguese passport, you are a lawful resident of Europe—including Ireland. Therefore, any attack on Indians who are lawfully residing in Ireland is obviously legally wrong.”
Gracias pointed out that Goans face similar instincts. “We Goans don’t tolerate outsiders coming here and grabbing our jobs either. We don’t even allow them to come here. This problem, therefore, is natural.”
He expressed disbelief that such attacks could happen in a country that had recently elected a leader of Indian origin. “Not very long ago, the Prime Minister of Ireland was Leo Varadkar—an Indian. So if they were racist, they should have rejected an Indian Prime Minister. But now they may be feeling they are being overwhelmed, just like Goans are feeling in Goa.”
