While some call it global impact, others simply fume at the groundbreaking abundance of Indians all over the world. Voicing the latter vitriolic sentiment, an X post hit back at the many Indians residing in Ireland.

Over 500 people reportedly joined crucial Hindu celebrations this week in Ireland as the Ratha Yatra Festival came to Cork City for its second year. Senator Laura Harmon was also in attendance. While she thanked ‘Durga Puja Cork’ for organising the event, which reflected the “vibrancy and diversity of cultures in Cork in action,” some others on the Internet weren’t as pleased.

Irish man’s post slams Indian Ratha Yatra festival in Ireland

Visuals of the turnout, as captured in a viral post shared by an Irish man named Michael O Keefe, made it to X Monday evening (IST). Taking aim at the grand procession’s glimpse, he wrote, “Over 120,000 Indians have relocated to Ireland since 2020. This is not sustainable, Ireland is unrecognisable.”

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Another user chimed in the comments: “Dear Indians, Indians are fine in India. They are fine in the West as individuals and in *small family units* not ensconced in Indian-only enclaves.”

They continued their incendiary attack, saying, “But I do not need to see Indian cultural dominance anywhere in Europe. Indians should not want this either, hence why they left India (it’s the only legitimate reason to come to the West, right?).”

A third person hilariously renamed Ireland “Irelandian.” Meanwhile, others responded to the online onslaught, noting how “educated, peaceful, working professionals,” who are paying taxes and contributing to the country’s economy, were “celebrating culture without imposing it.”

Yet another countered by hailing Indians as the “world’s unsung heroes” for “weaving progress into every corner.” They added, “From tech innovations to cultural richness, they light up our global family. Let’s celebrate their spirit—1.4 billion dreams making our world kinder, smarter, and more connected.”

Another person joined the conversation: “I see your point but, the amount of taxes being paid by these highly skilled Indians is what is enabling the Irish Government to pay pensions and fund welfare in Ireland.”

Indian population overseas: How many live in Ireland?

As of May 2024, approximately 35.42 million Indians, including NRIs and Indian-origin individuals, were living abroad, according to India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A list of the Top 10 countries with the highest Indian population put the United States at the top (5.4 million). The UAE came second (3.6 million), with Malaysia (2.9 million), Canada (2.8 million) and Saudi Arabia (2.5 million) closing out the Top 5.

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As for where those numbers stand in Ireland, a 2023 Hindu report stated that the Indian immigrant population in the country had grown 170% since 2016 due to Brexit. Those figures have soared even higher since then. According the Indian Foreign Affair Ministry’s May 2024 data, Ireland claimed the 94th rank with a total Indian population of 61,386.

At last year’s OneStep Global Education Conclave, Irish ambassador to India, Kevin Kelly, said, “Excluding the small population countries such as Malta and Cyprus, Ireland now has the highest per capita population of Indian students in the EU.” He noted that the numbers hence rose to “21 Indian students per 10,000 head of population in Ireland.”

Kelly further noted, “Ireland saw about 11,200 Indian students last year, a 75% increased compared to five years ago.”