Immigration and Real Irish Hospitality

Went for a celebration in The Irish centre in N. London yesterday.

Irish immigration added enormously to the UK's
wealth and cultural life. Many Irish immigrants
too benefited and became wealthy. Many moved on
to more prosperous parts rather like Jewish
immigrants b4 them did and Asian and W.I.
immigrants after them are doing. Even I can
recall "No Irish" signs on available bedsit/flats
to let, which were a real indictment of British
intolerance; though the relative ease with which
those waves of immigrants were able to assimilate
is also a sign of deep seated tolerance by the
majority in the UK.

Reverting to the Irish Centre - wonderfully ironic
that nearly all the waiting and other ancilliary
staff were East European immigrants.

As an aside, often an English 'reception' means
some decent wine/beer plus crisps so mrs maytrees
and I stopped off at Victoria station's Cafe Rouge
for a quick bite. We had forgotten about Irish
hospitality - after the celebration of Mass
a(nother) full meal at tables bedecked with candles
was provided.

And traveling from S. to N London is hugely
better now than it was years ago through the new tubes/
trains created and run by many non-indigenous UK
workers. We walked from Kings Cross St Pancras
station. The new Eurostar International terminal there only
opened a day or so ago. Its whole premise is based
on two way travel into and out of the UK. Its
reconstruction doubtless owes as much to Johnny
Foreigner as to British Bulldog workers.

Yes KingsX area still shows squalor and
red lights not far away I am sure but the
atmosphere is of improvement.

Then travelling back on the tube at 11:45pm from Kings X
packed with people of all ages and
from all parts of the globe.
SWTrains from Vauxhall likewise.
Maybe some had had too much to drink
maybe such over-drinkers
were more of English appearance than those
who seemed less worse for such wear but
there was a real buzz - I celebrate
London living at present and the mainly succesful
human race mix it has become - long may immigration;
and emigration continue.