Before I read any of the other comments let me say that I, too, am an immigrant in Ireland. But here's the strange thing: Irish people have many good reasons to be antipathetic towards my fellow countrymen. After all, the two countries have been at war with each other for most of the last millennium! Yet no-one notices me or my foreignness because I look the same as people whose ancestors lived here for generations.

With that out of the way, I must say that my experience living in Ireland for the past 18 years tells me that the vast majority of Irish people are welcoming towards immigrants. The abuse that you have been subjected to is a recent phenomenon, as are the violent protests. And you are correct in attributing this change to rhetoric, most of which emanates from beyond these shores. Social Media also has a lot to answer for in promulgating exaggerated claims about some foreign cultures.

I still believe that most ordinary people recognise this and that it is a tiny minority that behaves hatefully towards those whose foreign origins are visible. I am disappointed that the Irish government seems to be back pedaling on proposed hate speech legislation. In contrast to the way the UK authorities have dealt with those who participated in the July riots there, with several hundred individuals having been processed through the courts and now in prison.

I wish you and your family all the best for the future in Ireland.