According to Kurdpress, while countries such as Sweden, Germany, and Great Britain have hosted a significant population of Kurds for decades, the Kurdish community in Ireland is a relatively new phenomenon and has grown significantly in recent years.

According to Hiva Wahab, the founder of the Kurdish Cultural Center of Ireland, about 10,000 Kurds live in this country now. However, because most of them are registered in official documents with the citizenship of their countries of birth, only about 25% of this population is known as Kurds in government statistics.

According to the New Origin magazine, the cultural center of Irish Kurds, which operates in the city of Dublin, has now become the main meeting point of the Kurdish community. The center holds classes in Sorani and Kermanji Kurdish languages ​​every week, offers counseling and translation services to newcomers, and organizes events such as Nowruz, Eid, Christmas, and St. Patrick's Day.

The activity of this center is not only limited to preserving culture. Its volunteers help immigrants in the process of applying for asylum, visiting hospitals, communicating with lawyers and translating documents, and also publish important Irish news in Kurdish on social networks so that those who are not yet fluent in English can be informed about the developments of the day.

Hiva Wahab says that she does these activities seven days a week and completely voluntarily; While his main job is driving training and translation for asylum seekers.

Role-playing in crises

The activities of this center have also shown their importance during the crisis. In 2021, Karzan Sabah Ahmad, a Kurdish PhD student, died in a car accident along with his wife and eight-month-old daughter. The Kurdish Cultural Center of Ireland took the main role in coordinating between the families of the victims and the Irish authorities to transfer their bodies to Erbil.

Also, this center managed to collect more than 120,000 euros to support the families of these victims; An action that showed the solidarity of the Irish Kurdish community.

Acknowledgment of the Government of Ireland

Hiwa Wahhab's voluntary activities during the Corona epidemic were also noticed by the Irish government. By providing various services to the elderly and vulnerable families, including buying necessities and helping people during quarantine, he managed to receive an official letter of appreciation from the then Prime Minister of Ireland, Michael Martin.

"Volunteers are not paid, not because they are worthless, but because their value cannot be priced," the letter said.

Preservation of the identity of the second generation

One of the most important missions of the cultural center is to teach Kurdish language and culture to the second generation of immigrants. Every week, in addition to learning the language, children also learn about Kurdish history, culture and identity.

According to Hiwa Wahab, Kurds from all countries with Kurdish populations are present in Ireland. In recent years, the number of Kurdish students from Turkish Kurdistan has also risen, with many attending the center's classes to learn the Kurmanji language.

Civic and Political Activities

Organizing the Kurdish community into a cultural institution has also facilitated greater civic and political engagement. During military offensives against Kurdish-populated areas in Syria, members of the center held rallies outside the Irish Parliament, calling on the Dublin government to respond diplomatically.

According to Hiva Wahab, the Irish public's knowledge of the Kurdish issue is still limited. He believes that the widespread support of the Irish community for the Palestinians shows that there is a possibility of greater solidarity if there is an increase in awareness about the situation of the Kurds.

The link between two cultures

Wahab considers the historical similarities between the Kurds and the Irish to be significant; Because both have tried to preserve their identity and resist cultural assimilation policies.

One of the most well-known success stories within Ireland’s Kurdish community is Zak Moradi; an athlete born into a Kurdish family who, after immigrating to Ireland, became a prominent figure in the country's traditional sport of hurling and is now recognized as a symbol of the successful blending of two cultures.

According to the founders of the Kurdish Cultural Centre of Ireland, as the community continues to grow and the younger generation plays an active role, Kurds will gain greater recognition within Irish society while simultaneously preserving their language, culture, and identity for future generations.