A man has said that he was horrified to be racially abused on three separate occasions when he visited Ireland recently, including when a diner allegedly said he would like to "take a baseball to black people, whether they're men, women or children."

Derek Burnett said that he found the abuse "deeply disturbing" and questioned whether they are representative of Irish society.

Mr Burnett (61), who lives just outside of London, explained today that he had travelled to Ireland for work reasons three times since June and was taken aback by the comments he received.

He told Independent.ie: "Having lived in the UK for over 50 years and travelled extensively overseas, whether for business, work or pleasure, including periods actually based overseas with my family across continents, I cannot recall being on the receiving end of such naked racism anywhere else in the world, and certainly nothing even remotely close to that of my Irish experience."

Speaking on Liveline on RTE Radio One, he detailed each of the experiences, which happened in Sligo and Limerick.

"I was taken aback by how strident the animosity was, it was clear to feel.

"Three trips, three incidents, I thought I couldn't just sit on this, I do have to let this be known or spark some sort of debate to find out what is going on here.

"The first one was in Sligo, simply waiting for a bus, I'd gone down to look at the town, I was waiting for a bus slightly early and a stranger walked up and started off on a rant, with all expletives, she called me everything under the sun.

"She said, 'Why don't you go back to your own country?'

"It only stopped for two reasons - because of a very brave and kind bystander who almost stood in between me and this woman who was shouting abuse and also because of the arrival of the bus.

"She kept saying 'black this and black that' and 'why are you in my country?' I was completely taken aback, I didn't want to be an aggressor saying something back."

He continued to say a woman stepped in and helped to diffuse the situation.

Shortly afterwards a man brushed past him in the street in Limerick and said "you black such-and-such."

He said that he had a "nervous" response but tried to ignore it, until another unsettling experience in Limerick recently.

"The third occasion really left the mark and prompted me to put pen to paper, I've travelled quite extensively and lived in other countries for work reasons but I've never experienced anything like this.

"Earlier this month I went back to Limerick and I always like exploring towns, so I went out to dinner to a restaurant by myself, it was the last day of my visit and I decided to treat myself to an upmarket-ish restaurant.

"Not even halfway through my dinner, there were a group of five men, probably aged in their 50s and 60s, who weren't drunk in any way, and they started saying some very explicit racial comments.

"One of the words that really gets to people who are black is the 'n word' - it's one of the most offensive words you can use.

"It was used ten times, when I first heard it I thought I'd misheard but it carried on and they got angrier and angrier.

"The last straw was when one of them said, 'I'd like to take a baseball bat to every one of them, whether they're men, women or children.'

"I had to actually get up from the table and leave, it was only halfway through my meal but the atmosphere was so overwhelming, that people who were sitting right next to me would say these things.

"I was metaphorically chased out, I spoke to the manager and he was apologetic and said these things shouldn't happen.

"They didn't address me but they did say it loud enough so I'd hear," Mr Burnett explained.

"I'd like to get across that another diner in the restaurant, a female diner, came across and sat at my table to show she had heard and offered me support, she said things to me to offer some support.

"As it continued she went to them and said very loudly to the individuals - who all stayed quiet - how disgusting and unacceptable it was and how they'd no right to speak to someone like this and how could they carry on like this.

"They didn't withdraw anything or add anything."

He continued to tell Independent.ie that he did not feel comfortable reacting in any incidents because "as a black male, and a very visible minority, you are all too aware that it can often be your reaction to such instances that can very quickly and readily become the primary focus of attention.

"And that for the same reasons that spurred the racist behaviour in the first place, it becomes your actions which are seen by others as that of the aggressor and troublemaker, thereby compounding your situation and giving more ammunition to those who hold such views and to onlookers."

He said that the incident wouldn't put him off visiting Ireland again but it did make him question our attitudes towards racism.

"It wouldn't put me off coming to Ireland and I am very grateful for the interventions of the good Samaritans who stepped in.

"So, I have found myself thinking which of my experiences and interactions with Irish people reflects beneath the surface the ‘real Ireland’ – is it that exemplified by those who so readily, and even casually, go out of their way to conduct themselves in such a blatantly racist way, or is it that of the good people who bravely stood up and intervened when they witnessed such unacceptable behaviour.

"Either way, surely, it’s high time that Ireland and its people confronted this issue of racism within its body politic, and grasped the nettle to make clear where the country stands on this issue, just as it has done so powerfully and progressively bringing itself into the 21st century on other equally pressing social issues."

Online Editors