Since 9/11, interest in Muslims in Europe has increased significantly. There has been much public debate and academic research on Muslims living in larger Western European countries like Britain, France or Germany, but little is known of Muslims in Ireland. This book fills this gap, providing a complete study of this unexplored Muslim presence, from the arrival of the first Muslim resident in Cork in 1784 up to mass immigration to the Republic of Ireland during the “Celtic Tiger” period from the mid-1990s onwards. Muslim immigration and settlement in Ireland is very recent, and poses new chall ... More

Since 9/11, interest in Muslims in Europe has increased significantly. There has been much public debate and academic research on Muslims living in larger Western European countries like Britain, France or Germany, but little is known of Muslims in Ireland. This book fills this gap, providing a complete study of this unexplored Muslim presence, from the arrival of the first Muslim resident in Cork in 1784 up to mass immigration to the Republic of Ireland during the “Celtic Tiger” period from the mid-1990s onwards. Muslim immigration and settlement in Ireland is very recent, and poses new challenges to a society that has perceived itself as religiously and culturally homogenous. Ireland is also one of the least secular societies in Europe, providing a different context for Muslims seeking recognition by state and society. This book makes an important contribution to understanding the diversity of Muslim presences across Europe. It combines historical, sociological and ethnographic research methods to provide a rich and multi-faceted study of the Muslim presence in Ireland in its historical and contemporary dimensions. The book further illustrates the central role European networks of the Muslim Brotherhood have played in organising and representing Muslim communities in Europe, with Ireland being a prime example.