Scottish Catholic Observer

After the referendum result was announced, Fr Eamon Flynn, an Irish priest who is parish priest at St Mary’s Church in Largs, said he was ‘very surprised’ at the result.

“I voted to remain,” he said. “I thought we were better together though not perfect. Speaking to family back in Ireland they were surprised as well.” He said he felt the majority of people in Ireland would have wanted Britain to remain in the EU.

“It will affect Ireland a lot as we’re such close neighbours,” he said. “But it is very early days; let’s hope it all works out for the best.”

Fr Krzysztof Garwolinski, the Polish parish priest of St Patrick’s Sheildmuir, said the referendum vote had triggered ‘a lot of uncertainty.’

His parish is a centre for the Polish community in Motherwell Diocese, and hosts a relic of Polish Pope St John Paul II, and a developing devotion to him. “There is anxiety—I did need to calm people at the Polish Mass on Sunday,” he said. “People worry the borders will close, that there will be no more access to jobs here. I did say to people, you know Norway and Switzerland are not in the EU but they are still part of Europe.”

He also said that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s comments just after the result was known that ‘citizens of other EU countries living here in Scotland—you remain welcome here, Scotland is your home and your contribution is valued,’ had made a big impact with Poles.

“People were very grateful for that statement,” he said, “To hear that we are welcome here and our work is recognised in Scottish society.”

In the Italian Community, Ronnie Convery, secretary of the Italian Scotland charitable organisation, said the ‘overwhelming reaction was shock.’

“Italians who have come here in recent years to make a new life, are now living in fear, wondering if they are to be repatriated,” he said. “The uncertainty and sense of rejection is enormous. The Italian community though is making a clear distinction between Scotland’s pro-Europe vote, and the Brexit decision in England. And many Scots are doing their best to reassure the new Italian community that they are still welcome here.”

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