THIS SUMMER, INSPIRED by the late Manchán Magan’s Europe by Train series, my family and I travelled by train from Dublin/Holyhead to Malmö, Sweden, crossing the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark.

The journey began with Palestinian flags in the windows of homes along the road – a striking reminder that, in the face of a genocide in Gaza, Ireland has been vocal in its solidarity.

From village fundraising to packed city protests, the message has been clear: this is wrong, and we will not stay silent.

Many Irish communities have also welcomed refugees from Ukraine over the last three years. On his first official visit to Ireland yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed “special gratitude” to the Irish communities who have taken in refugees, saying thanking “every Irish home that has sheltered our people here”.

I was curious about how other European cities were responding to migration, global conflicts, and the climate crisis – the defining challenges of our time. These European nations carry deep histories of empire, oppression, displacement, and refuge.

Today, they are central to European debates on “managing migration,” tackling climate change, and addressing humanitarian crises driven by autocratic leadership and military aggression. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outside Government Buildings. Eamonn Farrell / Rollingnews.ie Eamonn Farrell / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie

In November 2025’s Consumer Mindset report, 73% of respondents aware of the recent Citywest riots reported negative emotions such as sadness, disgust, anger, or fear. Similar levels were seen in response to Simon Harris’s comments that “our migration numbers are too high”.

The risk now is assuming public engagement with migration comes mainly from anxiety, rather than the reality that most people........

© TheJournal