Exploring the significance of Polish shops within the Irish foodscape

Abstract

Since 2004, Polish food has become firmly embedded in the Irish foodscape as Polish shops opened up in cities and towns across Ireland. The aim of this article is to develop an understanding of the significance and meaning of these Polish shops within the Irish foodscape. In order to achieve this I will take a more-than-representational approach focusing on the practices, sensory reactions and material interactions Poles have within these stores and with their food products. The article will draw on ethnographic observations and semi-structured interviews with Polish migrants to explore their experiences. Attention to these details reveals how Polish shops become meaningful within the Irish foodscape for providing a sense of home to Polish migrants living in Ireland.

Keywords:

• Polish migrants
• food
• home
• senses
• materiality

Acknowledgements

This research is funded by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences.I would like to thank Dr. Colin Sage and the two anonymous referees who provided informative suggestions for strengthening this paper.

Finally, I would like to thank all the Polish people that participated and shared with me their experience of life in Ireland.

Notes

1. The total population for Cork city and suburbs according to the CSO (2006) is 187,249.

2. A Personal Public Service Number (PPS) is a personal reference number needed to gain employment and access to social welfare benefits, public services and information in Ireland.

3. Translation: gołabki – cabbage rolls stuffed with a mixture of mince beef or pork, onion, and rice or barley baked in a tomato sauce. Pierogi – boiled dumplings which can have a variety of fillings such as meat, cheese, fruit or mushrooms. mleko – milk, szynka – ham, rybe˛ – fish, kawe˛ – coffee, herbate˛ – tea, maka – flour, kielbasa – sausage, maslo – butter, smalec – lard, drozdze – yeast.