Teacher rejected from post over Irish ‘alcoholism’

An Irish teacher was rejected from a position in South Korea due to the “alcoholism nature” of her “kind”.

A teacher was rejected from a teaching post in South Korea due to Irish “alcoholism”

Katie Mulrennan from Co Kerry applied for the teaching role advertised through Craigslist in September and said she was “shocked” and “angered” by the email response she received from an employment agency regarding the post in Seoul.

It read: “I am sorry to tell you that my client does not hire Irish people due to the alcoholism nature of your kind. Best of luck in the future.”

According to figures from the World Health Organisation, South Koreans consume more alcohol per head of capita than the Irish.

Speaking to the BBC, Mulrennan – who has more than three years’ experience teaching n Barcelona, Oxford, Abu Dhabi and South Korea – explained employers usually demonstrate their disinterest in an application by either not responding or because they are seeking a candidate with an American accent.

“But this reply was a first,” she continued. “When I got the email, it was so abrupt and short. I actually laughed when I read it initially. But then I wanted to write back a really angry response.

“In the end I took a deep breath and sent back a reply that was a bit sarcastic as I couldn’t believe the email I had received. But I haven’t hear anything back since.”

Earlier this year, a government-funded report into the Republic of Ireland’s drinking culture concluded alcohol has become “embedded” in Ireland’s national identity.

Meanwhile, drinks giants Diageo and Pernod Ricard claimed alcohol misuse in the country is still a major problem.