From Lesotho to Limerick: ‘I’ve found Irish people to be very kind, very loving people’

Matsaseng Ralekoala, who goes by Matsy, came to Limerick from Lesotho in March 2022, and since then, has thrown himself into life there.

The 40-year-old came as an international protection applicant. By profession, he is a lawyer, having practised in Lesotho and South Africa.

Ralekoala has spent most of his time in Ireland studying. Immediately upon arrival he enrolled in a Master of Law in human rights and criminal justice systems at the University of Limerick, and threw himself into many other different projects.

While living in Africa, he was a public speaking and debate coach, and travelled from Canada to Thailand with that skillset, bringing it to Ireland with him.

“I managed to coach the All-Ireland Global Health Network debate competition that had students from many universities here in Ireland. It was held in May last year in Dublin, so I was head coach of that programme,” Ralekoala says.

“I’m also training students in leadership, I’ve done it with students who are part of the postgraduate students union, I train them on effective communication and leadership skills”.

Ralekoala is involved with Masi (Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland), giving lectures on human rights and asylum seekers, does research on access to justice for migrants with Doras in Limerick, and has volunteered with Limerick Suicide Prevention.

Having finished his Master of Law in August 2023, he promptly started a PhD in January exploring the effectiveness of the United Nations Security Council on preservation of global peace and security looking at experiences in Ireland, Switzerland, Belgium and Ghana. So now, this occupies a bigger chunk of his time.

Ireland has extended its massive generosity to me. I’m being schooled by Ireland through University of Limerick, to which I’m very grateful, and that’s why my research is principally on how can I benefit Ireland as the payback to the generosity

“I just graduated from my master’s this year, in January, so I’m one of the few students who, straight from master’s, proceeded straight away without any gap to do a PhD. Because I performed well on my master’s, then the School of Law at the University of Limerick awarded me the scholarship,” Ralekoala says.

His aim with the PhD research is to benefit Ireland, the Lesotho-turned-Limerick man says.

“I’m using Ireland principally as my focal point, but I’ll be using Belgium and Switzerland and Ghana as comparators. Because what essentially I’m going to be interrogating is the foreign policy of Ireland, because Ireland claims to be a neutral state, it has a military neutrality as its foreign policy”.

“I’m going to be digging deep on that to find out if in actual fact Ireland is neutral in the light of what is currently happening all over the world in the wars in Ukraine, in Israel, and this becomes quite a topical issue when we are looking at Ireland, how focused it is now having recognized Palestine in its formal engagements,” he adds.

“Ireland plays a very important role within the international space, we just want to see if its foreign policy actually makes it to be a trusted global player, looking at the involvement of the peace keeping missions around the world.”

Ireland has been his home since the moment he arrived.

“It has extended its massive generosity to me. I’m being schooled by Ireland through University of Limerick, to which I’m very grateful, and that’s why my research is principally on how can I benefit Ireland as the payback to the generosity,” he says.

Ralekoala is married, and his wife is in South Africa with two of his children, while his one other child is in Lesotho. Being separated from them is difficult.

“It’s not easy, but I’m coping. The good thing now is that I’ve been granted papers here in Ireland so I can travel. I’m not going back to my country, but I’m still able to meet my children in other countries, but I’m making plans for what is called family reunification,” he says.

On top of it all, Ralekoala also works for an insurance company, and lives alone in Limerick City. He works on American time, so instead of doing 9am-5pm, he works 3pm-11pm, allowing him to be on campus in the mornings.

When he arrived first, Ralekoala did not have much information about Ireland. He had however, travelled a lot, being to Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and Singapore to name a few.

Matsaseng Ralekoala: 'Ireland has not allowed itself to be overshadowed by Britain.' Photograph: Brian Arthur

“I’ve found Irish people to be very kind, very loving people. I’ve never really had anything negative in all honesty. My story has been very smooth here, I know I have a lot of colleagues, I’ve heard some stuff because like I said, I’m on those committees of migrants, equity, inclusivity, all those things. I’ve heard other stories, but I am your different ambassador”.

“You can have small issues with someone on the street, but nothing peculiar to me that could have been directed to me as a black person, or as a migrant or something.”

Ireland is more advanced than Lesotho in many different ways, being a developed country, versus Lesotho, which “is still very backwards on many aspects due to the economic strength”, he says.

“Ireland, by virtue of its economic muscle is a big advance on many things, the health system, the education, infrastructure. A lot of things are just on another level here, so it’s something that I can’t even compare,” Ralekoala says.

“Even the relations with Britain, which I’ve been comparing a lot with Lesotho. It has South Africa; it is a big economic country that has always overshadowed Lesotho as a bigger neighbour”.

“Ireland, as much as it has Britain as its neighbour and the history they have, Ireland has not allowed itself to be overshadowed by Britain, and I’m admiring it more from the international law perspective,” he says, “that Ireland is pushing things going this direction, while the UK has its own stuff.”

I’ve really integrated well. Ireland is my home – Limerick is my home now

Some things Ireland could work on are the cost of living and housing crises, he suggests, when he describes how difficult it can be to get accommodation.

“It’s a big problem, and that should also be viewed that even some people who came here as migrants, asylum seekers, there are some who are ready to move out [of direct provision], but they just can’t find houses.”

But overall, he has made a home for himself in Limerick, and says not to be surprised if you see him running in council or indeed mayoral elections in the town in future, as “that’s already my space.”

“I’m someone who is very popular here in Limerick, even on campus. I’m a person’s person, I’m involved in so many things, so I’ve really integrated well. Ireland is my home – Limerick is my home now.”

We would like to hear from people who have moved to Ireland in the past 10 years. To get involved, email newtotheparish@irishtimes.com or tweet @newtotheparish