Thomas Gould, the Irish politician who recently captured global attention because of his distinctive accent, says he has been overwhelmed by the volume of messages received from social media users worldwide, particularly from Jamaica.

Gould, a member of Sinn Féin, went viral after a speech he delivered in the Irish parliament in early January began circulating across social media platforms.

Many viewers were quick to point out similarities between his Cork accent and the Jamaican way of speaking.

According to Gould, he had never previously considered the likeness.

“I never thought about it until the last two days,” Gould admitted. “I know I have a very strong accent, and I know I speak very fast. So when I listen to Jamaicans speak, not all of them, but some of them do speak like me.”

He explained that the similarities are most noticeable among residents from his native city of Cork, particularly on the north side.

“It’s mostly the north side of Cork,” he stated. “Cork is quite a small place. But the thing about Ireland is every city or town has their own individual accent.”

“Maybe people aren’t used to hearing this accent in our parliament,” he continued. “They’re probably used to listening to accents from posher and more affluent areas.”

While the accent is prominent in Cork, Gould noted that there are not many Jamaicans living in the area. However, he pointed out that a larger Jamaican diaspora resides in the capital, Dublin, where an annual event is held to celebrate Jamaica’s Independence Day.

Gould also acknowledged the historical ties between Ireland and the Caribbean, explaining that he has recently learned more about the migration of Irish people to the region under indentured servitude.

“The majority of Irish people who went to Jamaica came from Cork and Monster. They would have been indentured servants brought to the Caribbean, a type of slavery but it was only short. They were treated horrendously but not as bad as slaves who were taken from Africa.”

Despite the unexpected attention, Gould said he has welcomed the response from Jamaicans and members of the wider Caribbean diaspora, describing the moment as a positive distraction amid troubling global events.

“Listen, thank you, we are all friends. I really appreciate the support and the nice comments. There are a lot of bigger problems in the world, and a bit of laughter is a good thing. I feel loved, the messages I have got have been unbelievable,” Gould added.