In this part of the world, we know all about the horrors of immigration. For over a century, Irish people were forced to leave their homes and families in search of work.
They made long, arduous journeys to foreign countries. They often lived in appalling conditions and worked for a pittance. They endured massive exploitation at the hands of unscrupulous employers.
Life was tough even when they just travelled to England. "No blacks, No Irish", signs were common on building sites, pubs, and boarding houses.
It's this history of suffering which makes what is now happening in factories and farms across Northern Ireland particularly shocking. In their documentaries, 'People for Sale', BBC's Spotlight team has uncovered a people-trafficking ring.
The 'goods' are young men and women from poor Eastern European countries like Lithuania where the average monthly wage can be £100. They are promised decent pay here but usually end up working for a quarter of the minimum wage.
There is little they can do. They have paid £1,000 to traffickers to come here and it can take a year to gather the money to repay their debts and buy a plane ticket home. Their vulnerability means their employers exert enormous control over their lives.
A Loughall farmer demands that girlfriends and boyfriends are separated - what does that remind you off? He even restricts their movements into the village to buy food so as not to arouse suspicion. He pays £1.15 an hour.
Let's hope no illegal immigrants have accidents because their employers would probably want to chop off injured arms and legs rather than seek medical treatment. One worker is given chemicals to use on a cleaning job but no safety training or protective gloves.
"We are white slaves," says an immigrant. A farm in Lisburn houses its workers in a run-down caravan or an unheated barn with no toilet facilities. In winter, the immigrants leave the cooker on and their bedroom door open so they don't freeze to death.
Their employer inhabits a large, comfortable farm-house. She works them hard. Sometimes, they have just three hours sleep. The myth that it's only male bosses who are bast***s, is shattered. Female employers are shown to be every bit as ruthless and exploitative.
Another eye-opener is how ordinary, indeed affable, are those involved in this appalling business. They crack jokes, and one even shares a drink, with their employees. It's a common misconception that evil is always dark and sinister.
Irish immigrants were often treated no better than animals and today's illegals are similarly dehumanised. "The fact is Patrick buys and sells you. He sells everyone," a worker is told.
Spotlight deserve an array of awards for their magnificent programmes. They have left me deeply ashamed of the behaviour of fellow Irish people. Although much of the immigrants' treatment is hidden, the will to look closer has perhaps been lacking.
The main trafficker in Co Armagh says the police aren't interested in asking for work permits. Our paramilitaries, so active in tackling the anti-social activity of working-class teenagers, have also been lethargic.
At a Newtownhamilton farm, leaflets - evidently intended for local distribution - said if there was ironing, washing, spring-cleaning, or baby-sitting to be done, "we have someone to suit".
Has the wider rural community really been completely ignorant of what is going on? Do they not wonder about who is performing these menial tasks for them? Well, they are no longer in the dark and neither are we. Those responsible should be prosecuted by the state and ostracised by the rest of us.
