Black woman barraged with racist abuse while tweeting from community @Ireland account

A black plus-sized model was forced to take a break from Ireland’s community Twitter account after being barraged with racist abuse from trolls.

Just hours after taking over the account, Michelle Marie, originally from Oxford in England, was told to ‘return to your ancestral lands’ by trolls.

The @Ireland account is taken over by a different Twitter user in Ireland each week in a bid to represent all of the community.

Michelle started by tweeting about how we should do "less comparing, more embracing our own beauty, worth, and strength".

Trolls hit back with insults about her weight.

Marie responded by writing that being overweight “doesn’t mean I can’t be beautiful or worthy or happy”.

However, the trolls then started abusing her because she was black.

One tweeted: "It is insulting for you, who genetically will never be Irish, to think you can represent Ireland. Return to your ancestral lands."

Another said: "You're an African with an IQ in the 80's representing a Northern European Island nation that has nothing to do with you."

Marie received a lot of tweets of support, with many users urging her to report the abuse and block the users responsible.

James Hendicott, a Briton who had previously run the @Ireland account, said the treatment of Marie was “clearly racism”.

By the end of the day Michelle had had enough.

She posted a statement saying she is "appalled" at the comments she has received.