On the 26th of April 2025 a large scale populist protest was held in the Irish capital, and while no concrete figure on attendees was recorded, there is no doubt from drone footage and other sources that those in attendance were numbered in the many thousands, perhaps as high as 50,000. The counter protest, in comparison, looked completely out of touch with the mood of the people and was somewhat pathetic; comprising of a small number of woke students with red flags, hammer and sickles versus a sea of Irish Tricolours and other regalia that celebrated the Irish Nation and the Irish Republic declared in the Easter Rising of 1916.

At first glance events of the day appeared to be a peaceful and refreshing revival of Irish culture which was altogether benign and well intentioned. Yet there can be no doubt that those at the pulpit who provided the speeches and whom were interviewed across the world stage are representatives of a dangerous and hateful ideology that can only cause harm to the Irish Nation and the ideals of the Irish Republic envisioned and cemented in 1916. Those leaders and party members of the Far Right here in Ireland held sway, and unfortunately the genuine Republican message has been left behind.

So this all begs the question, where was and where are genuine Irish Republicans in all of this? If this was not the stun grenade into the room then God knows what is. This presents a serious problem for Irish Republicanism, and to deny it any further, or to brand every person who attended this protest as Far Right is a tactic that will no longer fly. Such an approach is completely irrational and out of step with the hearts and minds of many Irish people. For many of those in attendance are in fact the Irish Working class, who by now are long fed up with a government that day by day resembles a cabal of criminals who stand over a two-tier health system that puts profit before patient care, ignores back-logs in social housing and could not care less about the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. History tells us that revolutions always begin via the mechanics of populism and mass discontent, and Irish Republicanism must adapt accordingly to the current climate and be opportunistic in her outlook. For let it be known, the Ram is at the door, and a genuine strategy and response must be implemented to counter the rise and influence of Far Right politics and fascism here in Ireland.

It is somewhat unfortunate that I do not find these events at all surprising. Back in June 2022 I wrote an essay that was published in The Pensive Quill which warned of the rise in the Far Right and of the potential for wide-spread discontent amongst the Irish working class as a direct consequence of the governments knee-jerk approach to immigration at that time [1]. Since then, rather than being solely concerned with Ukrainian refugees, it is now very apparent that we have opened our borders to any economic migrant or otherwise with zero accountability, and moreover in such a way that has had a long lasting and detrimental impact upon the sustenance of the Irish people and way of life.

To be completely clear, there is nothing wrong with immigration or with immigrants seeking safe refuge and opportunity, but any country worth her weight in salt can only assist via a robust methodology so as to make the process long-lasting and successful. Unfortunately the very opposite seems to have occurred here in Ireland, resulting in an environment ripe with racism, fear and mistrust; in essence fertile ground where poisonous ideologies can grow and flourish with ease.

~ Gamhain MacCionaoith 

Mí Aibrean 2025

[1] Ukraine ✑ Ireland's Cause? - TPQ