Who are the Irish far right?

Gemma O Doherty is running in Fingal in the by elections called for November 29 to replace the 4 TDs who won European seats and who have now moved onto more lucrative overseas accommodation. In that election Gemma O Connor got slightly under 2% of the vote . She got no air time naturally.

The head of the Gardai Drew Harris has said today the far right is rising in Ireland inspired by forces outside the state and that he wants hate laws to police and prosecute this phenomena. He also said hate crimes are under reported. Of course no journalist will ask him how he knows this.[ None of these shadowy people were named.


I can't imagine him ever stating that he thinks the number of assaults , murders or thefts is under reported funnily enough.

There have been a few recent developments that are worthy of comment mainly in connection with street protests.


The media has been critical of protests involving various "populist" groups but have given BLM a thumbs up as one would expect. It is interesting in passing to note demonstrations of whatever complexion do not seem to have caused any increase in Covid that I am aware of.


Suspending the right to demonstrate was a drastic step that was not objected to by any of the human rights groups in March when lockdown began. Most of these groups get state funding which may explain their silence. Gemma O Doherty and co. were the only group that objected to the ban and were widely ridiculed for it by mainstream Ireland. I don't subscribe to her conspiracy theories and Covid denial but she did make valid points about draconian legislation and the dangers surrounding it. Her nasty comments towards Gardai and individualised threats to punish them come her victory are disturbing and vindictive. She shares these videos herself.


A campaign was launched against the new children's minister based on a photograph in which he appeared with gay libertarian and free speech advocate Peter Tatchell. It was alleged the minister shared Tatchells views on paedophilia but no proof was offered. A March outside the Dail got over a thousand protesters including some with posters depicting a gallows. What did this imply in a state were we have no legal death penalty? This is deeply sinister and wrong. Several people on the new right spoke at this rally which in my opinion was a nasty attempt to pander to base fears and stir up tension. I have reservations about the Trans rights agenda but this march was about whipping up hysteria.


There was another March last week which attracted several thousand people and was linked to anti mask wearing and anti vaacination causes. It wasn't right-wing as such but was branded as such on social media by opponents . An attempt by a small Antifa group to attack it lead to the antifa activists being routed.


The Burkean blog has a rather juvenile take on the march claiming that the new right now control the streets. The writer invites former republican street thugs to join the new wave. In a bit of a rant he claims among other things we will drive "The planters out".
Read it for yourself. I read it with dismay and disbelief yesterday.


Three reasons why this new wave is bad news. It will be used by the mainstream as evidence of hate speech and proof we need new laws restricting speech and thought. Secondly street violence is not a game. Our largest party has links to its own gang of bully boys. In a left versus right street war they have the numbers and the skills to win. Thirdly importing the street politics of Weimar Germany won't end well. It is highly dangerous irresponsible and wrong. Do they teach 20th century history in TCD any more?

I think the problem for conservatives is the media. There were large protests in London and Berlin today and the rte 6 o'clock news led with an item on school buses, then on to pubs and Covid statistics. They did mention the Berlin protest then but with a negative slant. People who might vote for conservative or nationalist parties don't know about them and the media wants to keep it that way.

The anti lockdown protesters aren't all right wing. I was at the Customs House protest last week and there were quite a few young families (German/Eastern European around me) and quite a diverse, freedom-loving crowd. The speakers were great (Dolores Cahill, Marcus de Brun and a man who had been homeless and explained how it had come to that). Some parents are concerned about the effect of masks and social distancing on their young children and you can't blame them. The others must be in a daze.

The Burkean got its answer yesterday in Dublin about who rules the streets. For those who have forgotten the Burkean website predicted a few weeks back , based on one or two anti mask protests that the new radical right controlled the streets of our capital.

I was in Dublin city centre yesterday and noticed a group of well drilled , very fit and almost 100% young men marching up O Connell St. I overheard someone say look at the Facists but strangely they also flew 2 rainbow flags along with two tricolours. They also chanted " get the facists off our streets " so it dawned on me these rather frightening men in black were the anti facists! They were very well organised and drilled. They numbered around 150.

Up at Dail Eireann Justin Barrett had a group of perhaps 50 rather less fit and frightening followers protesting about Covid restrictions. He was outnumbered by around 100 Gardai who prevented the "real facists" from being battered by the rainbow facists. 2 people were arrested from the rainbow brigade. Justin and Co. accused them of being "paedos". It was the putsch that never got off the ground. At times it resembled a playground fight that never really got started. Thankfully for the National Party.


2 thoughts have occurred to me. The anti Covid people are a diverse group of anti masker, anti Vacciners, anti 5 g, Anti paedophile, conspiracy theory types who agree only in that they are angry , confused and suspicious. They are right to be alarmed at all the sweeping away of normal democratic checks and balances but perhaps are alarmed at the wrong things. I am not aware of any protests around the scandalous nursing homes deaths for example. This diverse highly individualised group will never be the Trojan horse Barrett and Co. needs to get a firm political base.


Secondly the Gardai still control the streets, at least most of the time. The far left have a long history of monopolising low level street violence and thuggery. Their republican allies who were probably the marching boys with the rainbow flags yesterday have access to a large pool of rather pugilistic activists and those arms dumps that were never decommissioned. They haven't gone away you know.

I do not know what is the problem with wearing masks and social distancing. My family and I are coping with it and are glad to do so to prevent us getting. Covid 19. My adult daughter has severe asthma and would not dream of not wearing a mask despite discomfort. I live alone and am over 66. My adult children visit in accordance with government regulations. I am unable to visit my son and grandson in England which I find hard but have to accept it, some are coping with worse situations and yes my children are worried about jobs etc.

We have to accept that we need to act on the knowledge we have to fight this and hope we can return to some kind of normality soon.