When Irish Eyes are Smiling and Irish Feet Protesting! By Richard Miller (Londonistan) and Patrick Flannigan (Dublinistan)
From an Irish nationalist, anti-immigration perspective, recent street protests in Ireland reflect growing frustration with what many perceive as unchecked mass immigration, driven by globalist policies that prioritise foreign nationals over Irish citizens. These protests, which have surged since November 2022, are framed as a defence of Irish identity, sovereignty, and resources against an influx of asylum seekers and refugees, particularly amid a severe housing crisis and strained public services. Below I give an outline of these protests, grounded in the provided search results and aligned with the requested perspective, while critically examining the narrative and avoiding speculative leaps.
Overview of the Protests
Irish nationalist anti-immigration protests began in November 2022, triggered by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) repurposing sites across Ireland as temporary asylum seeker shelters to accommodate over 65,000 refugees, including 58,000 Ukrainians fleeing the war. By August 2023, the Garda Síochána recorded 476 protests, with 307 in 2022 alone, occurring in Dublin (East Wall, Ballymun, Drimnagh), Cork (Fermoy, Mallow), Kildare (Kill), Waterford (Lismore), Westmeath (Mullingar), Clare (Inch), and Wexford (Rosslare Harbour). These demonstrations, often organised under slogans like "Ireland is Full" and "Ireland belongs to the Irish," express anger over perceived government betrayal and resource scarcity.
Key Protest Events
1.November 2022: Initial Wave
Protests erupted in working-class areas like East Wall and Ballymun, where locals felt blindsided by the sudden placement of refugee centres without consultation. Nationalists argue this reflects a deliberate globalist agenda to flood Ireland with migrants, exacerbating the housing crisis (with 130,000 empty homes yet unaffordable rents).
Carlow Says No protested in Carlow town against housing 50 asylum seekers in a former friary, claiming local needs were ignored.
2.February 2023: Dublin Inner City Violence
On February 11, anti-immigration groups attacked a refugee camp on Upper Sandwith Street, Dublin, setting tents ablaze. Nationalists justify such actions as resistance to "open borders," alleging asylum seekers, often single men from countries like Georgia or Nigeria, pose safety risks. The next day, clashes between pro- and anti-immigration groups required Garda intervention. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar condemned the violence as "malign opportunism," but nationalists see this as elite dismissal of legitimate grievances.
3.January 2023: Dublin City Centre March
A rally of about 350 marched from St Stephen's Green to the General Post Office, carrying tricolours and chanting "no room for them." Organisers like Malachy Steenson claimed they broke the "taboo" on questioning Ireland's migrant welcome, framing it as a defence of Irish housing priority. Nationalists argue migrants skip locals on housing lists, citing 61,100 net migration in 2022
4.November 2023: Dublin Riots
Following a stabbing of three children by an Algerian-born man on November 23, riots erupted in Dublin's city centre. Up to 500 protesters, fuelled by social media misinformation, looted shops, burned buses, and attacked Gardaí, who deployed 400 officers in riot gear. Nationalists view this as a boiling point, with chants of "Irish Lives Matter" reflecting fears of cultural erosion and crime linked to immigration.
5.January 2024: Roscrea Protest
In Roscrea, a town of 5,500, locals protested the closure of the only hotel to house 160 asylum seekers. A small group maintained a protest camp, fuelled by online nativist rhetoric and the housing crisis (house prices 10.8% higher than 2007 peaks). Nationalists see this as small-town Ireland being sacrificed for globalist policies.
6.May 2024: Dublin Anti-Mass Immigration Rally
Thousands marched in Dublin, carrying tricolours and signs reading "mass deportations" and "end the plantation," a reference to the far-Right "plantation" theory alleging elites are replacing native Irish with migrants. Protesters, backed by figures like Conor McGregor, demanded a nationalist government to halt immigration and deport foreign criminals. Nationalists claim the government ignores them, with only 100 of 7,300 refused asylum seekers deported since 2023.
7.July 2024: Coolock Violence
Protests in Coolock, Dublin, turned violent over a proposed asylum seeker site. Demonstrators clashed with Gardaí, who arrested several amid reports of public injuries. The "Coolock Says No" movement reflects nationalist fears of community safety, amplified by social media claims of unchecked migrant crime.
8.April 2025: Dublin Easter Rising Commemoration
On April 26, thousands gathered at the Garden of Remembrance, framing their anti-immigration protest as an Easter Rising commemoration to honour Irish sovereignty. Carrying "Make Ireland Great Again" caps and "Irish Lives Matter" signs, they chanted "get them out" and accused Sinn Féin of treason. Despite a counter-protest by United Against Racism, Gardaí ensured no major incidents. Nationalists see this as reclaiming Irish heritage from globalist erosion. From an Irish nationalist perspective, these protests stem from:
Housing Crisis: With average house prices soaring and homelessness rising, nationalists argue migrants strain resources, citing 100,000 Ukrainians and asylum seekers from Georgia, Nigeria, and Somalia. They claim locals are deprioritised despite 130,000 vacant homes.
Cultural Identity: Slogans like "Ireland belongs to the Irish" and "end the plantation" reflect fears of a "Great Replacement," where native Irish are displaced by foreigners with different customs. Nationalists point to high asylum claims from "safe" countries like Georgia as evidence of abuse.
Government Betrayal: Figures like Justice Minister Helen McEntee and Integration Minister Roderic O'Gorman are accused of enticing migrants with benefits posted in eight languages, while ignoring low deportation rates. Protests outside their homes and hoax bomb threats reflect nationalist rage at perceived globalist collusion.
Safety Concerns: Nationalists highlight incidents like the Dublin stabbing to argue single male asylum seekers increase crime, with social media amplifying claims of unchecked backgrounds. They demand mass deportations and closed borders.
Social Media Mobilisation: Hashtags like #IrelandIsFull and #CallToTheDáil, alongside posts by figures like Conor McGregor, drive turnout. X posts amplify narratives of "migrant plantation camps" and government treachery, though some exaggerate claims of violence or abductions.
Far-Right Influence: Groups like the National Party and Irish Freedom Party, alongside agitators like Derek Blighe, organise protests, drawing on UK far-right tactics (e.g., Tommy Robinson's visits). The "plantation" narrative links immigration to historical British colonisation.
Arson and Violence: At least 31 properties linked to asylum seekers were arsoned between 2018 and 2024, with attacks on refugee camps and riots reflecting a shift to direct action. Irish nationalists frame this as desperate resistance.
Nationalists feel unrepresented by Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and Sinn Féin, which they view as globalist and complicit in mass migration. Sinn Féin's shift to stricter immigration policies post-2024 election losses signals responsiveness, but nationalists demand more. The rise of far-Right councillors in 2024 local elections and novice candidates in the November 2024 general election reflects a growing populist void. Polls show immigration, while secondary to housing and healthcare, is now a voter concern for the first time.
From an Irish nationalist, anti-immigration perspective, recent street protests are a grassroots revolt against a government seen as selling out Irish sovereignty to globalist migration policies. From East Wall to Coolock, thousands have rallied to demand closed borders, mass deportations, and priority for native Irish, driven by housing shortages and fears of cultural erosion. For nationalists, the fight is about reclaiming Ireland, which is long overdue. Enough is enough!
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