Category: Politics
Elections, Reflections: Part I
“I am alone against hordesI cannot stop nor let goI stand here in the long cold hoursalone against every foe.”An Táin Bó Cúailnge This is part of a series of articles by a diverse range of figures working in Irish...
When Fintan Met Derek: RTÉ Documentary Puts Irish Whiggism Under the Microscope
The rhetoric was trite. The narrative was stale. But while the hour-long RTÉ biopic on the life and times of Fintan O’Toole didn’t tell viewers anything new about the person it was covering it nonetheless revealed a lot about the...
Athlone Standoff Shows Irish Asylum Saga Reigniting Post-Election
Fresh life is being breathed into the Republic’s asylum drama as Athlone locals faced off against authorities against plans to impose a 1,000-man refugee centre in the northern suburb of Lissywollen. Already subject to a well-attended public meeting, an intense...
After Assad: Ireland’s Role in Fueling Syria’s New Islamist Wave
The downfall of the al-Assad regime is being treated as a Syrian Berlin Wall moment within Irish diplomatic circles as evidenced by upbeat statements by An Taoiseach and similar signaling by the DFA. Away from traditional Irish foreign policy stomping...
Gombeenism: Can’t Bate It, Join It!
Gombeenism is a pervasive disease of the Irish political scene. We all know it. "I wouldn't be a fan of Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael but sure, yer man is sound, didn't he fix the roads!?". It seems like in Ireland, we...
The Whitepills and Blackpills for Irish Nationalism After GE24
"Bíonn grásta Dé idir an dá throm…." Regardless of whether you classify the results of last week’s general election as an electoral bridgehead to the mainstream or a fatalistic argument against electoral politics, sober analysis is the most advantageous strategy...
Clare Daly: Where Next for the Anti-War Irish Left?
Is Dublin Central on the cusp of having its Sahra Wagenknecht moment? Just weeks after packing up her office in Brussels anti-imperialist extraordinaire Clare Daly is setting her sights on reviving her domestic political career with a stab at reentering...
POST-IMMIGRATION RTÉ UPFRONT THOUGHTS
By virtue of being the only competent anti-immigration voice on the panel, the big winner once again was Peadar Tóibín, following on from his successful performance in the big leaders’ debate last week. It can be fairly argued that Tóibín...
Ringing Endorsement: Niall Ring Gives Malachy Steenson Momentum in Final Week of Campaigning
The campaign to see independent nationalist Councillor Malachy Steenson elected in Dublin Central has been boosted this week following the ringing endorsement of former Lord Mayor of Dublin Niall Ring. Media attention is fixated on the north inner city in...
USI Censorship Machine Takes Aim at Irish Right on Campus
The Union of Students Ireland (USI) has taken justifiable flak this week following the casual exclusion of parties to the right of and including Aontú from their pre-election survey. Questioning all seven major Irish parties on their policy positions on...