Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
AFTER A YEAR of relative quiet following last November’s general election, Ireland’s far-right movement has discussed how it can build up momentum again – but some of its followers are nervy over the role of extremism in their cause as groups evolve and splinter.
In online discussions, posters have expressed surprise and shock at a court case involving two men who were charged last week with planning to attack a mosque in Galway, as well as hotels and accommodation centres for those seeking international protection.
Individuals who are members or supporters of other far-right groups on the fringe of the country’s politics post about fractures within the broader movement and how certain groups were taking increasingly hardline paths.
They also write of trying over recent months to “talk people down” from any “extreme” actions that could see more people end up in court.
One livestream, called Offgrid Ireland and run by activist Gavin Lowbridge – who claims to have attended “hundreds” of protests in the past five years – hosted a discussion about a split in tactics among competing outfits.
Lowbridge has nothing to do with any court cases taken by gardaí.
The wider story of far-right violence took another twist this week when Sinn Féin confirmed it had expelled a member after her partner was arrested as part of investigations by the anti-terror Special Detective Unit into extremism.
One of the newest groups on the Irish far-right calls itself the Irish Defence Army, and is believed to be a splinter group of a larger organisation called the ‘Irish Citizen Army’ (ICA).
Online posts last weekend saw the ICA criticise its smaller counterpart, blasting them as “headless chickens”.
These posts also claimed the smaller group was made up of a handful of the ICA’s own former members.
The ICA leadership is relatively new and so far is more secretive about its membership.
Affiliated social media accounts for the ICA have drawn on the Marvel superheroes franchise as inspiration for AI-created content in recent months. Some posts feature the Incredible Hulk draped in a tricolour and surrounded by young people with the caption: “This is how our children see us.”
However, other figures on the far-right have singled out these groups for criticism in recent weeks, including in the wake of arrests last week in Co Laois.
On the Offgrid Ireland stream, Lowbridge repeatedly stressed he had no involvement with the ICA and discouraged his viewers from joining them.
Events, including last month’s rioting in Citywest, came after a period when there had been a relative lull in what gardaí would class as far-right activity. Many of these groups had gone almost a year without an election to focus on – and then they didn’t coalesce around a presidential candidate either.
This was alluded to by one speaker on Lowbridge’s stream who said there is “no political solution” possible over the next few years. In the meantime, they were encouraged by Lowbridge “to get involved in all the activist, legal ways”, and to avoid “extreme” measures.
Further discouraging any extreme activity he said: “You’re up against the State apparatus, you haven’t a hope.”
The speakers on these streams are aware their conversations are held in public and occasionally acknowledged that they may be monitored.
In another discussion, one activist said he feared the movement would not go anywhere unless funding could be sourced to “bring it further”.
Speakers on Offgrid Ireland pointed to how a man was jailed earlier this month for dumping pigs at Thornton Hall to intimidate Muslims as an example of people “egging each other on” to go to extreme lengths, something which they urged each other to guard against.
“He’s a patriot, you know, God help him,” Lowbridge told the livestream when discussing the man jailed after the Thornton Hall incident. “His heart was in the right place, but now he’s doing 15 months in jail for something stupid.”
In a video posted in recent days by the leadership of self-styled ‘community watch’ group Sinne na Daoine – which was formed a year ago amid intensive asylum centre protests – there were also references to further splits between their membership and the ICA.
The Sinne na Daoine members on the stream included its co-founder Anthony Casey, as well as Paul Fitzsimons and Martin Murphy. All three stood for The Irish Freedom Party at general and local elections last year but have since left the political organisation. None have any connection to the court cases and probe taken by gardaí.
Sinne na Daoine has carried out street patrols and sought at its foundation to be a type of central node for all information about Ipas centres, including any new planning applications relating to the accommodation for people in the system.
Previously, it had a media wing that was co-established by Casey. However, videos posted over recent weeks showed Casey distancing himself from his co-founder, claiming that he had joined the ICA.
The co-founder rejects this accusation and is still named in company records as a director of Sinne na Daoine, but that he has distanced himself from Casey amid an ongoing dispute.
On the group’s latest stream, broadcast Sunday night, Casey alleged the ICA had tried to get involved in last month’s riot in Citywest. At the same time, he also declared that some of the group’s membership are “agents of the State”.
This isn’t the only divide that led to the creation of the new group that calls itself the Irish Defence Army.
Splits have featured among the Irish far-right over the past 12 months following last year’s general election.
Sinne na Daoine was formed by the aforementioned ex-Irish Freedom Party candidates – Casey, Fitzsimons and Murphy – but subsequently witnessed a split among its own membership. These people have now appeared instead in the ICA and other factions.
Other members of the Irish Freedom Party have criticised Casey publicly on a number of occasions since he left the party to form Sinne na Daoine.
Speaking about political extremists on Friday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said some people have moved on to “an organised attempt to undermine the State”.
He said there was a “considerable degree of concern” around extremism in Ireland, which he described as a “threat to our society”.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say