The Irish media has often warned about the ‘rise of the far-right’ in this country. Initially, the emphasis was on the ‘alt-right’, a term which was still being used by Irish journalists long after its use-by date had passed. Then came a heavy emphasis on the prevalence of conspiracy theories online and its relationship to the murky far-right. This angle seemed to reach its apogee in early 2020 with the beginning of Covid-19 and the impact of lockdowns. It became a common trope for the Irish media to report on the far-right’s conspiratorial disinformation and misinformation and generally the danger these shadowy individuals posed.
There was a massive overemphasis on the alleged threat posed to the Irish State by the reputed far-right in comparison to the actual size of right-wing groups and parties. Since its inception in 1922, the Irish State has proved itself immensely robust and capable of withstanding far greater threats to its survival than the alleged threat of small political parties which averaged around 1% of the first-preference vote in 2020.
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