A huge march opposing mass immigration in Dublin city centre has heard a call for the government to pause migration while the crisis in housing and healthcare continues – while speakers said that public anger was growing because Irish people felt they were not being put first in their own country.
Cllr Malachy Steenson said that it was impossible to solve the housing shortage and the crisis in healthcare without halting the “huge numbers of people coming into the country”, which he said would involve restrictions on international protection applicants and other forms of immigration.
O’Connell Street was a sea of tricolours as the march moved off from Parnell Square at 2pm, packing the main street of the capital before turning down to Custom House Quay where the crowd heard from speakers including Cllrs Steenson, Gavin Pepper and Patrick Quinlan, and from activist Stephen Kerr of Irish Inquiry amongst others.
Organisers said that it was the largest march to date on the issue, estimating that tens of thousands took part, and said that recent events, such as the controversy over the description of Irish people as “hybrids” and “mongrels” had caused widespread public anger.
The crowd carried posters saying “Ireland for the Irish” and “put the Irish first”, while handmade signs were critical of Sinn Féin and Micheál Martin, and some marchers wore hats saying “Make Ireland great again”. Other posters sought to protect Irish sovereignty.
At Custom House Quay the crowd sang along to ‘The Fields of Athenry’ and ‘Grace’ before a singer was introduced to the stage and led thousands in a rendition of Óro Sé do Bheatha ‘Bhaile, an anthem brought to nation attention by 1916 leader, Pádraig Mac Piarais.
Three women attending the march this reporter spoke to said that they had lived in inner city Dublin most or all of their lives and they felt “ordinary people are being pushed out of the city”.
Cllr Gavin Pepper said that calls to ‘get them out’ was a reference to public anger at the government’s handling of the immigration issue and to recognise public anger on a range of issues.
The march met a counter-demonstration of several hundred organised by the United Against Racism group which gathered on O’Connell Bridge separated by barriers and Gardaí as the marchers passed.
Trade unions, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, People Before Profit, the Labour Party, the Social Democrats, the Socialist Party, LGBTQ+ groups and students unions were present. They chanted ‘refugees are welcome here’, ‘trans rights are human rights’, and were condemnatory of MMA fighter Conor McGregor.