Thousands of people have attended a huge Ireland Says No rally in Cork opposing mass migration, with speakers saying that their message to government was that they had enough of its failed policies on everything from housing to immigration.
As was the case in Dublin in April, the protest was a sea of tricolours, and the march was led off by a piper, while chants included “Ireland for the Irish” and “Whose streets? Our streets!”.
Speaker Derek Blighe said that young, bright, educated people had been forced from the country by government incompetency and policies – and that Irish nationalists want to give them a “homeland to return to”.
He said that Irish people had suffered because of “gombeen politics” and a government that was focused on putting “diversity and climate and foreigners first”- adding: “What counts in my heart and soul is to put the Irish first”.
Malachy Steenson, who was the lead organiser for the Dublin rally, said that the huge crowds attending the rallies gave others confidence to express their opinions and dissatisfaction with the effect of government policies. He was sharply critical of An Taoiseach Micheál Martin for his recent remarks claiming Irish people were “never homogenous” – and said that “the only thing the political class are good at in this country are waiting lists and failure.”
“We don’t care what Brussels says,” he added, “we are going to take this country and run it for the benefit of its people.”
The rally was billed as a peaceful demonstration against “mass uncontrolled ” immigration, with calls for deportations – and also a “celebration of Irishness”.
The Irish Examiner said ahead of the march that Gardaí were expecting crowds of up to 10,000 people at the Ireland Says No march and at another event supporting Palestine.
The pro-Palestine event heard calls for the government to place sanctions on Israel, pass the Occupied Territories Bill, and stop the Central Bank of Ireland from authorising the sale of Israeli bonds in Europe.