Ireland’s Resistance to Far-Right Rise Examined in Boston College Lecture

The Irish Institute at Boston College held its inaugural guest lecture of the 2026–2027 academic year, inviting professors Lee McGowan and Eoin O’Malley to discuss Ireland’s resistance to the rise of the far-right.

O’Malley, an associate professor of political science at Dublin City University, explained how Ireland’s economic growth in the early 2000s temporarily shielded it from anti-migrant sentiments seen in other European countries. He noted that Ireland’s foreign-born population increased from 2 to 3 percent in the late 1990s to 17 percent by 2007.

O’Malley stated that Sinn Féin, currently Ireland’s second-largest political party, did not push back against immigration in the early 2000s because it did not align with Ireland’s national identity. He added that it is difficult for Irish people to reconcile their nationalism with opposing an oppressed group.

In the 2024 Irish general election, far-right candidates failed to secure any parliamentary seats, with the three leading political parties winning over 70 percent of the seats. O’Malley speculated that far-right candidates were likely perceived as too extreme to gain public support.

McGowan, a professor specializing in European Studies at Queen’s University Belfast, examined anti-Islamism in Northern Ireland’s working-class communities, highlighting the role of social media in spreading anti-Islamist messages. He noted that competition for social housing has intensified opposition to immigration in Belfast’s loyalist neighborhoods.

O’Malley argued that resolving housing insecurity could address many of the issues driving anti-immigrant sentiment. He expressed optimism that Irish politicians, who live similar lives to their constituents, will respond to growing immigration concerns.