Emerging cross-border dynamics in Ireland’s anti-migrant mobilisation

Anti-migrant mobilisation in Ireland has shifted from localised protests to a structured, cross-border movement. This evolution is marked by tactical collaboration between Republic-based nationalist activists and Northern Irish Loyalist networks, overriding historical sectarian divisions. The movement is further amplified by British far-right groups, North American influencers, and Russian-aligned propaganda outlets, which integrate local incidents into global 'Great Replacement' narratives and transnational far-right discourse.

• Anti-migrant activity in Ireland has transitioned from scattered, localised protests in late 2022 to a more organised phase in 2025, characterised by street protests, targeted violence, and coordinated online amplification.
• There is a significant shift in the political landscape as ethnonationalist groups in the Republic of Ireland and Loyalist communities in Northern Ireland collaborate, suggesting that shared anti-migrant grievances are overriding historical sectarian and ideological divisions.
• Evidence of physical cross-border coordination includes representatives from the 'Coolock Says No' group travelling to Belfast in August 2024, and Northern Irish Loyalists, including former UVF member Mark Sinclair, attending protests in Dublin and Limerick in 2025.
• The 'Great Replacement' narrative is central to mobilising offline activity on both sides of the border, with protesters framing immigration as an existential threat to their respective communities and Western civilisation.
• Domestic mobilisation is amplified by a transnational network, including British far-right figures like Mark Collett and Nick Griffin, and high-profile individuals such as Conor McGregor, who uses his platform to frame immigration as a demographic threat.
• Russian-aligned propaganda, such as the account Pravda Ireland, promotes polarising content and 'narrative laundering' to reinforce anti-migrant grievances and sow distrust in public institutions.
• Despite the convergence, some internal friction remains; certain far-right influencers in the Republic of Ireland oppose collaboration with Loyalists because they believe it undermines the goal of island reunification.

APA

Institute for Strategic Dialogue (2025). Emerging cross-border dynamics in Ireland’s anti-migrant mobilisation. https://www.isdglobal.org/digital-dispatch/emerging-cross-border-dynamics-in-irelands-anti-migrant-mobilisation/

Chicago

Institute for Strategic Dialogue. Emerging cross-border dynamics in Ireland’s anti-migrant mobilisation. 2025. https://www.isdglobal.org/digital-dispatch/emerging-cross-border-dynamics-in-irelands-anti-migrant-mobilisation/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Strategic Dialogue |title=Emerging cross-border dynamics in Ireland’s anti-migrant mobilisation |date=9 July 2025 |url=https://www.isdglobal.org/digital-dispatch/emerging-cross-border-dynamics-in-irelands-anti-migrant-mobilisation/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforstrategicdialogue2025emerging, author = {{Institute for Strategic Dialogue}}, title = {{Emerging cross-border dynamics in Ireland’s anti-migrant mobilisation}}, institution = {Institute for Strategic Dialogue}, year = {2025}, month = jul, url = {https://www.isdglobal.org/digital-dispatch/emerging-cross-border-dynamics-in-irelands-anti-migrant-mobilisation/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }