Latest news with #Irishness'
Irish Examiner
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Mark Donlon: In review of Irishness: How narrow minds will hold us back
The Middle East has sadly long been a minefield largely of meddlers' making, and as death and destruction continue to deplete and displace several individual populations, our own privileges in Ireland ought to be crystal clear. But in a world where almost everything is material for debate, the jury seems to be out on just how good we have it, relatively speaking. Donald Trump, the US president — or 'Leader of the Free World' to give him that increasingly ironic title — has been busy presiding over matters in the Middle East since his inauguration last January, with the Israel-Hamas war an ongoing disaster and Israel-Iran tensions since furthering the regional trauma. In February, Trump suggested Gaza — now depleted of more than 58,000 Palestinians since October 2023 — could become the 'Riviera of the Middle East' if it was razed and rebuilt. The automated division, destruction, and suggested ethnic cleansing of lands more than 10,000km outside of America's jurisdiction — but very much within its global reach and lucrative for its weapons industry — has become a news item so regular that it is hard to scale the unbelievable low points along the way. Trump recently called on his Department of Energy to 'drill, baby, drill', in response to volatile crude oil prices amid strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. You don't have to drill down too far to see the true volatility and crude nature of the beast. Sad state of affairs Back here in Ireland, a recent post on social media from a Fine Gael TD denying rumours a vacant premises was to be used as an International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) centre was greeted in the Facebook comment section with the embellished relief of some who began to go on about retaining the 'Irishness' of the town concerned. It's probably not what they meant, but sure, a crumbling, vacant business premises in the heart of an ailing rural town is indeed very Irish as far as trade, enterprise, and opportunity go. In 2024, 14 people normally resident in IPAS accommodation died — a record number. The rhetoric elsewhere, however, deals more with record numbers of asylum seekers availing of IPAS services in the broader sense. Indeed, that number has more than quadrupled from 7,244 in December 2021 to 32,689 as of June of this year, but are we really so inwardly focused and outwardly ignorant to just skip straight to cold, hard intolerance? It's a sad state of affairs that many counter arguments — for the most part made online — need to include reminders of our own country's suffering in the Great Famine, when over 1m people starved to death and an estimated 1m more fled their homeland in the uncertain hope of survival elsewhere. If people are hellbent on their Irishness, at the heart of it should be compassion and a deeper understanding — even at a distance in our lives of supreme comfort by comparison — of the modern day atrocities being inflicted on innocent people in a growing list of countries. It's hard to put a finger on exactly what made a proportion of Irish people lose their sense of céad míle failte, but one thing is for sure — it didn't happen overnight. It may be a case of social media capturing some in an algorithmic vice-grip, but we don't (or at least shouldn't) spend all our lives on social media. Communicating and connecting Getting out and about and communicating and connecting in the traditional sense of the word is key. A recent visit to a local coffee shop brought the comforting smells of a morning roast and an accent from eastern Europe. Discovering that the barista was from Ukraine and here in Ireland since the outbreak of war in her homeland in 2022, the pleasant chat had a lot more significance in retrospect. It is surely hard to get up and have cheer for all when you're away from home not by choice, but instead because forces of evil chose your home place as the latest wasteland of war. It's probably all the more difficult when there's an echo chamber that throws a blanket over those from other lands and essentially resents their new life and safety from obscurity. Rap group Kneecap's wranglings with the British government may be presented as divisive, but a more watchful eye would acknowledge that the real division in the equation came after they took a case against the then-Conservative government in 2024. They split High Court proceeds to the tune of £14,000 among both nationalist and loyalist charities, after walking up the steps over the blocking of an arts grant by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. Maith thúainn, well done, a good deed speaks all languages. Maybe, just maybe, anger indiscriminately lasered onto the most vulnerable can be harnessed into something more meaningful. The term 'voting with their feet' has taken on an unfortunate new meaning when you think of the many who have marched in anti-immigration protests in Irish towns in recent years. It's all the more unfortunate when you consider that the 2024 Irish general election — which took place less than eight months ago — saw voter turnout reach a record low. With RTÉ reporting national turnout of 59.7%, it made for the lowest figure since the 1923 general election, which took place just eight months on from the establishment of the Irish Free State in December 1922. In this country, the system of liberal democracy may be producing the sameness that now has us on our second bout of rotating taoisigh, but it is a democracy nonetheless and ours to amend and improve for the better and for the many. But as well as making up our minds in greater numbers at voting booths, not afforded to millions worldwide answering to autocrats, we have to open our minds in everyday life.
The Guardian
19-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Conor McGregor's Trump meeting was ‘sinister', says Irish rape crisis centre
An Irish rape crisis charity has complained about Conor McGregor's meeting with Donald Trump at the White House, describing it as a 'sinister' move that could help 'launder' the mixed martial arts fighter's reputation. Rachel Morrogh, the chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, has written to the US embassy in the Irish capital raising concerns about the meeting, which took place on Monday, Saint Patrick's Day. Morrogh told the Guardian the meeting, which came three months after a jury in an Irish civil case found McGregor liable for rape, sent a message that 'there is a path to redemption leading directly to the White House'. She said: 'We do believe that the meeting between Trump and Conor McGregor was really very sinister and we have called it out for what it is, which is … an attempt to rebuild the very damaged reputation of Conor McGregor. 'I think what has really shocked us is that the office of the president of the United States, which is so respected and so revered, is being used to launder Conor McGregor's reputation.' In November McGregor was ordered by a civil court to pay nearly €250,000 (£210,000) in damages to a woman who said he 'brutally raped and battered' her in a hotel in Dublin in 2018. He has said he had consensual sex with the woman and is appealing against the verdict, with a hearing scheduled for Friday in the high court in Dublin. McGregor, a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion, used his platform at the White House to hit out at the Irish government over immigration, saying the country was 'potentially losing its Irishness' and claiming that some rural towns had been 'overrun in one swoop'. Dressed in a green suit on Ireland's national day, McGregor was invited to speak in the official White House briefing room alongside the president's press secretary before going on to meet Trump and Elon Musk in the Oval Office along with his partner and children. McGregor, 36, has been supported by figures including the self-styled misogynist influencer Andrew Tate and anti-immigration campaigners in Ireland whose reach has been turbocharged by Musk's retweets. But his claim to speak for the people of Ireland on the issue of immigration has been widely derided and condemned. The taoiseach, Micheál Martin, said McGregor's claims were simply 'wrong'. The finance minister, Paschal Donohoe, said his 'heart fell' when he learned of the meeting. McGregor later responded by saying the Irish government had taken 'zero action with zero accountability'. A rise in immigration has caused tensions in some parts of Ireland but there is no evidence for McGregor's claims of towns being 'overrun'. Government data shows that in the last three years just over 45,000 people have applied for asylum in Ireland, which has a population of about 5.3 million. Some believe the fighter may be positioning himself for a presidential run in Ireland later this year.
Express Tribune
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Conor McGregor's White House immigration rant sparks Irish PM's rebuke
Listen to article Irish mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor has drawn sharp criticism from Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin after making anti-immigration remarks during a visit to the White House. McGregor, 36, attended a St. Patrick's Day event hosted by US President Donald Trump, where he claimed that Ireland was 'on the cusp of losing its Irishness' due to what he called an 'illegal immigration racket.' Speaking from the White House briefing room, McGregor asserted that rural towns in Ireland were being 'overrun in one swoop.' His comments were swiftly condemned by Martin, who stated they did not reflect the values of Ireland or the spirit of St. Patrick's Day. 'Conor McGregor's remarks are wrong and do not reflect the views of the people of Ireland,' Martin said in a statement on social media. 'St. Patrick's Day is a day of community, humanity, friendship, and fellowship.' Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris also distanced the government from McGregor's stance, emphasising that the fighter was not representing Ireland at the White House. Ireland has seen a record influx of asylum seekers in recent years, making immigration a divisive issue. While the country has traditionally been known for its welcoming policies, protests against refugee accommodations have emerged in various regions. The government has pledged to tighten immigration controls, but few elected officials share McGregor's strong anti-immigration views. McGregor's remarks align with Trump's hardline approach to immigration. The US president has prioritised deportations and border control since beginning his second term in January, declaring illegal immigration a national emergency. McGregor, a former UFC champion, has long been a polarising figure in both sports and public discourse. Last year, an Irish court found him civilly liable for assaulting a woman at a Dublin party in 2018 and ordered him to pay nearly €250,000 ($273,000) in damages. He is currently appealing the verdict. Despite his legal troubles, McGregor has expressed interest in running for the largely ceremonial role of Irish president in October's election. However, securing a nomination would be challenging, as candidates require backing from 20 lawmakers or four of Ireland's 31 local councils. McGregor's comments at the White House have further fuelled debate over his potential political ambitions. While he remains a prominent figure in Ireland, his anti-immigration rhetoric has drawn widespread criticism from political leaders and the public. The White House has not commented on whether it endorses McGregor's remarks. However, Trump's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, praised his visit, stating, 'We couldn't think of a better guest to have with us on St. Patrick's Day.'
The Guardian
17-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Conor McGregor anti-immigration rant in White House condemned by Irish PM
Ireland's prime minister has denounced anti-immigration comments made by the MMA fighter Conor McGregor as he visited the White House before a Saint Patrick's Day meeting with Donald Trump. McGregor said 'Ireland is on the cusp of losing its Irishness' and that an 'illegal immigration racket' was 'running ravage on the country'. Last week, Donald Trump singled out 'Conor' – who last year was found liable for sexual assault after a civil trial – as one of his favourite Irish people. Dressed in a green business suit to mark Ireland's national day, McGregor was at the White House at Trump's invitation and participated in an impromptu Q&A session with reporters. 'There are rural towns in Ireland that have been overrun in one swoop,' he said, speaking in the White House briefing room alongside the president's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt. The 36-year-old former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion said he was 'here to raise the issue and highlight it' and that he would be listening to Trump on immigration – one of the president's main areas of focus as he seeks to ramp up deportations of people in the US without proper documentation. The apparently off-the-cuff comments were immediately condemned by Micheál Martin, the taoiseach. 'Conor McGregor's remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, or the views of the people of Ireland,' the Irish prime minister said on X. 'St Patrick's Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship.' McGregor was among those at an official pre-inauguration party in Washington in January. He has been one of the biggest stars of the UFC, which was founded by the Trump ally Dana White. In November McGregor was ordered by an Irish civil court to pay nearly €250,000 (£210,000) in damages to a woman who said he 'brutally raped and battered' her in a hotel in Dublin in 2018. McGregor claimed they had consensual sex and is appealing the verdict with a hearing in Dublin's high court due later this week. The fighter has said he is considering running for president in Ireland later this year, a prospect some thought would be ruled out after the civil trial verdict. He has been supported by figures including the self-styled misogynist influencer Andrew Tate and anti-immigration campaigners in Ireland whose reach has been turbocharged by Elon Musk retweets. Immigration is a hot topic in Ireland with many arrivals coming from the UK on ferries or via Northern Ireland. The justice minister, Jim O'Callaghan, has promised to clamp down on those who are not entitled to international protection. Last month he said that more than 80% of applications for asylum in January were rejected in the first instance.
