The Island of Ireland refers to the Republic of Ireland: twenty-six counties with a population of over five million organised as the Parliamentary Democratic Republic through a PR-STV electoral system with membership in the European Union since 1973, and Northern Ireland: six counties with a population of 1.9 million organised a consociational power-sharing democracy in the Northern Ireland assembly with PR-STV electoral system.
Russia invades Ukraine – a look at international connections between Ireland and the far right in Ukraine and Russia as solidarity effort builds for Ukraine in Ireland • ‘Zelensky singles out Ireland for lagging in support for Ukraine’ read the original Irish Times headline this month in relation to what since then has been referred to …
Russia invades Ukraine – a look at historical and contemporary international connections between Ireland and the far right in Ukraine and Russia as solidarity effort builds for Ukraine in Ireland • Journalists, local antifascists and Hope Not Hate have reported recruitment activity of international Nazis seeking foreign fighters for the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion in Ireland from 2017 onwards. Azov are an international …
Infamous Antrim neo-Nazi dies of Covid Mervin Shields, from Bushmills, Co. Antrim, died on New Years day of “Covid complications”. The guitarist and bassist, who is reported to have not been vaccinated because he considered the pandemic to be a “Jewish plot”, died at the age of 59. Shields was a significant figure in the international ‘Blood and Honour’ …
Hermann Kelly, president of far-right organisation, The Irish Freedom Party (IFP), has a new role as press officer for Romanian MEP Cristian Terhes. Kelly has previously acted as press officer for Nigel Farage and is known for opposing immigration and promoting racist ideas of racial superiority. As part of this media role, Kelly coordinates English language communications for Terhes, who opposes mandatory certificates of vaccination in the European Parliament. Irish MEP’s Clare Daly and Mick Wallace joined four other MEP including Terhes in opposing the certificates.
The fourth Political Network for Values (PNfV) meeting took place in Budapest, Hungary on 18th and 19th November attracting an international gathering of religious right and far right figures. Participants included Irish senator Ronan Mullen, founder and president of Spanish far-right party VOX Santiago Abascal, founder and president of Vente Venezuela party Maria Corina Machado (charged in 2014 for alleged plot to murder opposition leader), Amy Sinclair, US senator who supports Iowa gun owners carrying arms without a permit, and PNfV president Katalin Novák.
Key developments Press Ombudsman rejects Kelly’s challenge to reference of Irish Freedom Party as far-right On 13th October, the Irish Press Ombudsman issued their decision in response to a complaint made by Hermann Kelly, president of the far-right organisation, The Irish Freedom Party. Kelly’s complaint, that online newspaper, The Journal, had breached Principle 1 …
