Tomás Ó Flatharta

Looking at Things from the Left

Archive for the ‘Racism’ Category

Conor McGregor’s St. Patrick’s Day Spectacle – Two Rapists in the White House

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Karim Zidan at SportsPolitika writes an excellent report on the appearance of Irish rapist-racist boxing superstar Conor McGregor at Donald Trump’s Washington DC White House on St Patrick’s Day 2025.

Link :


McGregor-Trump Rapist-Racist Summit – SportsPolitika

Zidan correctly observes that Irish government leaders Micheál Martin and Simon Harris distanced themselves from the Trump-McGregor Rapist-Racist summit. The socialist-feminist Dáil Deputy Ruth Coppinger (Solidarity-People Before Profit) points out that Martin voluntarily walked into the Trump-McGregor trap by lickspittling the American President at a March 12 White House event.

‘Two rapists in the White House’: TD tells Dáil McGregor’s visit to Trump was an insult to women

Link :
Two Rapists in the White House


Ahead of a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday to mark St. Patrick’s Day, former UFC champion Conor McGregor made an appearance at the White House briefing room, where he took questions from the baffled reporters in attendance.

As he stood at the podium alongside press secretary Karoline Leavitt, McGregor warned that “Ireland is at the cusp of potentially losing its Irishness” due to a so-called “illegal immigration racket.”

“It’s high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland,” McGregor said, adding “What is going on in Ireland is a travesty.”

McGregor’s appearance comes less than six months after he was deemed liable for sexually assaulting a woman in a Dublin hotel in 2018. McGregor’s appeal against the jury’s findings is expected to come before the court this week.

Shortly following the verdict, McGregor was removed as the spokesperson for Proper No. Twelve, the Irish whiskey brand he helped create in 2018 before selling the brand three years later. Several retailers in the UK and Ireland have also removed Proper from its shelves, including Tesco.

Yet despite being liable for rape, McGregor was welcomed with open arms to the White House, with Leavitt claiming “we couldn’t think of a better guest to have with us on St Patrick’s Day.” The White House even shared a video of McGregor emerging from the West Wing before saying “Happy Paddy’s Day, America” to the camera.

McGregor’s White House welcome comes as no surprise, given President Donald Trump’s long-standing love for combat sports, particularly the UFC. No other sports organization aligned itself with Trump’s presidency as closely—or worked as hard to support his political rise—as the UFC.

During a meeting with Irish prime minister Micheal Martin last week, Trump said McGregor was his favourite Irish person partly because “he’s got the best tattoos I’ve ever seen”.

And yet, Trump’s fondness for McGregor extend beyond his taste for the fighter’s tattoos. McGregor has also voiced his support for Trump’s presidency and was in attendance at his inauguration in January. The two men also share a political vision marked by resurgent nationalism, isolationism, and a streak of anti-migrant hysteria.

McGregor’s views on migrants came to a head in November 2023, when he helped stoke anti-migrant sentiments that led to one of the most violent riots in Dublin’s history. The riot started after a man stabbed three young children and a care assistant in Dublin. Far-right activists quickly blamed immigration, stoking public rage after the suspect was identified as being originally from Algeria.

McGregor tweeted that Ireland was “at war” in the lead-up to the riots. In the aftermath of the chaos, he followed up by tweeting “you reap what you sow.” He had previously spent weeks stoking anti-migrant sentiments on social media, including endorsing a “task force” to monitor migrants.

McGregor’s anti-migrant stances quickly made him a symbol for the far right throughout Europe. Kampf der Nibelungen, a German neo-Nazi MMA league, shared several of McGregor’s tweets in their Telegram channel, including one where the fighter called for a “task force” for all entrants coming into Ireland and demanded that the Irish government “correct this or you are all finished.” AI generated illustrations of McGregor holding a shotgun and leading an army of angry gun-wielding men waving Irish flags also spread on platforms such as 4chan, Gab, and Twitter.

McGregor’s views also caught the attention of some of Trump’s inner circle, including Elon Musk, who showed interest in the idea of McGregor running for office in Ireland. The 36-year-old has repeatedly stated his intention to run for president of Ireland, calling himself the “only logical choice” to lead the nation. Ironically, the Irish presidency is predominantly a ceremonial role, serving as representative of the Irish state.

And yet, McGregor’s meeting with Trump speaks to the role that combat sports plays in modern politics, with UFC fighters serving as the conduits of conservative values and right-wing policy. It’s yet another example of how Trump’s MAGA ideology aligns with MMA’s ethos—one where success isn’t won through negotiation or diplomacy, but through sheer strength, power, and dominance.

Nevertheless, while McGregor has managed to secure a coveted meeting with Trump, there are few people in Ireland who believe he is speaking on their behalf. Ireland’s Taoiseach Michael Martin tweeted today that “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.” Meanwhile, Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Defence Simon Harris added that “McGregor doesn’t speak for Ireland.”

“He doesn’t speak for the people of Ireland,” Harris said. “He has no mandate to do such, and my views on him are very clear, well established, previously articulated, long standing and on the public record.”


An Irish Times Report (May 21 2025) carries an “inside story” on the Trump-McGregor White House Rapist-Racist Summit. McGregor’s visiting team included a Dublin City Councillor Philip Sutcliffe, who discussed the chance that the racist-rapist boxer may run for the office of Irish President :

“Many believe all of this is a prelude to McGregor formally entering the race for the Irish presidential election which is due to take place after the summer. McGregor has repeatedly indicated he intends to run, although it is not at all clear if he would obtain the required support to get on the ballot paper.

Sutcliffe says he hopes McGregor will run and that he will have Washington’s full support if he does.

“Not only Washington, he’ll have the backing of Putin. He’s another fan of Conor’s,” he added.

The FFFGBG (Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael-Beggar Gombeens) Programme for Government – Racist Devils in the Detail

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A friend has begun vital work – examination of the 2025 FFFGBG Programme for Government, which contains lots of measures these parties did not propose during the recent general election campaign.


Alarming things

The programme for government has a few alarming things in it – (and the government has a few alarming people in it) eg there’s lots of commitment to reduce carbon emissions alongside actions and plans that will directly increase carbon emissions. There’s a bunch of mangled science around the particular characteristics of methane and it’s basically a valentine card to those involved in data center construction.

Shutting people up over Israel’s genocide

It also has a commitment to recognise a particular and highly contested definition of anti- semitism which would help those who want us to shut up about Israel’s genocide and occupation – and which was as far as I can remember not part of any single party or politician’s election platform. It would be very interesting to find out how and from where and on whose request this made it into the programme.

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Written by tomasoflatharta

Jan 30, 2025 at 4:03 pm

Posted in 1921 Treaty Partitioning Ireland, 2004 Referendum Amending Citizenship Definition in Irish Constitution, Adoption, Apartheid, “A Carnival of Reaction” - James Connolly’s Warning About the Partition of Ireland, Beggar-Gombeens (BGs), Catholic Church, Censorship, Child Abuse, Corruption, Direct Provision - Irish Gombeen State Racism, Dublin Governments, Emigration and Immigration, Feminism, FFFGGG Coalition, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Gombeens, Poltroons, History of Ireland, Hope and Courage Collective, Human Rights, International Political Analysis, Ireland, Ireland's Open(ish) Border, Irish General Election February 8 2020, Irish General Election November 29 2024, Israel, Israel Assault on Gaza, October 2023, Legislation in Ireland to Legalise Abortion, Martyn Turner, Cartoonist, Mobilising to Oppose Violence Against Women, Moriarty Tribunal, Mother and Child Scheme, Noël Browne, Seán MacBride, Clann na Poblachta, Racism, Saint Rita’s Nursing Home, Ranelagh, The Irish Times, University Occupations, Israeli Genocide 2025, Vatican, Violence Against Women, Women

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Musk vs Maga on Immgration

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A war between vipers in the USA.

During Christmas 2024, writes Simon Hannah, the internet was a blaze with a fierce row on the far right in the USA. 

This useful story comes from the British website, Anti-Capitalist Resistance.

Link :
Musk V Maga on Immigration

Key grassroots leaders of the recently triumphant MAGA movement went to war with Elon Musk on the question of immigration, in a spectacular argument that pointed to political divisions within their movement.

Tensions were already rising as Musk fanboys had started to promote their favourite capitalist as a co-president or ‘the real VP’ which angered the rampant egotism of Donald Trump who does not tolerate any competition. Musk made clear at a recent rally that Musk could never be president. Why? Because “He wasn’t born here”.  Musk, a South African who is now naturalised as a US citizen would always ultimately be an outsider for the MAGA people. 

This was the kindling for the wider explosion. Just before Christmas Day, Trump appointed US-Indian venture capitalist Siram Krishnan to be policy lead on AI. This was met with anger from some of the MAGA faithful – Krishnan had previously been a Democrat supporter so was seen as a suspect, but also crucially – not American. Well not fully ‘American’ in the way that they care about i.e. white. 

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Irish General Election 2024 : Corruption and Racist CV of Head Beggar-Gombeen Michael Lowry TD; Bacik Pulls Labour Out of Coalition Talks

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Michael Lowry TD is currently in the news as he is the “point of contact” for the Beggar-Gombeen (BG) Regional Independent Group of Dáil deputies negotiating a coalition deal with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael (FFFG). One of Lowry’s BG colleagues, Verona Murphy, was elected Dáil Ceann Comhairle on December 18, paving the way for the creation of a coalition government bringing together FFFG and the BG’s in January 2025.

FFFG’s coalition options are narrowing, as the Labour party has confirmed it is unwilling to be a coalition mudguard.

Source :
The Labour party will not be a FFFG Mudguard – Ivana Bacik pulls out of coalition government talks

Lowry is a former Fine Gael Minister who had to resign in 1995 over his suspicious financial connections with wealthy business men Denis O’Brien, Ben Dunne, and others. He was marooned on the backbenches, for very good reasons.

The State’s Moriarty Tribunal investigated the finances of Lowry, former Fianna Fáil leader Charles Haughey, and many other establishment politicians.

The Moriarty Tribunal, officially called the Tribunal of Inquiry into certain Payments to Politicians and Related Matters, was an Irish Tribunal of Inquiry established in 1997 into the financial affairs of politicians Charles Haughey and Michael Lowry. It has revealed significant tax evasion by these and other politicians and leading businessmen. As a consequence, the tax authorities have recovered millions of euro in settlements and penalties from many individuals

Michael Lowry’s financial connections to Denis O’Brien (a wealthy businessman) who secured a pot of gold (a licence to set up a mobile phone network in Ireland) were thoroughly investigated. Here are the 2011 Moriarty Tribunal Conclusions :

Link
Moriarty Tribunal – Conclusions, Michael Lowry TD

Lowry has a strong racist CV.

“I am Not A Racist”…..But

Lowry is a well-dressed suit-and-tie racist (STR).

The trick is to oppose the housing of vulnerable immigrants in your own constituency.

Dishonest reasons are proposed : buildings should be used for something else : locals need a nursing home, a hotel…….anything but safe accommodation for immigrants. Arson and rioting drives immigrants onto the streets or sub-standard accommodation such as Crooksling in Dublin’s Clondalkin. But that is bad publicity for a STRs such as Lowry.

So, verbal gymnastics :

Ireland’s current immigartion policy is unfit for purpose and ‘ordinary people’ in communities around the country are angry, Deputy Michael Lowry told the Dáil.

“Taoiseach, recently in the Dail I addressed you in relation to the resentment that is simmering in towns and villages across Ireland. This genuine and heartfelt anger is not coming from organised groups such as we witnessed in Dublin last week, it is coming from ordinary people”, the Tipperary TD said on Tuesday addressing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Justice Minister, Helen McEntee.

“People are filled with pent-up worry, fear and frustration at how their communities have changed due to the influx of International Protection applicants. It has reached a stage where people fear the Department will target every vacant building in their communities.

Source :
Modify and rebalance Ireland’s immigration policy – Michael Lowry

Conclusions

  • Lowry “secured the winning” of the 1995 mobile licence for O’Brien.
  • O’Brien made two payments to Lowry in 1996 and 1999 totalling IR£500,000 (£147,000 and £300,000) and supported a loan of £420,000 given to Lowry in 1999, a benefit equivalent to a payment.
  • Lowry imparted substantive information to O’Brien which was “of significant value and assistance to him in securing the licence”.
  • Lowry bypassed consideration by his Cabinet colleagues and thereby not only influenced, but delivered the result for Esat Digifone.
  • A US$50,000 donation to Fine Gael was made through Telenor on behalf of Esat Digifone.
  • Lowry sought to influence a hike in the lease for Marlborough House (Telecom Éireann headquarters) following a request from Mr Dunne. These rent increases would have improperly enriched Dunne, and were deemed to be “profoundly corrupt”.
  • Lowry was criticised for his “cynical and venal abuse of office” and his brazen refusal to acknowledge the impropriety of his financial arrangements with O’Brien and Dunne.

Anti-racists conclude (correctly) that STR racism is racism.

So Michael Lowry offers statements that do not follow logically from his opening words : non-sequiturs.

“Irish people are not racist, I am not racist. People welcomed the victims of the war in Ukraine with open arms. They have willingly opened their hearts to those in need.

“But Taoiseach, I believe it is time to modify and rebalance our immigration policy”

People familiar with the career of the six-county racist rabble-rouser Ian Paisley know the pattern. Fire up racist mobs, stand back as the arsonists and racist mobs take direct action, deny responsibility.

The Racquet Hall premises in Roscrea Co. Tipperary hit the headlines in 2024 for many bad reasons – a racist mob attacked vulnerable people trying to enter a new Direct Provision Centre. Lowry fanned the flames win this Dáil speech addressed to then government minister Heather Humphreys :

“On four different occasions in the past year, I have raised the subject of immigration policy and lack of strategy. Each time I spoke in this Chamber I illustrated Roscrea as a classic example of a system that is not working.

“A town that was overburdened, overwhelmed and in urgent need of vital services to be improved and supplemented. This Government did not listen. You ignored the legitimate and genuine concerns of the people of Roscrea’ he said.

“The people of Roscrea are compassionate by nature. After assurances of enhanced support networks they accepted without protest a Direct Provision Centre with hundreds of asylum seekers and also a Centre to house 400 Ukrainian Refugees.

“The reality is that this influx accounts for up to 20% of the population of Roscrea. Therefore under any sensible, reasonable, logical or sustainable criteria you would have to conclude that Roscrea had exceeded it’s capacity.

“Roscrea is a traditional rural town. Roscrea is a friendly welcoming place. It’s people have shown great generosity and kindness. It’s a town with an excellent community spirit. A town that has coped with a lot of setbacks and adversity.

“A town that is fighting back through it’s community and voluntary leaders and organisations. I worked closely with these groups. A lot of positive things are happening in Roscrea. Projects have been sanctioned, which will bring enterprise, jobs and stimulate the local economy.

“You, as Minister under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, have sanctioned and funded crucial revitalisation projects. It is rather ironic that while your Department is assisting with the renewal of the town, another Department of State has taken the extraordinary decision to take over the only hotel in the town.

“How can it be acceptable for a Department to be complicit in such action?”, Deputy Lowry asked.

Source :
Roscrea Protest Shows Government is on the run with immigration – Michael Lowry

Will FFFG risk bringing Lowry into their new cabinet?

John Meehan December 19 2024

Irish General Election 2024: Verona Murphy wins Ceann Comhairle Mega-Perk – Racist beggar-gombeen in charge of the Dublin parliament’s debates

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Verona Murphy TD (Wexford) has won a Mega-Perk for herself, the Ceann Comhairle job.

RTÉ News reports :

As Ceann Comhairle, her seat is assured after the next election as the holder of the office is automatically returned to the Dáil.

She is also set to get a massive pay increase on top of her existing TD salary.

TDs earn €113,680 a year but her new position attracts an additional €141,513 annually, bringing her salary to €255,000 for as long as she stays in the job.

The pay packet exceeds that of the Taosieach by €12,000.

A racist beggar-gombeen is in charge of the Dublin parliament’s debates. A coalition of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Regional Independent Group Beggar-Gombeens (FFFGBG) got Murphy the mega-perk with 89 votes – just over half the number of Dáil deputies (174). This is a prelude to the likely formation of a weak right-wing government in 2025.

Beggar-Gombeens of the 34th Dáil : Verona Murphy, Michael Lowry, Noel Grealish

In 2019 Verona Murphy was kicked off the Fine Gael ticket. Why the change in 2024?

Verona Murphy was kicked off the FG ticket because she was too racist which means now she is the perfect candidate for Ceann Comhairle according to FG. Which means FG only gave her the boot because of public outrage and not because she didn't reflect their values.

Loki (@lokideburca.bsky.social) 2024-12-18T11:37:55.332Z

A number of key facts need to be endlessly repeated.

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Changing of the Mudguard

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Diana O’Dwyer presents a refreshingly honest and interesting analysis of the November 29 2024 Irish General Election result. No attempt is made to hide an obvious fact : this was a setback for the left.

Link :
Changing of the Mudguard

People Before Profit’s (PBP) slogan during the election campaign was “End 100 years of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael”. But now we are facing into yet another Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael (FF-FG) government. Why has this happened? Are we stuck in a never-ending Groundhog Day or does hope for radical change remain?

After the last election in 2020, escape from a century of FF-FG rule seemed not just possible but probable. The cycle of alternation between the two frenemies had finally been broken with the identical twins of Irish capitalism forced into a grand coalition, propped up by the Green Party with external support from right-wing Independent TDs. [2] The 2008 economic crash and the decade of social upheaval and struggle that followed had enabled Sinn Féin (SF) to steal the mantle of the largest party in the Dáil for the first time and it looked certain to lead the next government.

But now, almost 5 years later, FF and FG have returned with an extra 13 seats and are only one seat short of a majority – compared to 7 short last time. They are not any more popular than they were in 2020 – their share of the vote actually fell slightly (by 0.4%). But in a situation with little in the way of class struggle and where no clear alternative was posed, they were able to maintain and even improve their position. FF topped the poll at 22%, followed by FG on 21% and SF on 19%.

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Racists Attack Immigrant Accommodation Centre in the Heart of Ireland, Athlone – Gardaí fail to do their job

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Disgraceful events are occurring in the heart of Ireland – Athlone.

This story comes from The Journal, an online Irish publication.

A screenshot from one video posted yesterday showing protesters pushing against railings, eventually breaking through and bypassing gardaí.

Below that, we publish a statement from the anti-racist Athlone For All organisation.

Numerous public representatives, mass organisations, community groups and individuals have been approached for comment and positive action.

Link :


“We were so scared” – Racists attack Athlone accommodation centre – Gardaí Stand Idly By

The Journal Story :

‘We were so scared’: Protesters broke through garda barrier at Athlone accommodation centre

Up to 100 men were moved into a state-run site for people seeking international protection in Athlone last week.

4.49pm, 9 Dec 2024

ANTI-MIGRANT GROUPS BROKE through garda lines at an accommodation centre in Athlone yesterday, gaining access to the site while people hid inside.

A number of people who were in the accommodation centre at the time described themselves as being terrified as a group of men got through the garda barrier, with a member of security injured amid the scenes.

The demonstrations also resulted in the centre’s generator being damaged – causing residents to have no power for most of the last 24 hours.

It was the latest in a string of incidents targeting asylum-seekers in the town in recent days.

In a statement tonight, the government department in charge of the site and the broader asylum system said that a “number of unauthorised people” entered the Midlands Accommodation Centre in Athlone.

“During the disturbance, a member of the onsite security team was injured. There were no injuries to residents of the centre,” the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth said.

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Irish General Election November 29 2024 – Independent Candidates on the Left and Right : Stop the Far Right : Vote Left, Transfer Left

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The electoral action proposed here is :

How To Vote on November 29? Oppose Any Coalition with FFFGGG – Stop the Far Right : Vote Left, Transfer Left

FFFGGG Equals ; Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Greens, Gombeens.

The 2020-2024 coalition government was composed of three parties : FF, FG, and the Greens – and was regularly supported by Right-to-Racist Gombeens (Independents) in the last Dáil.

In this context it is important to know the identity of left-wing and right-wing independent candidates.

A Cedar Lounge Blog writer has done a great job identifying credible candidates on the left who are often categorised as independent. Link :
Possible Left Independents in the next Dáil


Here is the excellent article :

As noted in comments here a number of left Independents of one stripe or another are running, either to hold their seats or to return to the Dáil. Irish Election Literature has material from a huge number of candidates here on a special page on the 2024 election and it’s an essential read to get a sense of matters. One thing that was perhaps under considered in 2020 was the winnowing of left Independents (or those who were with small groups). It really took the wind out of the left side of the Independent equation with barely a handful left and some who barely were left at all (who left for Europe at the last election).

Here’s a selection of possible Left Independents. What of others who are potential, possible or likely to arrive in the Dáil?

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Written by tomasoflatharta

Nov 27, 2024 at 4:57 pm

Posted in 26 County State (Ireland), Bríd Smith TD, Cabra For All, Catherine Connolly TD, Clare Daly TD, Councillor John Lyons, Councillor Tania Doyle, Diarmuid Mac Dubhghlais, Direct Provision - Irish Gombeen State Racism, Dublin 7 for All, FFFGGG Coalition, General Election February 25 2016, Gombeens, Poltroons, Hazel De Nórtúin, Independent Left (Ireland), Ireland, Irish General Election February 8 2020, Irish General Election November 29 2024, Ivana Bacik TD, Labour Party Leader, Joan Collins TD, Labour Party (Ireland), Left Wing Organisations, Natalie Treacy, Paul Murphy TD Dublin South-West, People Before Profit, Racism, RISE, ruth-coppinger, Séamus Healy TD, Thomas Pringle TD

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Li Andersson MEP (Left Alliance, Finland) : “Three Weeks Ago I was Sitting on a Train from Kyiv…….. Everyone in Ukraine was telling us the same thing”

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nstead of fake doves, listen to those who care enough to actually ask people on the ground about their concerns. Pressure Putin, not us—stop trading with him, for God’s sake. Strengthen Ukraine, with arms, diplomatic efforts, grants, and by raising the voices of the unions & CSO

Li Andersson MEP, Finland, Left Alliance

At the plenary session today, we had a debate on the EU’s support to Ukraine. During our visit to Ukraine, everyone emphasized how this winter will be the hardest period since Putin started his war of aggression. That is why our support is so needed now.

Utmost importance that we stand firm in our solidarity with Ukraine

https://x.com/SocRuch/status/1861402319734104537

Li Andersson (Left) got the highest number of votes of any European election candidate in Finnish history. Image: Tiina Jutila / Yle

About Li Andersson and the Left Alliance in Finland

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