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expressing the view that refugees were "working in non-union jobs, are being exploited by low wages" and "Refugees find it difficult to find accommodation. People tell them to come and see the property and say they will call them back, but the phone never rings. Some landlords seem to have a problem
339:
In
September 2022, Blighe filmed himself stealing clothes from a shelter for Ukrainian refugees. He was brought to court and charged with theft in March 2023, applying to have the court case struck out because of "personal difficulties" it was causing for him. The incident caused Blighe to lose his
284:
in
Ireland, Brother Barry Noel, condemned Blighe after Blighe falsely spread a claim that several black men in Cork City were migrants "planted" by the government. The men referred to by Blighe were, in actuality, six members of the religious order from West Africa visiting their Irish counterparts
189:
In the latter half of 2022, Blighe attended and led anti-immigration protests in counties Dublin, Wicklow, Kerry, Waterford, and Cork. During this time period, he also began assembling an organisation known as "Ireland First", which organised through secret
253:), and linked migration to rape and violence. Blighe has spread false claims that children would be sharing buildings with refugees, something the Department of Integration later clarified was categorically false. He has posted videos suggesting Ireland's
289:
commented that the affair was a "ham-fisted attempt to stir up racial suspicion fell flat on its face, but the farce had a sinister edge — an attempt to promote the view that the mere sighting of black men is cause for alarm".
151:
Blighe became politically active in the spring of 2022, filming videos initially with an anti-lockdown focus before pivoting to anti-immigration as his main topic; targeting the arrival of
Ukrainian refugees fleeing the
78:, in which he acted as a self-described "citizen journalist". This involved him attending, filming and promoting anti-immigration protests across Ireland. As part of this activism, Blighe has promoted the
305:. The Garda press office stated that while a report had been made on 6 June of a suspicious adult male, none of the other details given by Blighe were accurate. One source within the GardaĂ told
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issued a statement countering Blighe after Blighe stated online it was "100% confirmed" that an 11-year-old girl had almost been kidnapped by a "foreign man" in
75:
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Blighe has stated
Ireland is being "assaulted" by "unvettable fake refugees". He has referred to immigration as a "plantation" (in reference to the
153:
613:
226:
52:
586:
148:. Blighe suggested that the government is purposefully replacing native Irish people with immigrants from Africa and the Middle East.
144:
Following his return to
Ireland in 2019, Blighe became active online and began professing conspiratorial views, such as endorsing the
82:
conspiracy theory as explaining the basis for immigration into
Ireland. In 2023, he became the leader of a registered political party
323:
On 23 November 2023, Blighe shared misinformation claiming that a girl who had been stabbed in Dublin earlier that day had died in a
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While living in Canada, Blighe met and married a
Canadian woman. She immigrated to Ireland with him and their children in 2019.
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He was sued in March 2024 in the High Court along with his party by a businessman from Fermoy for alleged defamation.
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have described Blighe using the
Ireland First telegram channel to radicalise his supporters with extremist language.
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that CCTV evidence seemed to suggest that no incident had occurred at all, much less one involving a "foreign man".
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Derek Blighe is a Cork-based far right social media personality who also bills himself as a 'citizen journalist'.
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114:. In 2001 Denis Blighe was active in defending refugees from criticism; he wrote a number of letters to the
773:"Cork religious leader hits out at video describing African Presentation Brothers as 'military-aged males'"
828:"Anti-migrant activist Derek Blighe seeks to have theft charge struck out due to 'personal difficulties'"
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237:
constituencies respectively. None of the
Ireland First candidates, including Blighe, were elected in the
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to the
Ireland First Telegram channel. In early 2023, Ireland First registered as a political party with
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political activist. A construction worker by trade, Blighe was an economic migrant to Canada during the
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156:. These videos soon brought him into contact with members of the Irish far-right, such as former
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745:"Debunked: No evidence for claims by anti-immigrant activist of attempted abduction in Kerry"
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102:. His father, Denis Blighe, was a trade unionist and supporter of the socialist politician
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After leaving secondary school, Blighe became a bricklayer. Following the collapse of the
8:
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164:. In August 2022, Blighe was amongst a number of protesters who taunted and jeered the
74:. Following his return to Ireland in 2019, Blighe became politically active during the
523:"Far right protesters aren't just in it for the cause - there's also money to be made"
714:"Fermoy latest town to be visited by anti-immigration campaigners and misinformation"
692:"'Put Her Back In The Kitchen' - The Disturbing Views Of An Irish Far-Right Agitator"
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559:"Ireland First: Inside the group chat of Ireland's latest far-right political party"
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was a "fake war publicised to encourage economic migrants to come to this country".
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801:"Dublin riots: How a mob in the capital turned to looting, arson and calls to kill"
393:"The making of a far-right agitator: From Irish emigrant to anti-refugee extremist"
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has reported that in 2022 Blighe shared a number of messages from British Neo-Nazi
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Ryan, Ă“rla; O'Connor, Niall; Raymond, Shane; Ryan, Nicky (2023-11-24).
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856:"Anti-immigration activist Derek Blighe being sued by Fermoy man"
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conspiracy that a "great replacement" is occurring in Ireland
667:"Candidates by Party - 2024 Local Elections - Ireland First"
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587:"Right-wing memes add fire to evolving extremist movement"
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Anti-immigration activism, Leader of the "Ireland First"
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Derek Blighe from Cork is another far-right activist
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268:In 2022 Blighe regularly claimed the
470:Cork far-right activist Derek Blighe
16:Irish political activist (born 1980)
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712:McAuley, Eimer (3 December 2022).
614:"Candidates for European Election"
557:Gallagher, Conor (12 March 2023).
521:McAuley, Eimer (5 February 2023).
14:
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280:In May 2023, the head of the
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915:Irish far-right politicians
618:Cork City Returning Officer
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208:The Phoenix
40:County Cork
894:Categories
867:2024-03-21
812:2023-11-27
698:2024-05-19
355:References
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