Irish nationalists and Northern Irish loyalists 'finding common ground' on immigration, research finds

People take part in an anti-immigration demonstration in Dublin, on June 22. The report says the 'overlap' between Republic-based nationalist activists and Northern Irish loyalist networks 'laid the groundwork for further collaboration' seen during protests in Ballymena and Limerick last month. Picture: PA

Irish nationalists and Northern Irish loyalists are "finding common ground" in anti-migrant protests, according to new research.

A new report from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) finds protests that began as "localised expressions of opposition have grown into a more structured movement, with actors from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland participating in shared demonstrations and messaging".

ISD’s research points to a number of instances where Irish nationalist and Northern Irish loyalist groups appeared side by side at protest events. In August last year, representatives from Coolock Says No, an anti-immigration protest group, travelled to Belfast to participate in anti-migrant protests in the wake of a stabbing attack in Southport, England.

The report says the "overlap" between Republic-based nationalist activists and Northern Irish loyalist networks "laid the groundwork for further collaboration" seen during protests in Ballymena and Limerick last month.

This convergence reflects a broader trend in which traditionally opposed groups coalesce around common narratives. 

"This was observed in ISD’s analysis of cross-ideological antisemitism following the October 7 attacks, where both Islamist and far-right actors amplified antisemitic conspiracy theories and tropes," the report's authors say.

The report says that some loyalist figures involved in these protests have "established ties to UK far-right and neo-Nazi networks", adding that Glen Kane, a former Loyalist paramilitary convicted of manslaughter for a sectarian killing in 1993 was present at an anti-migrant protest in Belfast 2024 alongside members of Coolock Says No, who had travelled from Dublin to participate. Protesters, the authors say, are increasingly crossing borders in both directions.

In the same year, Kane was charged under public order legislation for possessing publications intended to incite racial hatred, including British National Party (BNP) materials and merchandise related to Britain First.

"What stands out most is that groups who’ve historically been on opposite sides — Irish nationalists and Northern Irish loyalists—are now finding common ground in anti-migrant narratives,” said ISD hate and extremism analyst and author of the dispatch, Zoe Manzi.

It’s a major shift that shows old ideological lines are breaking down, replaced by shared grievances that are driving a growing and increasingly visible anti-migrant movement across the island.

It adds that a "diverse range of international actors — including neo-Nazi and far-right networks — is embedding Ireland’s domestic protests within wider global anti-migrant narratives".

During the unrest seen in Ballymena last month following reports of an attempted sexual assault, some within the online anti-migrant ecosystem in the Republic of Ireland echoed core grievances promoted by loyalist actors, the report adds. It said this "demonstrates how anti-migrant sentiment on digital platforms resonates across ideological divides".

It gives the example of Niall McConnell, a far-right activist and Independent election candidate from Donegal, who hosted Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) member Mark Sinclair on his Youtube channel at the height of the unrest.

The pair discussed setting aside historical differences to work against the perceived threat caused by immigration.