'I thought this was a cost-of-living protest': Migrants and chemtrails criticised at Dublin protest

Michelle Keane, an unsuccessful candidate in the 2024 local elections, addressed the gathering and called on Ireland’s borders to be closed, said there was 'no room for Islam in Ireland', and called on people to use Catholic churches more often.

A group of around 100 protesters who gathered on O’Connell Street for what was billed as a cost-of-living protest heard speakers criticise immigration and the EU.

The demonstration, organised by Kerry woman Michelle Keane, an unsuccessful candidate in the 2024 local elections, also heard criticism of safety in taxis, vaccines and chemtrails from various speakers.

Ms Keane called on Ireland’s borders to be closed, said there was “no room for Islam in Ireland”, and called on people to use Catholic churches more often.

“We need to close the borders now,” she told the crowd at the Daniel O’Connell monument. “We want all the Muslims gone out of this country, we’re not racist, we’re not far-right, we’re Irish people.

“We may never unite in Ireland north and south, but we do agree on one thing, there is no room for Islam north and south of this island.” 

One woman interjected to say “shame on the priests telling us to welcome everybody”.

Ms Keane also criticised James Geoghegan and John Dallon, spokesmen for the fuel protest blockade in Dublin in April, for not supporting the protest organised on Monday.

“We will not bow to Simon Harris, we will not bow to Micheál Martin and the message to the unelected, globalist bureaucrats in Europe: we want out of Europe, 90% of the Irish people want to be out of Europe.” 

Polls have estimated a high level of support among Irish people for the EU since Brexit; a Eurobarometer report estimated that 75% have a positive image of the EU.

After calling the GAA “complicit in everything” and criticising the jihadist militant group Boko Haram, Kildare councillor Tom McDonnell said: “Our problems here at the minute is feeding our children, driving to work, the cost of living is outrageous and we’re contributing to our invasion."

Mr McDonnell, who drew criticism for saying women needed to “breed” more after being elected in 2024, compared criticism of Ms Keane to "misogyny".

“I said to the women of this country we need more babies, we don’t need to be outnumbered by Islam,” he told the crowd.

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He also accused Dublin City Council of “working against the people of this country” and said “you’ll see pride flags you won’t see any Irish flags” in the O’Connell Street area.

Some protesters carried tricolour and ‘Erin go Bragh’ flags, wore camouflage vests and hats, and wore clothes bearing ‘Ireland’ and shamrock emblems.

One man attending the protest said, while a speaker voiced concerns about safety in taxis for several minutes, “I thought this was a cost-of-living protest, this is ridiculous”.

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