Irish far right may fail at the polls, but use social media effectively to spread hate, says research

UCC academics said that 'the goal of the far right in Ireland is to succeed in influencing metapolitics in creating distrust in mainstream institutions and political parties'

Anti-immigration protestors on Dublin's O'Connell Street last year. Academics in University College Cork said there has been 'an increase' in both far-right and extreme right-wing activity in Ireland in recent years - seen in online activism, street protests, and 'even violence'. File photo: Sasko Lazarov / © RollingNews.ie

The Irish far right may not be having success in national politics but it is using the online world to “build its base” and to spread “ideologies of hate”, according to new research.

Academics in University College Cork (UCC) said there has been “an increase” in both far-right and extreme right-wing activity in Ireland in recent years - seen in online activism, street protests, and “even violence”.