Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
Pictured is a burned damaged Luas carriage on O'Connell Street in Dublin after the riots.
Analysis
Larry Donnelly The Dublin riots triggered middle Ireland and its voters - politicians take heed
Our columnist says last week’s ‘Black Thursday’ means voters will now be placing immigration and law and order back on the political agenda.
7.57am, 1 Dec 2023
27.0k
HAVING COME INTO the city centre for a panel discussion on what it means to be an American in Ireland on Thanksgiving on Andrea Gilligan’s Newstalk programme, I was travelling home when I discovered that young children and a member of staff had been stabbed outside their Gaelscoil in Dublin 1.
Like virtually everyone in this country, my thoughts immediately focused to the victims of such a horrific incident that we didn’t imagine would take place on Irish soil. The collective sense of shock startled my brother who was visiting from Boston. Sadly, this kind of thing happens so routinely in the United States that he was surprised at our natural human reaction.
While rumours as to the identity of the attacker flew around social media, my transatlantic family sought to enjoy the quintessential American holiday 3,000 miles away. But as the afternoon turned to evening, it was impossible to avert our eyes from the dreadful scenes of violence and rioting that were unfolding first on our phones, then on our radio and television.
‘This is not us’
My brother was stunned at the apparent impotence of the Gardaí, seemingly unable to stop despicable deeds. This has been the subject of much commentary and criticism. On the other hand, I cannot help but feel that if these events had transpired in the country of my birth, the police would have shot numerous offenders, who had varying degrees of culpability.
Whatever the accuracy of the mantra, “this is not us,” which has been oft-employed when describing what occurred, police officers opening fire on a mob in Dublin – as unruly, menacing and destructive as they were – is definitely not us.
It has been said since that the repercussions of this bleak moment in the history of the capital city and of this country will be felt for the foreseeable future, and in countless ways. There has been plenty of debate in the media about what caused such tumult in the north inner city.
Advertisement
The insidious forces of the far right have been named as most blameworthy by some, especially those on the left, for the campaign of hatred they have been waging just beneath the surface targeting all who are not sufficiently Irish in their eyes. Others have asserted that the failure of successive governments to engage with and invest in disadvantaged communities in Dublin has denied prospects and purpose to generations of residents. Accordingly, this infamous Thursday was an inevitability.
And some posit it is primarily attributable to hooliganism, pure and simple. They do not believe the disaffected young men who intimidate and attack tourists and passers-by, sell and use drugs openly and commit petty theft are deserving of compassion. Many in this latter camp have stressed their own humble roots and the fact that it did not drive them to criminality.
To an extent, they all have a point. No one, though, has a monopoly on the whole truth when it comes to trying to explain comprehensively why all hell broke loose, initially around O’Connell Street and subsequently more broadly, as word of the stabbing and the ethnic origin of the alleged perpetrator spread.
Who are the voters?
Looking ahead, it is evident that 23 November will have a considerable effect on our politics. Please bear with me as I hypothesise about what it could translate into, at one level and without specific regard, for once, to Sinn Féin, which is facing renewed pressure from discordant elements within its base. My guess is that two issues have joined housing, health and the economy on voters’ priority list: immigration and law and order. The latter probably surpassed the former as Dublin heaved.
I suspect that these two topics are also moving to the fore for a substantial segment of the electorate who, whether urban or rural, are fortunate to own their own dwelling, who have private health insurance plans and who are financially comfortable enough that the increased cost of living is irritating, not crippling. This cohort is absolutely not homogenous in their disposition, yet based on abundant personal experience and some polling data, what follows are pretty prevalent sentiments. And there is one crucial political certainty: they vote.
They recoil at the mere mention of the far right; they lament the chaos ushered in by Brexit in the United Kingdom; they abhor Donald Trump and what has become of the US.
But simultaneously, they are among the majority who think that Ireland has admitted too many people over the past few years.
“Where are they going to live? We can’t even house our own?” They do not ask these questions out of actual malice, lots of them having emigrated to the four corners of the globe in the past. They see housing as an intractable problem. To them, allowing in more immigrants is both exacerbating the difficulty and unfair to the foreigners pursuing an opportunity, as they themselves had.
They are generally on the side of An Garda Síochána and favour the concept of law and order. They are sympathetic to the claims made by Gardaí with whom they are acquainted, no matter their veracity, that their hands are tied and that they can’t do “real policing”.
The Gardaí tell them they are stuck in a station doing paperwork or risk destroying their careers if they crack the whip when on duty.
Read Next
Related Reads
Prof Donncha O’Connell: We need a calm and measured assessment of policing after the riots
Opinion: The riots were a scaled-up version of what we migrants face every day in Ireland
'Fear like never before': 21 readers on how the Dublin riots affected them
They deem sections of cities and big towns “no go” areas and remember wistfully the great times they had in spots they now would not dream of venturing to after dark. They want more, better-equipped cops on the streets. They contend that the criminal justice system is broken – that those convicted are regularly let off with light sentences; that, for instance, life should mean life.
The most significant political impact of “Black Thursday” may prove the cementing of these already firm opinions in their hearts and minds. My hunch is that these typically centrist voters, many of whom identify with Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil, are going to pose tough questions to and demand detailed answers from elected officials and aspirants who knock on their doors whenever the next general election is called, as well as in the 2024 local and European contests. If they don’t appreciate the content of the replies they receive, they will find it elsewhere.
The need for law and order and a societal “conversation” on immigration will feature prominently in the messaging of independent candidates in every constituency.
Consequently – and because, as several in their ranks have indicated to me, they have been hearing concerns about and “getting it in the neck” over law and order and immigration for months – Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael politicians will be responsive, at least rhetorically, to those on whose support they depend.
In this milieu, and without taking into account Sinn Féin’s current position and the fashion in which the popular party might pivot, Irish politics could be pushed rightward by a terrible day that no one is thankful for.
Larry Donnelly is a Boston lawyer, a Law Lecturer at the University of Galway and a political columnist with TheJournal.ie.
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Mick O'Dwyer, legendary Kerry GAA manager and footballer, has died aged 88
Updated
1 hr ago
21.7k
26
Live Blog
World leaders slam Trump tariffs as EU insists it's 'not too late' for negotiations
Updated
25 mins ago
13.4k
As it happened
Trump hits EU goods with 20% tariff and rails against foreigners 'pillaging' US
Updated
12 hrs ago
115k
208
Your Cookies. Your Choice.
Cookies help provide our news service while also enabling the advertising needed to fund this work.
We categorise cookies as Necessary, Performance (used to analyse the site performance) and Targeting (used to target advertising which helps us keep this service free).
We and our 161 partners store and access personal data, like browsing data or unique identifiers, on your device. Selecting Accept All enables tracking technologies to support the purposes shown under we and our partners process data to provide. If trackers are disabled, some content and ads you see may not be as relevant to you. You can resurface this menu to change your choices or withdraw consent at any time by clicking the Cookie Preferences link on the bottom of the webpage .Your choices will have effect within our Website. For more details, refer to our Privacy Policy.
We and our vendors process data for the following purposes:
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
Cookies Preference Centre
We process your data to deliver content or advertisements and measure the delivery of such content or advertisements to extract insights about our website. We share this information with our partners on the basis of consent. You may exercise your right to consent, based on a specific purpose below or at a partner level in the link under each purpose. Some vendors may process your data based on their legitimate interests, which does not require your consent. You cannot object to tracking technologies placed to ensure security, prevent fraud, fix errors, or deliver and present advertising and content, and precise geolocation data and active scanning of device characteristics for identification may be used to support this purpose. This exception does not apply to targeted advertising. These choices will be signaled to our vendors participating in the Transparency and Consent Framework.
Manage Consent Preferences
Necessary Cookies
Always Active
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Store and/or access information on a device 110 partners can use this purpose
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development 143 partners can use this purpose
Use limited data to select advertising 113 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Create profiles for personalised advertising 83 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Use profiles to select personalised advertising 83 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Create profiles to personalise content 39 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Use profiles to select personalised content 35 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Measure advertising performance 134 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Measure content performance 61 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources 74 partners can use this purpose
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Develop and improve services 83 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Use limited data to select content 37 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
Use precise geolocation data 46 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Actively scan device characteristics for identification 27 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Ensure security, prevent and detect fraud, and fix errors 92 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Deliver and present advertising and content 99 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Match and combine data from other data sources 72 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Link different devices 53 partners can use this feature
Always Active
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Identify devices based on information transmitted automatically 88 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
Save and communicate privacy choices 69 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
have your say