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Independent Ireland Party

Straight Talker

Do people think this party which is almost three years old can make a substantial impact on the Irish political landscape going forwards ? Some people seem to think they are a far right party, but to me Independent Ireland seem to be nothing like the National Party.

Independent Ireland seem to be a party for the rural/agricultural voter, and people like myself who want a change from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, but who would prefer not to vote Sinn Fein due to past IRA associations, and who also consider the Social Democrats and the Labour Party as too left wing and liberal, and the National Party as too right wing extremist etc.

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Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124525451#Comment_124525451

We did have a truly far right candidate in Galway West. AJ Cahill, not sure which fringe party. He got very few votes but I think transferred heavily to Thomas.

What bothered me about II was their nomination support for that religious loon Maria Steen in the presidential election. Iona would reintroduce mother and baby homes.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124525451#Comment_124525451

II has a mix of people from generic right of centre - their MEP sits with the grouping that the Liberal Democrats were in, and FF are in for example; and their nearest Councillor to me wanted to run for the Soc Dems for the Dáil 18 months ago - through to actually far right; and everything in between.

The existence of further-right, in some cases actual fascist, parties and reps that aren't II doesn't stop certain people in II being far right. And those certain people don't make other II reps far right, although it does make the party as a whole untrustworthy.

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124525431#Comment_124525431

Except he didn't really. From the first count it was obvious that Kyne was going to win. The problem with II (or at least Thomas particularly) is that they are transfer toxic. He picked up transfers from independents alright, but apart from a decent amount from aontu, none of the other party candidates transferred in his direction in any great numbers.

In a 1 seat election he didn't have a chance. But he will definitely be competitive in the general election though.

Arghus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124525431#Comment_124525431

Was there really that many people on Reddit saying that N Thomas had no chance?

He was favourite with many bookmakers and polling put him there or thereabouts consistently. He was always considered a strong candidate IMO - I posted here about 6-8 weeks ago that I thought he'd win. I live in Galway West and everyone around here expected him to be amongst the front runners.

He did come close and the amount of first preferences he got is not to be sniffed at at all. But, some things that were widely flagged from the beginning: whether he'd garner enough support in the City and how transfer friendly he'd be, eventually turned out to be key in the end.

You can look at it one way and say he did really well and showed that there's a potential seat there in the future.

But, you could also, equally, say that the fact he didn't get over the line, with a cost of living crisis rumbling on and against a government candidate - at a time when the government is very unpopular - isn't really that great in another sense either.

lumphammer2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124525723#Comment_124525723

Cahill was the Irish People IIRC …… thankfully get nowhere …… I think II ….. same goes for Aontu …… are half in half …… a mix of different ideologies but there is far right in the mix …….

Catherine Connolly voter here …… so was glad Maria Steen did not get a nomination …… her and the entire Iona Insitute plus that John Waters are lunatics …… they'd reintroduce a lot of that stuff if they could …..

That version of Ireland is in the genes of these ex Fianna Fail and 'independent Fianna Fail' types like Michaels Collins and Fitzmaurice and Richard O'Donoghue …… they want to go back to Dev ……

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124525751#Comment_124525751

II are a version of FF as said …… but more a version of the De Valera one as said ….. actual far right enter them too because they see they have no chance in the more obscure parties …… plus they saw how the far right were able to change the Republican Party in America post 9/11 bit by bit …… and that's why I too would not trust them ……

B2021M

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124522803#Comment_124522803

And? As a percentage of global emissions?!

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124525431#Comment_124525431

Pointing out to you that your weird baseless claim that Thomas had huge support from the city was wrong is not semantics, it's facts.

You could have made a post about he had support across the constituency and been right; but instead you decided to make a weird post crowing about non-existent support in the city for some reason.

Straight Talker

What was baseless was the claims on another platform that he had no chance in that by election.😉 The facts are that he stuck it right up to his critics, with a much bigger showing in that election than they were anticipating.

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124527926#Comment_124527926

Waste your climate denier drivel on someone else.

If you want to know, do your own research and stop asking to be spoonfed.

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124527981#Comment_124527981

Stuck it up to his critics 🙄 He still lost.

midlander12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124527981#Comment_124527981

Apart from some anonymous posters, who exactly made that claim? Thomas was favoured from the start to at least come second, though the general media consensus was that whoever was the strongest left-wing candidate would win on transfers. FG's Kyne was not even considered a contender until that opinion poll came out, which turned out to be quite accurate. Apart that it was framed as a contest between Thomas and Kyne, which it turned out to be.

Ultimately, after starting out barely 400 votes behind Thomas, Kyne gained nearly 10,000 transfer while Thomas gained 6.500. If it's any consolation Thomas will certainly win a seat in the GE, while Kyne may not as there's only one FG seat there.

B2021M

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124528092#Comment_124528092

Thanks for the insulting reply. We are tiny compared to larger country emissions and can have zero effect on any outcome.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124528505#Comment_124528505

Agree with all of above. The poll was surprisingly accurate too.

batman_oh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124532711#Comment_124532711

Par for the course - this poster constantly flings around the usual buzzwords and vitriol at anybody that doesn't subscribe fully to the dogma. The 'I am 100% correct and you are an idiot' tone is also commendable.

For Petes Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124528505#Comment_124528505

’though the general media consensus was that whoever was the strongest left-wing candidate would win on transfers.’

The media consensus was never this.

Show me where this was said, please.

Arghus

In other news:

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2026/06/08/independent-ireland-td-defends-high-number-of-pqs-submitted-as-concerns-raised-over-use-of-ai/

For Petes Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124533292#Comment_124533292

That fool is the worst of the lot. Constantly trying to bring culture war nonsense here.

Will never forget how perpetually offended he got over a drag queen having a laugh on a Mother's Day ad for Dublin Zoo, and most of the actual women in his comment section telling him to calm down.

Proper loser. No surprise he's using AI to write shitloads of pointless PQs which then takes time away from people trying to do their jobs.

B2021M

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124532959#Comment_124532959

An IQ close to 50!!!

Hangdogroad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124533292#Comment_124533292

A hypocrite and narcissist of the highest order that fella (KOF).

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124521545#Comment_124521545

🤣🤣🤣

Confirm what you want but the idea there are no far right TDs, Senators or Councillors in this country is drivel.

AllForIt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124536169#Comment_124536169

The far-left brought culture wars here. Mass immigration, DEI, 18 LGBT NGO's, anti-Zionism movent, antifa movement, etc. They even brought the far-right here. What an achievement - thanks a lot middle class cranks.

ancapailldorcha

Culture wars are right wing in origin: Men's rights, misogyny, racism, white supremacy, libertarianism, imperialism, anti-vaxx and free market sh*te. All to protect the corporate establishment from taxation and regulation.

Geuze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124568100#Comment_124568100

Please name them.

francois

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569209#Comment_124569209

the far left are not in power and it is only those whose brains are cooked from slurping up edge lord, hard right social media memes without a modicum of critical intelligence, nous or general cop on think this.

Geuze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124525723#Comment_124525723

He is better described as a nationalist, not far-right.

His website makes no mention of far right libertarian policies like cutting public spending and cutting taxes.

Indeed, quite the opposite, he wants more public spending, see below (my emphasis added).

A far-right person would want housing left to the market.

He wants more State intervention, therefore he is not libertarian.

SF also want more public housing built, he wants the same, but only Irish people to get the houses.

Nationalist is a better label.

Prioritising
- Irish People & families for social & affordable housing
- Irish People in mortgage approvals and
- Mortgage supports for local young people to buy and live locally
- State mortgages with zero interest for Irish families for buying family home or building family home
- House purchase credit for Irish abroad looking to return
Massive National building program on public lands.

scottser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569630#Comment_124569630

A nationalist would be in favour of equal rights for all citizens as a fundamental pillar if our nation. This guy however is an ethnonationalist. He believes in rights for Irish people but is only prepared to define 'Irish' in terms so narrow it renders the term redundant. To vote for this guy is to piss on our flag, constitution and society.

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569802#Comment_124569802

I don't believe a word of that tripe about helping Irish people. His lies are given away by the fact that he doesn't want to actually build any houses. As you say, it's just about ethnonationalism. He's a disgrace to his country.

Enduro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569630#Comment_124569630

So like a combination of nationalism and socialism then?

OneEightSeven

I won't vote for them due to their support for one-off housing. Us urban dwellers pay stealth taxes to subsidise these dwellings. The dispersed nature of homes in this country is the reason why we are the most expensive country for broadband line rental and it plays a significant role in us being the most expensive country for electricity. When falling trees and branches down power and phone lines, someone has to pay for the repairs - the cost falls back on the customers, and since electricity cables and phone lines are mostly buried underground in urban areas, we urban homeowners subsidising the repairs.

There are various other way that we subsidise their services, but I won't got into it.

Michael Fitzmaurice said one-off housing is culture. I didn't know Irish culture began in 1970s. The man not only looks like an ape but is about as intelligent as one too.

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124569209#Comment_124569209

Social media brought them here. Normal people don't speak about ngos or dei, dei wasn't a term mentioned here until the yanks started banging on about it.

Stay offline, go touch some grass, it'll help.