Irish Freedom Party
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The Irish Freedom Party sometimes referred to as IFP and initially known as the Irexit Freedom To Prosper Party, is a minor
far-right Far-right politics, often termed right-wing extremism, encompasses a range of ideologies that are marked by ultraconservatism, authoritarianism, ultranationalism, and nativism. This political spectrum situates itself on the far end of the ...
, hard Eurosceptic political party in
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
, launched on 8 September 2018. It advocates Irish withdrawal from the European Union. The party was founded by Hermann Kelly, former Director of Communications for
Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD or EFD²) was a Eurosceptic and populist political group in the European Parliament. The EFDD group was a continuation for the Eighth European Parliament of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) ...
. In May 2025, party members passed a motion to remove Kelly as president and create a three-person committee to lead unity talks with other nationalist parties. The party then elected a new committee.


History


Formation

On 3 February 2018 an ' Irexit' conference was held in the
Royal Dublin Society The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) () is an Irish philanthropic organisation and members club which was founded as the 'Dublin Society' on 25 June 1731 with the aim to see Ireland thrive culturally and economically. It was long active as a learned ...
in Dublin, advocating an Irish withdrawal from the European Union. It was attended by former
UKIP The UK Independence Party (UKIP, ) is a Eurosceptic, right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. The party reached its greatest level of success in the mid-2010s, when it gained two Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), member ...
leader
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, author and columnist
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and academics Anthony Coughlan and Karen Devine. Approximately 600 people attended. On 8 September 2018, a conference was held in the Bonnington Hotel in Dublin to launch the new party. Independent guest speakers at the launch included former Ambassador of Ireland to Canada Ray Bassett, and Professor Ray Kinsella, a
University College Dublin University College Dublin (), commonly referred to as UCD, is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 38,417 students, it is Ireland's largest ...
economist. Approximately 400 people attended the event. Following its launch, the party held several regional public meetings, including one in Raheen, County Limerick during which broadcaster George Hook spoke about the "politically correct" Irish media. A hotel in
Tralee Tralee ( ; , ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the River Lee') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in ...
which received multiple critical phone calls for hosting an Irish Freedom Party meeting, gave a statement to the ''Irish Independent'' affirming their commitment to hosting the meeting, saying "If it was a racist group or something that was socially unacceptable then we wouldn't be hosting it." In late March 2019, the organisation launched a nationwide billboard campaign ahead of the European elections, reportedly funded by members of the party. Sources from the Irish advertising industry estimated that this may have cost up to €40,000. The party did not answer questions from ''
The Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It was launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is Ireland's leading n ...
'' about whether the donations received are in line with Standards in Public Office (SIPO) Commission guidelines. Under those guidelines, a third party must register with the Commission if a donation exceeding €100 is accepted which is directed towards a political purpose. The party had not registered as a third party with SIPO.


Public demonstrations

The Irish Freedom Party has organised and participated in a number of public demonstrations since its formation. Supporters of the group were reported to have used
4chan 4chan is an anonymous English-language imageboard website. Launched by Christopher "moot" Poole in October 2003, the site hosts boards dedicated to a wide variety of topics, from video games and television to literature, cooking, weapons, mu ...
to organise a rally in protest of Ireland's acceptance of the UN Migration Pact, outside
Leinster House Leinster House () is the seat of the Oireachtas, the parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Originally, it was the ducal palace of the Duke of Leinster, Dukes of Leinster. Since 1922, it has been a complex of buildings which houses Oirea ...
in December 2018. The rally was noted for drawing a counter-demonstration organised by
People Before Profit People Before Profit (, PBP) is a Trotskyist political party formed in October 2005. The party is active in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. History As Socialist Environmental Alliance People Before Profit was established in 200 ...
, and attended by its party leader Richard Boyd Barrett. Gardaí estimated attendance at 250. In October 2019, it was reported that leaders of the IFP, along with other groups were assisting in the organisation of protests in
Oughterard Oughterard () is a small town on the banks of the Owenriff River close to the western shore of Lough Corrib in Connemara, County Galway, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located about northwest of Galway on the N59 road (Ireland), N59 road. ...
Galway against the founding a direct provision centre. Up to 2,000 were estimated to have marched in the protest. A similar smaller protest in
Monaghan Monaghan ( ; ) is the county town of County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It also provides the name of its Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish and Monaghan (barony), Monaghan barony. The population of the town as of the 2022 cen ...
Ireland was said to have been "endorsed by Irish Freedom Party Leaders". In late 2019, the Irish Freedom Party, along with Renua and Yellow Vest Ireland organised two "free speech rallies", again outside Leinster House, in protest of proposed legislation by then Justice Minister
Charles Flanagan Charles Flanagan (born 1 November 1956) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Justice and Equality from 2017 to 2020, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence from 2020 to 2024, Minister for Foreign A ...
to update laws regarding hate speech. The former taking place in November, included speakers such as Ben Gilroy, columnist Ian O'Doherty and Dolores Cahill. The latter of the two rallies in December saw a sizeable counter demonstration from a collection of trade unions, faith groups and anti-racism organisations. Several hundred were estimated to have attended both the rally and counterdemonstration, with three arrests being made following scuffles between the two sides. In February 2020, members of Irish Freedom Party attended another "free speech" rally. This rally drew an estimated crowd size of 100 before being broken up by Gardaí due to violent clashes with counter-protestors, resulting in three more arrests. Party president Hermann Kelly claimed none of the members of the "free speech" protest were involved in violence. In July 2020, IFP along with Renua and The National Party, organised and participated in a protest against the appointment of
Roderic O'Gorman Roderic O'Gorman (born 12 December 1981) is an Irish Green Party politician who has served as leader of the Green Party since July 2024. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin West constituency since 2020. He previously served as Mini ...
as Children's Minister for the new Government. Speakers for the rally included Irish actor John Connors and Justin Barrett. The groups involved called the protest after a photo surfaced of O'Gorman alongside gay rights activist
Peter Tatchell Peter Gary Tatchell (born 25 January 1952) is an Australian-born British human rights campaigner, best known for his work with LGBT social movements. Tatchell was selected as the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party's Parliament of the United Kingdo ...
, who has been forced to defend comments he made in 1997 in which he spoke about sex between adults and children. The rally was condemned by many as homophobic and for the inclusion of nooses on National Party banners and placards. John Connors later publicly apologised for his attendance to which O'Gorman accepted, clarifying that the photo in question was the only time he had met Tatchell, and that he was previously unaware of his controversial comments. Scuffles occurred with a small counterdemonstration, which was broken up by Gardai. No arrests were made. Further protests rallies against Irish lockdown restrictions were organised and participated in from summer 2020 into 2021. Former chairperson Dolores Cahill and current chairperson Michael Leahy both spoke to a large crowd outside The Custom House, Dublin in August. They would return on two more occasions to the Custom House for a march through the Dublin city centre in September, and another anti-lockdown rally in November, the latter featuring Kevin Sharkey as a speaker. In July 2021, Irish Freedom Party were among thousands who attended two protests against vaccine passports outside the
Convention Centre Dublin The Convention Centre Dublin () is a convention centre in the Dublin Docklands, Ireland. The Convention centre overlooks the River Liffey at Spencer Dock. It was designed by the Irish-born American architect Kevin Roche. Construction started i ...
, which was temporarily housing the
Oireachtas The Oireachtas ( ; ), sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the Bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of the president of Ireland and the two houses of the Oireachtas (): a house ...
. Candidate for the party in the 2020 General Election, Ben Gilroy was among the speakers. A protest organised by the party in Limerick in December 2021 was reportedly dispersed after being challenged by up to 100 counter-protesters, reported to be mostly "young people with Pride flags". Gardaí dispersed the rally after scuffles broke out. The party returned to the same site in March 2022 to host another rally and were met by a counter-demonstration again, however no violence occurred. In 2024, it launched a group, ''Sinne na Daoine'' (Irish for "we the people"), which engages in anti-immigration "patrols" across Ireland. Party leader Hermann Kelly has described Sinne na Daoine as a "
vigilante Vigilantism () is the act of preventing, investigating, and punishing perceived offenses and crimes without legal authority. A vigilante is a person who practices or partakes in vigilantism, or undertakes public safety and retributive justice ...
group".


Elections

In advance of the
2019 European Parliament election The 2019 European Parliament election was held in the European Union (EU) between 23 and 26 May 2019. It was the ninth parliamentary election since the first direct elections in 1979. A total of 751 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) we ...
, the party reportedly "botched their arty registrationapplication" by failing to "tick its own box". Hermann Kelly admitted their application was rejected because of a mistake made by the party and that it would need to resubmit the form. As a result, it was not registered as a political party before the deadline for nominations in the 2019 European elections (15 April 2019), and so candidates it had planned to put forward under the Irish Freedom Party name had to list themselves as
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
s. Hermann Kelly ran in the
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
constituency, while party chairperson Dolores Cahill ran in the
South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
constituency. Neither candidate was elected, with party leader Herman Kelly receiving 2,441 (0.67%) first preference votes, and Cahill receiving 10,582 (1.47%) first preference votes. The party's registration was subsequently completed, and the Irish Freedom Party (IFP) was included on the Register of Political Parties as of 13 June 2019. The Irish Freedom Party contested its first election as a registered political party in the 2019 Wexford by-election, running Melissa O'Neill, a former member of
Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( ; ; ) is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The History of Sinn Féin, original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffit ...
who served on
Kilkenny County Council Kilkenny County Council () is the local authority of County Kilkenny, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban planning ...
from 2014 to 2019. She received 489 (1.2%) first preference votes and was eliminated on the first count. Party member Conor Rafferty ran in Mid Ulster in the 2019 UK General Election, as an independent since the party is unregistered in Northern Ireland, receiving 690 votes (1.5%). The party fielded 11 candidates in the 2020 Irish general election, with none being elected. Candidates received a share of first preference votes between 0.19% (119 votes) and 2.06% (956 votes) in their respective constituencies. Party chairperson Dolores Cahill came second-last in the Tipperary constituency with 0.6% of first preference votes (521 votes). In March 2021, Cahill was asked to leave her position in the party and resigned as party chairperson. In July of that year she went on to stand unsuccessfully as a non-party candidate, in the 2021 Dublin Bay South by-election, receiving 0.6% of first preference votes (169 votes). The party fielded 3 candidates in the 2024 European Parliament elections, with none being elected. Candidates received 29,709 (1.7%) first preference votes. In the 2024 Irish local elections, the party got its first elected representative when Glen Moore was elected to
South Dublin County Council South Dublin County Council () is the local authority of the county of South Dublin, Ireland. It is one of three local authorities created by the Local Government (Dublin) Act 1993 to succeed the former Dublin County Council before its abolitio ...
for the Palmerstown-Fonthill area. However, in a Tweet dated to February 2025, Moore stated that he had resigned from the party citing disagreements with Herman Kelly's leadership and encouraging remaining members to join "other political parties that represent their values".


Position regarding vaccines and lockdown

During the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
in 2020, the Irish Freedom Party organised and had a number of representatives speak at multiple large anti-vaccination and anti-lockdown rallies. One rally, held outside the Dublin
Custom House A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting ...
in August at which Ben Gilroy and Dolores Cahill spoke, was attended by "hundreds" and reported to have passed off mostly peacefully, despite some instances of violence between attendees and counter protestors, after which four were arrested. Cahill, who was then a non-lecturing professor of
translational medicine Translational medicine (often called translational science, of which it is a form) develops the clinical practice applications of the basic science aspects of the biomedical sciences; that is, it translates basic science to applied science in me ...
at University College Dublin, also spoke at an anti-vaccination and anti-lockdown event in London, which later lead to a warrant for her arrest in the UK. In a video, published in May 2020 but later removed by YouTube, she claimed that COVID-19 could be cured or curtailed by "eating healthily and taking vitamins C and D", that there was "no need for a vaccine" because people who recover have life-long immunity, and advocated using
hydroxychloroquine Hydroxychloroquine, sold under the brand name Plaquenil among others, is a medication used to prevent and treat malaria in areas where malaria remains sensitive to chloroquine. Other uses include treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, an ...
and
ivermectin Ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug. After its discovery in 1975, its first uses were in veterinary medicine to prevent and treat heartworm and acariasis. Approved for human use in 1987, it is used to treat infestations including head lice ...
as COVID-19 treatments. The party "agreed to accept ahill'sresignation" several days after it sent a letter to Cahill about her unsubstantiated statements, including those made at an anti-lockdown rally about "children who wore face masks .being starved of oxygen and would have lower IQ" and "globalists .pulling down the masks ecauseoxygen-deprived people are easier to manipulate". Cahill's replacement, Michael Leahy, stated that Cahill "was making certain pronouncements that we felt we couldn't stand over and .it resulted in her resignation". A correspondence obtained by the Irish Independent later found that Cahill had been asked for her resignation. In 2021, IFP joint-published a
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
information leaflet (with Direct Democracy Ireland and Renua) advocating against the use of lockdowns as a means of controlling a virus which the leaflet stated was "harmless to the vast majority". A fact check from TheJournal.ie stated that these claims were "misleading and false".


Controversies


Fake candidate

In early March 2019, a number of regional newspapers reported that a party-member named 'Mairead Donovan' was listed on the organisation's website, and would be running as a candidate for local elections for
Kerry County Council Kerry County Council () is the Local government in the Republic of Ireland, local authority of County Kerry, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and community, roa ...
. The Ireland edition of ''The Times'' later reported that the candidate did not exist, and that the website image was a stock photograph. In responding to these reports, party spokesperson Hermann Kelly acknowledged the mistake and fault in allowing the placeholder profile and stock imagery to be published on the website, and clarified that the group was not planning to run any candidates in local elections.


Dolores Cahill

Prior to her resignation from IFP in March 2021, party chairperson Dolores Cahill stoked anger for hosting a party, amid Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, of up to 60 guests at her castle in
Athy Athy ( ; ) is a market town at the meeting of the River Barrow and the Grand Canal in south-west County Kildare, Ireland, 72 kilometres southwest of Dublin. A population of 11,035 (as of the 2022 census) made it the sixth largest town in Kil ...
Kildare. Cahill also promoted COVID-19 related conspiracy theories, stating that "globalists" pushed for mandatory mask wearing because "oxygen-deprived people are easier to manipulate".


Confrontation at rallies in Limerick

In December 2021, the party organised a rally in Bedford Row, Limerick city which attracted approximately 100 counter-protestors. It was alleged that an IFP supporter tried to tear an LGBT flag from the hands of a counter-protestor and shouted homophobic slurs and made death threats. The IFP held another rally in Limerick in March 2022, which was "drowned out" by approximately 100 counter-protestors, many of whom carried LGBT flags. Following the disruptions, IFP chairman Michael Leahy rejected claims the IFP are homophobic and said the LGBT rainbow flag was "beautiful" and "symbolises acceptance of diversity and unity in difference". He accused the anti-fascist counter-protestors of themselves engaging in "fascist tactics".


Links to far-right terrorist conspiracy in Germany

The party has links to far-right German judge Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, who was arrested in December 2022 as part of a series of arrests by the German government as part of a crackdown against a conspiracy to launch a coup d'état and install an imperial dictatorship in Germany. The movement behind the plot has been described as "a loose alliance of neo-Nazis and conspiracy theorists who deny the legitimacy of the modern German state". Malsack-Winkemann spoke at an Irish Freedom Party event in August 2020, after which Hermann Kelly entertained her and her daughter by showing them the Celtic high crosses at Monasterboice. They were also photographed outside a pub. In May 2021, Kelly took part in a two-hour discussion with Ms Malsack-Winkemann and another AfD Bundestag member, Norbert Kleinwächter. They discussed opposition to Covid lockdown measures and arguments in favour of leaving the European Union.


Candidate charged with possession of knife

A candidate from the IFP, Paul Fitzsimons, who was contesting the 2024 Fingal County Council elections in Ongar, was charged with public order offences and possession of a knife at a protest in Dublin in February 2024. As he was "running in the local election", Fitzsimons reportedly requested that the related court hearing be set to a date after the June 2024 elections. As of June 2024, a court date had been set for November 2024.


Ideology

Aside from advocating an exit from the EU, the party states that it is a "patriotic party" which is " pro-natalist and supportive of stable families for procreation". The party has published policies in favour of preserving freedom of speech and association. On economic policy, the IFP supports reduced government spending and lower taxes, It advocates independence from "either
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
or Brussels", desiring to leave the EU and to re-unify Ireland by consent. It advocates "zero tolerance" of corruption and the "separation of powers" in the state.


Climate policy

Party chairman, Michael Leahy has stated that he is " sceptical of climate change," calling it "hyper alarmism." He however says he is in favour "
alternative energy Renewable energy (also called green energy) is energy made from renewable resource, renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human lifetime, human timescale. The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy, wind pow ...
sources because we are running out of fossil fuels". The party is opposed to the carbon tax.


Great Replacement conspiracy theory

Some commentators have linked party leader Hermann Kelly with
alt-right The alt-right (abbreviated from alternative right) is a Far-right politics, far-right, White nationalism, white nationalist movement. A largely Internet activism, online phenomenon, the alt-right originated in the United States during the late ...
ideologies, pointing to a YouTube interview in which Kelly appeared in 2018 alongside
far-right Far-right politics, often termed right-wing extremism, encompasses a range of ideologies that are marked by ultraconservatism, authoritarianism, ultranationalism, and nativism. This political spectrum situates itself on the far end of the ...
activist and former
British National Party The British National Party (BNP) is a Far-right politics, far-right, British fascism, fascist list of political parties in the United Kingdom, political party in the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in Wigton, Cumbria, and is led by Adam ...
member Jim Dowson. In the video Kelly said "The first thing they want to do is kill Irish kids and heywant to replace them with every nationality who wants to come into our country", a statement which several news outlets associated with the
great replacement The Great Replacement (), also known as replacement theory or great replacement theory, is a debunked white nationalist far-right conspiracy theoryPT71. espoused by French author Renaud Camus. The original theory states that, with the complicit ...
conspiracy theory. In 2019, Kelly stated that "those talking about a Great Replacement in Ireland have a point", and in an interview with '' LifeSiteNews'', referred to what he called the "great replacement of our children". Kelly later stated that he believes in "one human race" and has not supported "theories of racial superiority".


Vaccines

Hermann Kelly has been described as "waging a war" against mandatory vaccinations and vaccination certificates. As of 2021, he was serving as press officer to Romanian MEP Cristian Terheș of the
European Conservatives and Reformists European Conservatives and Reformists may refer to: *European Conservatives and Reformists Party (ECR Party), a soft Eurosceptic European political party *European Conservatives and Reformists Group The European Conservatives and Reformists ...
group, who consistently declined to show proof of vaccination upon entering the
European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...
.


LGBT rights

The party has been accused of promoting an anti-LGBT, homophobic and conspiracy agenda, including by the Global Project against Hate and Extremism. IFP chairman Michael Leahy has rejected this claim and stated that the group has "no policy whatever in regard to discrimination against homosexuals".


Election results


Dáil Éireann


European Parliament


Local elections


References


External links

* {{Political parties in Ireland, state=collapsed 2018 establishments in Ireland Eurosceptic parties in Ireland Far-right politics in Ireland Irish nationalist parties Political parties established in 2018 Political parties in the Republic of Ireland Right-wing parties in Europe