Burn Them Out!
A History of Fascism and the Far Right in Ireland
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Publishing:10th Apr '25
£16.99
This title is due to be published on 10th April, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

Timely and important, O’Ruairc reveals the forgotten history of the Irish far right from the 1920s up to the present, when secretive mobs are burning asylum centres and targeting politicians.
In November 2023, the Dublin riots shocked Ireland and the wider world. They were sparked by a knife attack by an immigrant on three children. Inflammatory online rumours spread in minutes. Part of the north inner city were wrecked, cars and buses torched, and protestors wreaked havoc on the streets for hours.
Until very recently, Ireland had prided itself on having escaped the wave of far-right, xenophobic populism now rampant throughout Europe. That complacency has been rudely challenged.
In Burn Them Out!, Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc explores the long history that has led to this pivotal moment. He uncovers the pervasive anti-Semitism of the Irish political elite in the 1920s and 30s, the energetic efforts of Mosley and other British fascists to extend their movement to the North of Ireland, the IRA’s alliance with Nazi Germany in the 40s and the many ultra-Catholic, anti-communist Irish movements that were millimetres away from fascism. He tells the story of exotic entities like the Fascio di Dublino, the Dublin branch of Mussolini's Fascist Party, and the Irish wing of Miss Rotha Lintorn-Orman's ‘British Fascisti’.
The openly-fascist Irish movement known as the Blueshirts, an offshoot and ally of the early Fine Gael, is looked at with fresh eyes, and its supporters’ statements about Jews now make for hair-raising reading. Many of its proponents went on to become pillars of the Irish political and cultural establishment. And the Catholic and nationalist Ailtirí na hAiséirghe (Architects of the Resurrection), a post-war sect, was in many ways a precursor of today’s Irish far right.
This is an essential book about an aspect of Irish history all too often swept under the carpet.
Start reading Ó Ruairc's excellent Burn Them Out and you’ll quickly feel the cold breeze of yesterday's extremism and the fascist fanatics who tried and failed to pollute our country. By the time you finish reading, you'll freeze in realisation that fascism is back in Ireland with a vengeance and wonder did it ever go away? * Niall Quinn, former Republic of Ireland and Manchester City footballer *
This timely and vital book illuminates the understudied topic of fascism in Ireland. Packed with fascinating stories, astute analysis and engaging prose, it is a valuable contribution to the history of fascism. Importantly, at a time when the international far right is once again on the rise, it is a reminder that fascism has always crossed borders with activists in one country learning from those in others. A fascinating and important lesson from history. * Dr Joe Mulhall, Director of Research at Hope Not Hate *
Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc brings his customary level of scholarship and passion to this sordid tale of historic far-right attempts to undermine Irish democracy. Essential reading for anyone who might be tempted to underestimate similar threats today. * Myles Dungan, author of Land Is All That Matters *
Essential reading for anyone who fears the rising tide of hatred and thuggery seen in recent years. * From the Foreword by Christy Moore *
Burn Them Out is a meticulously researched and compelling examination of the history of fascism in Ireland, a subject often overshadowed by the country’s broader political struggles. Ó Ruairc reconstructs the period’s political climate, illustrating the tensions between authoritarian tendencies and Ireland’s democratic institutions... If you want to understand the rise of the far right in Ireland, you need to read this book. * John Mooney, The Sunday Times *
This book makes an extraordinary contribution to our understanding of fringe politics in Ireland, shining a light on overlooked and underexplored organisations and protagonists. Reading Burn Them Out! is vital to understanding the Irish dimensions of European extremism from the 1920s to the modern day. * Donal Fallon, historian, author and host of the Three Castles Burning podcast *
ISBN: 9781035915279
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
336 pages