Philip Dwyer

Dwyer stood as a candidate for the National Party in the 2020 Irish general election where he achieved 508 first-preference votes, 0.8% of the vote.{{Cite web |title=ElectionsIreland.org: Philip Dwyer |url=https://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=11972 |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=electionsireland.org}} Dwyer formed the "Men of Ireland Trek" in 2020 which went on hiking expeditions in Ireland.{{Cite web |title=The making of a far-right agitator: From Irish emigrant to anti-refugee extremist |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/03/11/profiling-an-unlikely-far-right-irish-activist-who-is-seeking-to-stir-anger-toward-immigrants/ |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}

Dwyer faced criticism when he laid a wreath from "the Men of Ireland" at the grave of Ashling Murphy, the Tullamore schoolteacher who was killed in January 2022. He then gave a speech at the graveside, saying Murphy's death had been "used as a weapon" by the government, media and NGOs to "distort the truth" about her killing.{{Cite news |last=Donelly |first=Beau |date=27 November 2022 |title=The right-wing activists who flocked to East Wall protests and fuel misinformation |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/the-right-wing-activists-who-flocked-to-east-wall-protests-and-fuel-misinformation-c3pnwkhgp |access-date=2023-05-18 |issn=0140-0460 |url-access=subscription |work=The Times}} Dwyer announced he had been expelled from the National Party due to his involvement in the stunt.{{Citation |title=Iniúchadh TG4 - Céad Míle Fáilte? {{!}} Player {{!}} TG4 {{!}} Irish Television Channel, Súil Eile |url=https://www.tg4.ie/en/player/categories/news-stories/play/?pid=6322571265112&title=C%C3%A9ad%20M%C3%ADle%20F%C3%A1ilte?&series=Ini%C3%BAchadh%20TG4&genre=Cursai%20Reatha&pcode=654083 |access-date=2023-05-18 |language=en-ie}}{{cite news |last=Hosford |first=Paul |date=29 July 2023 |title=The National Party's gold bars signal a disturbing reality about far-right groups in Ireland |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-41192914.html |work=Irish Examiner |location= |access-date=5 October 2023 |quote=Prominent party member Philip Dwyer was removed from the party after a vigil was held at the grave of murdered schoolteacher Aisling Murphy, though Mr Dwyer would claim that this was a pretense used to oust him after he raised issues about inaction within the party.}} His departure was described in the Irish Times as part of "an internal quarrel".{{cite news |last=Gallagher |first=Conor |date=3 December 2022 |title=This is going in a bad direction: Struggle to control narrative over asylum seeker protests in East Wall |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2022/12/03/in-east-wall-a-struggle-to-control-the-narrative-over-asylum-seeker-protests/ |work=The Irish Times |location= |access-date=19 May 2023 |url-access=subscription |quote=Other far-right activists who travelled to East Wall include Philip Dwyer, who left the anti-immigration National Party earlier this year following an internal quarrel. He received widespread criticism in February after making a speech at the graveside of Ashling Murphy who was murdered in Co Offaly last year.}} The Phoenix reported that Dwyer was seen as a rival to Justin Barrett's leadership of the party, having "built up a vibrant following with his live-streaming and Men of Ireland hikes". It was reported that Barrett expelled Dwyer at a party meeting in the Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise, in February 2022. This led to "rancour" and "some resignations".{{Cite web |date=1 December 2022 |title='Nazis And Nutters' |url=https://www.thephoenix.ie/article/nazis-and-nutters-national-party-ard-fheis/ |access-date=2023-05-18 |work=The Phoenix |language=en-IE |url-access=subscription}}

Dwyer was a participant in anti-immigration protests at East Wall, Dublin in winter 2022, where he filmed live streams warning against the "invasion of Ireland".{{Cite web |last=Connor |first=Ciarán O' |date=2022-12-04 |title=Ireland's far-right pushes its 'invasion' propaganda |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-41020730.html |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Irish Examiner |language=en}} Dwyer regularly shares reports of alleged incidents involving migrants, or the persecution of protestors, often without any evidence.{{Cite web |last=McAuley |first=Eimer |date=2023-02-05 |title=Far right protesters aren't just in it for the cause - there's also money to be made |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/far-right-money-making-5986480-Feb2023/ |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=TheJournal.ie |language=en}}

Dwyer later joined Ireland First;{{cite news |last= |first= |date=29 June 2023 |title=Incitement To Hate Consequences |url=https://www.thephoenix.ie/article/incitement-to-hate-consequences-james-allchurch/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=5 October 2023 |work=The Phoenix |location= |quote=Members of the far right, Ireland First's Philip Dwyer and Derek Blighe}} he first met its leader Derek Blighe on a hike on Djouce Mountain in County Wicklow, where Blighe impressed him by getting to the summit even though he was on crutches.

Attention was drawn by TheJournal.ie to Dwyer's profits generated from his activism when Blighe promoted his Telegram and YouTube channel at the anti-immigrant protests in Finglas. He makes money from PayPal, YouTube superchat and he has a Subscribestar page offering "exclusive digital content" for a monthly fee.{{Cite web |last=McAuley |first=Eimer |date=2023-02-05 |title=Far right protesters aren't just in it for the cause - there's also money to be made |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/far-right-money-making-5986480-Feb2023/ |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=TheJournal.ie |language=en}}

In March 2023, Dwyer was filmed arguing with a Muslim taxi driver and accusing the man of "hating Ireland".

In October 2023, Dwyer was involved in a confrontation during a protest in Clondalkin with activist Darragh Adelaide, who is Black Irish. Dwyer asked Adelaide to participate in an interview, and Adelaide responded in fluent Irish. Dwyer was unable to respond in turn, instead asking if he was "sent by an NGO". The incident, captured on video, later went viral online.{{cite news |last=Matthews |first=Jane |date=4 October 2023 |title='It shows the irony': Irish speaker on using Gaeilge to confront anti-immigrant protesters |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/darragh-adelaide-irish-language-far-right-6185339-Oct2023/ |work=TheJournal.ie |location= |access-date=4 November 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231006122016/https://www.thejournal.ie/darragh-adelaide-irish-language-far-right-6185339-Oct2023/|archive-date=6 October 2023}}

Dwyer spread a false rumour on 23 November that a girl who had been stabbed prior to the Dublin riot earlier that day had died.{{Cite news |title=Dublin riots: How a mob in the capital turned to looting, arson and calls to kill |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/what-happened-during-the-dublin-riots-november-2023-6231746-Nov2023/ |last=Ryan |first=Órla |date=2023-11-24 |access-date=2023-11-27 |work=TheJournal.ie |last2=O'Connor |first2=Niall |last3=Raymond |first3=Shane |last4=Ryan |first4=Nicky}} He went to the Spire and livestreamed the riots on Twitter, making xenophobic comments.

Dwyer was the Ireland First candidate for the Dublin constituency at the 2024 European Parliament election.{{Cite web|title=Candidates for European Election|url=https://dublincountyreturningofficer.com/index.php/2024-european-and-local-elections/128-nominations-euro-2024 |access-date=27 April 2024|website=Dublin County Returning Officer}} He was also a candidate in the Tallaght Central LEA in the 2024 South Dublin County Council election.{{cite web|url = https://www.rte.ie/news/elections-2024/results/#/local/south-dublin-county/tallaght-central | website = rte.ie | title = 2024 Local Elections - Results - Tallaght Central - South Dublin County Council | accessdate = 11 June 2024 }} He was not elected in either case,{{cite web|url = https://www.rte.ie/news/elections-2024/results/#/european/dublin | website = rte.ie | title = 2024 European Elections - Results - Dublin | accessdate = 11 June 2024 }} and was escorted out of the election count after reportedly making threatening remarks to People Before Profit members.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-10 |title=Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael top EU poll in Dublin as council results disappoint Sinn Féin |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/election-count-liveblog-6402979-Jun2024/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=TheJournal.ie |language=en}}

Dwyer contested the 2024 Irish general election in the Wicklow constituency as an independent candidate.{{Cite web |title=Nominations - Wicklow |url=https://wicklowreturningofficer.com/index.php/general-election-2024/32-nominations-wicklow |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=wicklowreturningofficer.com}} He was eliminated on the second count, having received 437 first preference votes (0.8%) out of a valid poll of 57,071.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/11/30/election-2024-wicklow-constituency-results/|title=Election 2024: Wicklow results|work=Irish Times|date=November 2024|access-date=1 December 2024}} Following his failure to be elected, Dwyer made claims of electoral fraud.{{Cite web |last=Raymond |first=Shane |date=2024-12-01 |title=Far-right fizzle: Fringe candidates face disappointment as election results come in |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/how-did-far-right-anti-immigration-activists-do-in-irelands-2024-general-election-6559176-Dec2024/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=TheJournal.ie |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-12-04 |title=Factcheck: Irish candidates make election rigging claims after failed campaign |url=https://pa.media/blogs/election-fact-check-ireland/factcheck-irish-candidates-make-election-rigging-claims-after-failed-campaign/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=PA Media |language=en}}

Dwyer has reportedly shared more than a dozen antisemitic posts on Telegram, some claiming that Jews control the Western world, that immigration is a Jewish plot, and that "Judaism at it’s{{Sic}} core is about the Genocide of non-Jews". TheJournal.ie said that his X account does not publish such antisemitic content but has promoted the unbanning of white nationalist Nick Fuentes, who holds antisemitic views.{{Cite web |last=Raymond |first=Shane |date=2023-11-15 |title=Anti-immigration groups use Israel-Gaza violence to push antisemitism and Islamophobia online |url=https://www.thejournal.ie/antisemitism-and-islamppbhobia-in-irish-anti-immigration-telegram-groups-6216029-Nov2023/ |access-date=2023-11-25 |website=TheJournal.ie |language=en}}

In a February 2023 post about Holocaust denier David Irving, Dwyer questioned if Adolf Hitler was "the bad guy", saying "but Hollywood told me Hitler was the bad guy? Where{{Sic}} they lying to us?"{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Conor |title=Record number of far-right candidates are running in Friday's elections. Will any get in? |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/06/06/record-number-of-far-right-candidates-are-running-in-fridays-elections-will-any-get-in/ |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}

In May 1998, Dwyer appeared in court after breaking an opposing player's jaw during a game of hurling. He paid compensation to the victim and was released in line with the probation act.{{Cite web |title=Hurler broke opponent's jaw |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/hurler-broke-opponent-s-jaw-1.152376 |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}

In May 2010 Dwyer was fired from his job as a postman with An Post for "dereliction of duty and for failing to comply with their instructions" after several instances in which he had kicked dogs including kicking one in the head with a steel-capped boot, threatened a woman that he would shoot her dog dead, and failed to comply with instructions.{{Cite web |date=2012-09-21 |title=Postman tells tribunal he only kicked dog after attack |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/postman-tells-tribunal-he-only-kicked-dog-after-attack/28812389.html |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=Independent.ie |language=en}}{{cite news |last=Murphy |first=Cormac |date=21 September 2021 |title=I kicked dog because I'm afraid of them - postman |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/herald/i-kicked-dog-because-im-afraid-of-them-postman/28848453.html |work=The Herald |location= |access-date=19 May 2023}} Dwyer appealed the matter before a labour court in September 2012. The tribunal ruled against Dwyer.

On 14 March 2023, Dwyer was brought before Tallaght District Court in Dublin, and was charged with engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour at a children's crèche on the Grange Road, Dublin 16 on 30 June 2021. Dwyer accused the crèche of promoting "LGBT Ideology" after spotting a poster featuring a rainbow in the window. The owner testified that Dwyer approached her while filming her on a smart phone and he stated the rainbow represented homosexuals and that "homosexuals are paedophiles" and she was therefore "indoctrinating four-year-olds to welcome paedophiles into their life". Giving evidence in his own defence, Dwyer stated that he was delivering a package while working as a courier for Pony Express when he noticed the flag, and approached the crèche in a his capacity as a citizen journalist in order to have a robust conversation, however he strongly denied using the word "paedophilia" and disagreed that his behaviour caused a breach of the peace. On 19 September 2024, Judge Patricia McNamara dismissed the charges against Dwyer, ruling that the threshold for a guilty verdict had not been met.{{Cite news |title=Far-right activist Philip Dwyer acquitted of breach of the peace over incident at Dublin crèche|url=https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/far-right-activist-philip-dwyer-acquitted-of-breach-of-the-peace-over-incident-at-dublin-creche-1674207.html |date=2024-09-19 |publisher=breakingnews}}

In 2024, following comments by Paul Murphy in the Dáil, Dwyer complained that these comments were “outrageous and libellous”.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-08 |title=Dáil committee rules Philip Dwyer’s reputation not ‘adversely affected’ by 'far right' comments |url=https://www.ontheditch.com/dail-committee-rules-philip-dwyer/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=The Ditch |language=en}} However, the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight found that there was not a significant risk that his reputation had been adversely affected.

On 15 July 2024 he was arrested in connection with a public order incident in Coolock.{{Cite news |title=15 charged in connection with Coolock public order incident |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2024/0715/1460060-coolock-court/ |last=Burnhill |first=Eleanor |date=2024-07-15 |access-date=2024-07-16 |publisher=RTÉ News}} He was released on conditional bail, which included agreeing to stay away from the former Crown Paint factory in Coolock. In February 2025, he was convicted of failing to follow a garda's direction to leave the area; he was fined €500 and given a two-month suspended sentence. The judge in the case stated that the accused was "not protected by the claim of being a journalist, or a citizen journalist, or a credited journalist, or a judge or a priest or whatever, you are still subject to the rigours of section 8 of the Public Order Act". At the time of the case, Dwyer was described as a trainee journalist with sporadic income of €500 a year and was reliant on social welfare.{{cite web |last=Tuite |first=Tom |date=14 February 2025 |title='Citizen journalist' first to be prosecuted by use of Garda body-cam footage during Coolock riots |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/courtandcrime/arid-41574388.html |accessdate=14 February 2025 |work=Irish Examiner}}

In November 2024, Gardaí began investigating Dwyer over allegedly assaulting a 66 year old disabled pensioner, the father of Wicklow's People Before Profit candidate Kellie McConnell, in Bray, County Wicklow. Dwyer, seen in a video brandishing an extendable baton, allegedly pushed the man to the ground and produced the baton.{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Conor |last2=Malone |first2=Emmet |title=Far-right candidate accused of assaulting relative of political rival in Bray |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/11/27/far-right-candidate-accused-of-assaulting-relative-of-political-rival-in-bray/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=The Irish Times |language=en}}

In March 2025 a judge convicted Dwyer for illegally trespassing at a direct provision centre at Magowna House in Inch, Co Clare in May 2023. A staff member testified that Dwyer was "making me and my staff feel afraid and unsafe". The judge imposed a €500 fine.{{cite news |last=Deegan |first=Gordon |date=19 March 2025 |title=Judge convicts prominent anti-immigration activist Philip Dwyer of trespass at International Protection centre |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/courts/2025/03/19/judge-convicts-prominent-anti-immigration-activist-philip-dwyer-of-trespass-at-ip-centre/ |work=Irish Times |location= |publisher= |access-date=20 March 2025}}

In 2020, Dwyer was described on the National Party's website as "a property manager from Tallaght" and "father of three". As of early 2025, Dwyer was not employed. While the National Party's website described him as "deeply committed to promoting Irish culture and heritage", a number of outlets noted the irony of Dwyer's inability to speak Irish.{{cite web|url = https://roscommonpeople.ie/lets-talk-about-far-right-hypocrisy/ | work = Roscommon People | title = Let's talk about... Far-right hypocrisy | first = Alannah Ita | last = Healy | date = 12 October 2023 | accessdate = 1 June 2024}}

{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dwyer, Philip}}

Category:Immigration to the Republic of Ireland

Category:Irish far-right politicians

Category:Irish postmen

Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Independent candidates in Dáil elections