As the country prepares to green fountains and dust off leprechaun hats for the national day, a coalition of grassroots activists is planning a very different kind of St. Patrick’s Week demonstration. The Munster section of Keep Left, alongside The Roots Party, has announced a two-day protest dubbed “No Shamrocks” to be held on Friday, March 6th 4-6pm, and Saturday, March 7th 2-4pm, on Kildare Street, Dublin outside the Daíl.
While the proximate cause of the protest is Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s traditional visit to the White House, the organizers are framing the demonstration as a broader indictment of loss of sovereignty, foreign interference & government policy. They aim to platform what they describe as “interlinked issues” facing Irish society, from the housing emergency and erosion of neutrality to the cost-of-living crisis and environmental concerns.
The protest’s name, “No Shamrocks,” is a rejection of what activists see as the glossing over of deep-seated domestic problems & uneasy geopolitics in favor of a now, given the broader context, humiliating diplomatic ceremony.
A Deeper Dive into the Issues
The email call-out for the protest lists a wide spectrum of grievances. Here is a closer look at the context behind some of the key issues mentioned by the organizers:
1. Housing, Vulture Funds, and Infrastructure
Housing remains the dominant social issue in Ireland. Recent data from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) indicates that estate agents expect national property prices to increase by another 4% in 2026, driven by low stock levels . For a couple earning a combined income of €112,000, purchasing a three-bed semi-detached home is already unaffordable in counties Wicklow, Kildare, and Meath .
Furthermore, new rental measures that came into effect on March 1st—the very day the protest kicks off—allow landlords to reset rents to market price when a tenancy ends. Critics argue this will hit young people hardest, forcing them to either remain at home or emigrate . The presence of vulture funds in the Irish property market has long been a flashpoint, with activists arguing that government policy has prioritized investment funds over primary dwelling homes. A recent MyHome survey underscores the public’s concern, finding that 86% of people believe not enough is being done to utilize vacant homes to boost housing stock .
2. Neutrality and Foreign Policy
The Taoiseach’s visit to the USA is not just a matter of diplomatic protocol for the protesters; it is intertwined with concerns about Ireland’s traditional military neutrality. Recent statements by Taoiseach Martin have sparked political controversy. During an Oireachtas committee meeting, Martin stated that Ireland is “politically, economically, diplomatically and militarily standing with Ukraine.” & has refused to appropriately condemn current US led belligerence.
While an Irish Times poll shows voters are narrowly in favor (48% to 45%) of Martin going to the White House, there is wide support for inserting a guarantee of neutrality into the Constitution & the overwhelming majority .
3. Trade Deals: Mercosur and CETA
The protest also targets the Mercosur and CETA trade agreements. The EU-Mercosur deal, which would create a massive market of over 700 million people, has faced staunch opposition from Irish farmers & environmentalists due to fears that 99,000 tonnes of cheap South American beef from the environs of the Amazon Rainforest would undercut domestic production . While business lobby groups like Chambers Ireland welcome the deal claiming it to be a stabilising force , opponents argue it prioritizes corporate interests over small farmers, domestic economic & jobs interests, climate standards & public health. .
4. Climate, Community, and Cost of Living
The organizers list of concerns, from energy and transport to racism and women’s safety, reflects an intersectional approach to protest. These issues are linked by many common threads, including of “lack of ambition within our government.” Despite a budget surplus, activists argue that the government is failing to adequately address the cost-of-living crisis or invest in sustainable infrastructure favoring instead businesses interests, especially foreign & especially US. Many such as women’s safety are directly related to the visit considering the revelations of the Epstein files.
5. Neutrality, international justice & international law: to quote the organisers “the protest also surrounds imperialism & the present events in the Middle East, as well as US interference in our & everyone else’s affairs as well as diplomacy, such as the Occupied Territories bill, holding the Ukrainians over a barrel to sell out their land & resources to predominantly US investors, their absolute backing of Zionism even in a genocide & their illegal actions towards Venezuela & Iran.
A Call for Participation
Unlike a traditional party-political rally, the “No Shamrocks” protest is being framed as a festival of dissent. Organizers are actively seeking volunteers from all political backgrounds to help with sound, printing, and publicity. They have made a specific appeal for the loan of sound equipment or financial contributions to hire it, noting that “every little helps to make the event bigger & better.”
However, attendance is the main ask. The groups are inviting participation from a wide cross-section of society, urging people to bring “organisation banners, flags, county colours & cultural items.”
“We are interested in having speakers from all parties, groups & organisations as well as people playing music & any other cultural displays,” the email states, urging participants to “Make it a celebration!”
The St. Patrick’s Day Contrast
The “No Shamrocks” protest sets up a stark contrast in imagery for the week of March 17th. On one side, there will be the traditional handshakes and photo opportunities in Washington D.C., symbolizing the historic and economically vital Irish-American relationship. On the other, on the doorstep of the Dáil, there will be a coalition of activists arguing that the “shamrock diplomacy” is a distraction from a country struggling to house its young, maintain its sovereign principles, and build a sustainable future.
Whether the protest succeeds in shifting the narrative remains to be seen, but it ensures that as the Taoiseach departs for the US, a vocal segment of the electorate will be waiting to voice its discontent back home.
Those interested in participating or volunteering can find more information via the organizer’s form.
https://pad.envs.net/form/#/2/form/view/3WaneBsJ4RcTKwbITVte01KDxn2GzGM+P7bKexbFFLc
This is to be the first step in an overall campaign for neutrality, sovereignty & economic justice that will be going on all year & countrywide surrounding different events.
Who are the organisers?
Keep Left/Coinnigh Clé:
A group of activists from across the left that came together during the Catherine Connolly presidential campaign seeking to unite the left in action regardless of party faction. https://keepleft.ie
The Roots Party/Movement:
A syndicalist/libertarian socialist & agrarian socialist group primarily concerned with general rural & urban disadvantaged area development as well as agroecology, anti colonialism & industrialising on the basis of decentralised worker owned eco-manufacturing. https://www.tiktok.com/@rootspartyofireland?_r=1&_t=ZN-94PZJAafz4o