The May 2024 Campaign Confrontation and the Far-Right Backlash in Dublin
A man’s voice shouted slogans including “Sinn Féin traitors!”, “Mary Lou Mohammad!”, and “Ireland is full!”, according to Fenton’s account. The incident left her with gashes and bruises that she stated accurately augured a difficult electoral outcome.
Inside the Insider Account: Ourselves Alone: Sinn Féin Behind Closed Doors
Published this week, Fenton’s book offers a rare insider look at the party’s internal structures and strategic missteps, rupturing the organization’s reputation for secrecy and discipline. Fenton, who is 34 and originally from a middle-class Belfast family favoring constitutional nationalism rather than flinty republicanism, joined the party in early 2020 after working in journalism and research.
Describing the initial atmosphere within the organization following its breakthrough in the 2020 general election—where the party secured 24.5% of first-preference votes to overtake Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael—Fenton noted a palpable sense of momentum.
Did You Know?
Siobhán Fenton joined Sinn Féin in early 2020 after previously working for the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), studying English literature at Oxford, researching gender-based violence at Cambridge, and working as a London-based journalist for the Independent.
The Long Fall: Policy Missteps, Housing Pressures, and Grassroots Blind Spots
Expert Insight
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggered the direct confrontation described by Siobhán Fenton?
In May 2024, while canvassing in an inner-city Dublin block of flats, Fenton was struck by coins thrown from an overhead balcony by a man shouting anti-immigrant slogans and accusing the party of treason.
What political milestone preceded Sinn Féin’s electoral difficulties?
In the early 2020 Irish general election, Sinn Féin won 24.5% of first-preference votes, overtaking Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and establishing strong momentum that led analysts to expect a future general election victory.
What factors did Fenton cite as causing the party’s blind spot regarding xenophobia?
Fenton stated that Covid-19 restrictions and an over-reliance on parliamentary work withered traditional grassroots networking, leaving leadership unaware of how deeply far-right activism and anti-immigrant sentiment had penetrated working-class strongholds.
How might political parties effectively reconcile community anxieties with progressive immigration policies during periods of economic hardship?
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