There is some right wing types in the south that wants ireland to join the uk
How does this make them “right wing”?
Good question wobbler. My understanding as a Nordie with an interest in Southern politics .
FG historically would be centre right. Though left/right politics throughout the island are not as binary as they tend to be in Britain , most right wingers in the South would probably be FG supporters. The “west-Brit “ gibe was often directed at those who had an affiliation with “British ways” and were not as patriotically Irish , and the perception was they would have mainly been FG aligned and therefore right wing(albeit centre right).
Historically many FG politicians eg Bruton and Fitzgerald seemed to have little understanding or empathy for nationalists in the North, compared to Ahern/Reynolds/Haughey. FF self proclaimed as the “Republican Party “ have always been wedded to a United ireland , whilst FG , even going back to their origins , have been comfortable with partition.
(Ironically at present , Miceál Martin FF seems to have a more partitionist outlook, whilst Simon Coveney FG has shown an empathy towards northern nationalists rarely seen in FG.)
Right or left wing aside , there would be no interest in the South in linking back with UK even among those not particularly patriotic . ROI though not perfect , has done well since independence, given that only a few years prior to 1916 Ireland had suffered the horrors of the Famine under British rule, and the UK retained over 90% of the GDP on the island after independence of the 26. NI by comparison , since independence has been a disaster despite its massive economic advantages at its inception.
