Conor McGregor faces backlash at home: Ireland turns its back on a national icon

Once hailed as the pride of Crumlin and the embodiment of Irish grit, Conor McGregor is now being booed on home soil—and not in the cage. At a Limp Bizkit concert last week in Dublin’s 3Arena, the same venue where McGregor launched his UFC superstardom in 2014 with a knockout of Diego Brandao, a mere mention of his name drew thunderous jeers from a sold-out Irish crowd. That might’ve seemed like the low point—until St. Patrick’s Day came, and McGregor stood at a White House podium, delivering a speech that ignited outrage across the country he once represented.

Conor McGregor’s White House visit sparks outrage as Ireland turns its back on him
For decades, the Taoiseach of Ireland has made an official visit to the White House for St. Patrick’s Day. This year, current Taoiseach Micheál Martin visited five days before McGregor, who appeared as a guest of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Taking to the dais on March 17, McGregor issued a message to Irish Americans:

“The immigration racket is running ravage on [Ireland].”

The backlash was immediate and fierce.

“Conor McGregor’s remarks are wrong and do not reflect the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, or the views of the people of Ireland,” Martin posted on X.

St. Patrick’s Day around the world is a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship.

Conor McGregor’s remarks are wrong, and do not reflect the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, or the views of the people of Ireland.

— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) March 17, 2025

Tánaiste Simon Harris echoed the criticism:
“There’s a real sense back home in relation to Conor McGregor being in the White House yesterday of disgust. He doesn’t only not speak for Ireland, he doesn’t only not represent our values—he’s actually the opposite of all the values we’re proud about in Ireland. He represents the very worst of toxic masculinity.”

Across Ireland, McGregor’s White House visit became headline news. It was splashed on the front pages of national newspapers, ran across radio bulletins, and led prime-time TV segments on RTE and Virgin Media. The Dublin Rape Crisis Center reached out to the U.S. embassy, calling it “a very sinister event.”

“It needs to be called out for what I believe it was,” said CEO Rachel Morrogh. “Normalizing sexual violence and an attempt to rebuild the very damaged reputation of Conor McGregor… Every backslap, every word of flattery, every aspect of that meeting showed a really callous indifference to every survivor of sexual violence.”

This firestorm came just four months after a High Court civil jury found McGregor had sexually assaulted Nikita Hand in 2018. He is appealing the findings. In the wake of the verdict, more than 1,000 retailers boycotted McGregor-related products, and Proper Twelve stopped using his image.

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In December 2023, only 8% of Irish people said they’d vote for him. Elon Musk and Andrew Tate might see a future president, but Ireland, clearly, does not. From political leaders to grassroots organizations, the message has been unflinching: Conor McGregor no longer reflects the country that once embraced him. For many, his White House appearance didn’t just feel out of touch—it felt like the final severing of a long-fractured national connection.