Why Ireland is So Left-Wing

First and most obviously, Ireland has no large right-wing populist party. There is not one elected member of parliament who could really be described as a nationalist or a right-wing populist. The two historically dominant parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, were traditionally considered centrist or nonideological parties, with Fine Gael leaning more right of center. Today, no one seems to know what the difference is between them or why they exist as distinct parties. Both have embraced a progressive consensus that is decidedly left of center.