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Two thousand four hundred welcomes…Eileen Hutton, from Florida with her husband James Haughey and son Finn Haughey at the citizenship ceremony in the INEC Killarney on Monday. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
THE Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan TD, today congratulated 2,400 new Irish citizens across three citizenship ceremonies being held in the INEC Killarney.
The Presiding Officers on the day are retired High Court Judge Bryan McMahon and retired District Court Judge Paddy McMahon. Those granted citizenship at today’s ceremonies originate from over 90 countries.
Addressing the new citizens, Minister Flanagan said: “Today, you will take an oath of fidelity to our nation and loyalty to our State. You will do so in the knowledge that this relatively young State – still less than a century since our independence was gained – is a place of culture where traditions are cherished and history is ever-present. And be sure, too, that this State is a place of diversity and openness.”
Citizenship ceremonies were first introduced in 2011 in order to mark the occasion of the granting of citizenship in a dignified and solemn manner.
Today’s ceremonies bring the total number of ceremonies held since then to 141 where people from over 180 countries will have received their certificates of naturalisation. Including minors, over 122,000 people will have received Irish citizenship since 2011 following the ceremonies.
The ceremonies continue to see significant numbers of those originating from the United Kingdom granted Irish citizenship. At today’s ceremonies, 309 people from the UK will receive their certificates of Irish citizenship.
Among the rights gained by those receiving citizenship today is voting rights equal to those of all Irish citizens, including the right to vote in referendums and Presidential elections (voting in which is restricted to Irish citizens).
Each of the three ceremonies today will also be addressed by Ms Justice Tara Burns, Chairperson of the Referendum Commission, who will encourage the new citizens to register to vote ahead of the upcoming referendum on divorce.
Top ten nationalities for Citizenship Ceremonies today in Killarney are as follows:
Lucimeire Da Silva, left and Caroline Alves Costa, from Brazil now living in Dublinat the citizenship ceremony in the INEC Killarney on Monday. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
Robert Agbonghae and Esther Agbonchac from Nigeria now living in Ballincollig, Co Cork at the citizenship ceremony in the INEC Killarney on Monday. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
Elena Murphy from Macedonia with her Husband Retired Sargeant Mark Murphy, Athlone,at the citizenship ceremony in the INEC Killarney on Monday. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
Carol Gilbert, Orginally from England, living in Skibbereen Co Cork, at the citizenship ceremony in the INEC Killarney on Monday. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
The crowd at the citizenship ceremony in the INEC Killarney on Monday. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan
