‘It is the beginning of the journey’ - almost 4,000 people awarded Irish citizenship

Peel Wilcock was just nine years old when her family’s boat developed problems on their round-the-world trip and they pulled into Cobh, Co Cork.

Travelling from Cornwall, they were forced to ask for help to repair the sails on the first leg of their epic journey almost 50 years ago – and ultimately decided to settle in Cork and then Killarney.

One of five sisters, her parents from Birmingham and the Isle of Man, Peel, named after the port on the Isle of Man, is a familiar face having worked in Quinnsworth/Tesco in Killarney for more than 30 years. She has now decided to become an Irish citizen.

“Between Brexit and the whole lot, I set out to do this. This is so important,” she said on her way to a celebratory meal.

Hugh Linehan: The biggest problem with RTÉ’s new five-year plan is what it doesn’t address

---

In pictures: Taylor Swift’s exhilarating Eras tour concert in Dublin

---

David McWilliams: Aer Lingus pilots are the Donnybrook Fair battalion of an Aldi revolution

---

Áine Kerr: I must remain caffeinated at all times or I might stop and never get going again

---

Almost 4,000 people were awarded their Irish citizenship in two separate ceremonies in Killarney, Co Kerry, on Monday and Tuesday this week.

Peel, a fluent Irish speaker with a Fáinne, was one of the few new citizens to be able to sing Amhrán na bhFiann, “as Gaeilge”.

For one Syrian-Kurdish family from Tullamore, Co Offaly, Irish citizenship is the beginning of the end of a long road.

Gikar-Khoun left his home in Syria via Turkey and then travelled to Greece where he remained for two years, before coming to Ireland more than five years ago.

A tailor and interior designer, Gikar-Khoun now works as a chef. Tailoring in Ireland is not the same as Turkey or Syria, he said, as tailoring here is mainly mending.

His wife Ahlam hopes to become an Irish citizen too and has already applied. The couple have two children, aged nine and five years old.

“We are very happy,” they said.

Drishti Lalwani, originally from India, has lived here for seven years – she first arrived here to do a master's degree in human resources and now works for Intel in Lexlip.

“I’m from Calcutta – where Mother Teresa is from,” Drishti said.

“It is the beginning of the journey,” she said of her citizenship, which she described as an “opportunity”.

Drishti cannot have dual citizenship as an Indian, which she found a little upsetting. However, travelling on an Indian passport means having to apply for visas to go almost anywhere. She will now find it easier to visit her Toronto-based brother.

Becoming an Irish citizen guarantees fundamental rights under the Irish Constitution, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said in a televised message to successful applicants at the INEC in Killarney.

“These rights are many and varied, but they will protect you, your family and your freedom,” the Minister said.

Civic duty is an essential aspect of Irish life, Ms McEntee said, urging new citizens to get involved in their towns and communities.

“I encourage each new citizen to embrace your civic duty. It is an essential aspect of life in Ireland. It will empower you to become more engaged in civil society, whether it be in your local community or national level,” she said.

Some may even choose to run for office in the coming years, and active involvement in the community strengthens democracy, the Minister said.

Leo, a 21-year-old from Tel Aviv, Israel, was accompanied by his father, Aidan Eyal Shhlomo Mazor, who became an Irish citizen at the March ceremony in Dublin.

Leo recently graduated in marketing and advertising from Technological University Dublin and hopes to work in the fashion industry.

His three brothers – Matt, Ben and Liam – were born in Ireland and are all at various stages of education. The family are very impressed with Irish education, his father said. An engineer, Aidan – he added the name after moving to Ireland – said getting into third level was fair and welcoming.

“It can be difficult to get in but once you get in it is very good. Public education here is brilliant. There is no need to go to private schools,” he said.

“No matter who you are or what your skills are, there was something for everyone in Irish education.”