The Citizenship Ceremony

[DiegoUK]

For anyone wondering what happens at the citizenship ceremony, this is my experience:

My citizenship ceremony was the 17th of July 2015, at the Convention Centre Dublin. News reports say there were 3 ceremonies (but Aoife asked an official in the registration hall who said there were 6. Perhaps 2 registration groups for each ceremony?) throughout the day, mine being the 2nd. My registration was 11:30 and we were finished my 1:30. The ceremony itself started at roughly 12 noon and one of the speakers mentioned the '10 am ceremony'.



First, get there 30 min or so early to line up as you do not simply enter the CCD through the front doors. You gather on the West (left) side of the building in a queue and then shuffle in with all the 100's of others in your ceremony through a side door..



..into the ground floor room where you chicane to the far end of the room and back a couple times before reaching a barrier. The booths are lined up before the main doors to the lobby and once everyone seems to have arrived, they start letting groups through..



From the lobby the applicants ascend to the 3rd floor while the guests ascend to the 4th (or 5th) floor balcony seats. The seats have fold-out tables and power points, so bring your charger if you think you'll need it. I brought a tablet for reading and a drink.

The ceremony is lead by a performance of the Garda Síochána band playing (oddly enough) nothing Irish, but very nice brass band style music. Some of our included something from Glenn Miller, Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn. They also get the crowd involved to liven things up and do some call-outs. For anyone who attended my ceremony, I was the guy from Derry (thumbs up!). This all takes about 20-30 minutes while seating is completed and the Minister and other officials are ready.

The Minster speaks, as well as another guest or two, then the judge is introduced to administer the oath. We had Former Justice Bryan McMahon. He was extremely welcoming as well as delightfully funny and anecdotal. He really made the moment extra special.

The presiding officer, retired Judge Bryan McMahon, said he was particularly pleased to see faces from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, who he hoped “have brought their cricket bats and wickets” to help improve the fortunes of the Irish cricket team. Similarly, he hoped those from Brazil would bring their soccer skills to bear on the Irish football team.

“Would it not be wonderful if some of these genes were brought into the Irish athletic pool of the future?

“I look forward to the day one of your children or your grandchildren lead the hurling, football or camogie teams onto the pitch at Croke Park on All-Ireland Sunday, and I look forward to the day one of your children or your grandchildren carry the Irish flag into an Olympic stadium.”

Here's a short video of my ceremony (sorry, embed is turned off here): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiLRGqLX-SE
and a news story with more video and some of the applicants: http://utv.ie/News/2015/07/17/Ceremonie ... zens-41228

It was a great day well worth the wait. I wish everyone well with their applications and a great ceremony!

[Darr81]

Or should i say, you were the only guy from derry.

[DiegoUK]

lol Indeed :¬))

[coketero]

Unfortunately, the ceremony I attended ( at 2ish) was spoilt by people who did not read or care about the instructions on the letter indicating you could bring only one adult and decided to take toddlers or babies with them. I could barely hear the speech due to crying babies, I hope they do something about this in future ceremonies.

[DiegoUK]

We had the same. Perhaps under 5's should be explicitly excluded.

[caveman]

Unfortunately, the ceremony I attended ( at 2ish) was spoilt by people who did not read or care about the instructions on the letter indicating you could bring only one adult and decided to take toddlers or babies with them. I could barely hear the speech due to crying babies, I hope they do something about this in future ceremonies.

@coketero I suppose you will be going to another ceremony without crying babies - Guys Congratulations but has there been any information as regards when the next batch of letters will be sent out?

thanks

[DiegoUK]

Oh yes. The Minister gave a 30 minute talk to us new Irish citizens about people who have applied to be Irish citizens too, but not been approved yet.

She went on and on about how many had applied, how many were in processing and how many were waiting for her attention. She gave us her time frame on sending second stage letters, when approvals will go out and the date of the next ceremony. She shared some of the details of the applicants too, especially the ones she and her staff laugh about even dreaming to be approved. Like some guy who has a conviction and keeps calling and writing and asking everyone he bumps in to when the next approvals will go out. It was a funny anecdote for some of the harassment her office gets. Quite amusing.

She told it all and it was simply amazing, though I do wish she'd spent more time talking about our new rights and responsibilities as Irish citizens, and maybe information on passports or voting and the like, but there's only so much time and the important subject of those still waiting had to be addressed to the new citizens, so what can you do?

She also swore us all to secrecy and, as a new Irish citizen, I'm compelled to comply. Sorry I can't tell you anything.

[DiegoUK]

Anyway, no it wasn't mentioned. Though it was an outstanding ceremony none the less. :¬))

Congrats to those applying, be calm within yourselves. The process will go on without your fretting. Don't call them and/or write them or harass them in any way. Rest assured, they will let you know if they need anything from you. Otherwise it's just time, so be patient as it's a job needs doing and it will get done.

Good luck and to my future fellow Irish, sláinte!