Niall O'Dowd: Day one on the presidential campaign in Ireland

Da Da Daaaaaa!! Do Do Do Dooooo!!..shouts to sirpeter behind the wheel of A-Team van "its your turn to push biy!"

@johnjacob.Neill was referring to the RIRA ect as Young Irelanders a revolutionary group in Ireland in the mid 19th century.I presume that's what he meant by Little Irelanders.

Mr. O'Dowd, Be warned, attempting to depict yourself as above the politicians of Ireland and "Little Irelanders" displays an arrogance this country has become unaccustomed at the Áras in your absence. And a tad unwise given that you are seeking to have these same politicians nominate you, no? Unless of course you wish to suggest that FF and SF are less populated by back-slapping, slogans and "yak yak" than other parties on this island. The President of Ireland must take and subscribe to the following declaration to take office: "In the presence of Almighty God I ,do solemnly and sincerely promise and declare that I will maintain the Constitution of Ireland and uphold its laws, that I will fulfil my duties faithfully and conscientiously in accordance with the Constitution and the law, and that I will dedicate my abilities to the service and welfare of the people of Ireland. May God direct and sustain me." In the event of your election do you intend to take that declaration with more (or equal or less) conviction than that with which you swore to, "I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty" on taking citizenship in the United States. T don't doubt that you have done, and continue to do, fantastic things for this country and those who have had to leave it. The people of Ireland want a President who is above the things you have talked about. They also want a President who stands clearly above hypocrisy.

Creaky you're a Citizen of the Republic humming God save the Queen in all your comments.Why don't YOU get over the fact you are no longer a Subject of Her Majesty The Queen.Because we will NEVER be subjects again.

Sorry. Today, anyone born on the island of Ireland on or before 31 Dec. 2004, with one British or Irish parent is a citizen of ROI or is entitled to be,including NI. Now MacAleese must have gone through an earlier route to citizenship. So NI Nationalists can claim Irish citizenship and carry Irish passports, or British, or both.

Okay, what I was thinking was anyone born on the island of Ireland on or before 31 Dec. 2004 is or is entitled to be a citizen of the Republic, if one parent is British or Irish, including anyone living in NI.But that is a fairly recent revision.MacAleese probably went through a different route.

Everyone born in Ireland is a Citizen of the Republic ??? Everyone of every persuasion born in Northern Ireland is a Subject of Her Majesty The Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Get over it, because it is likely to be that way for quite some time to come!

The US oath of allegiance doesn't count because Niall had his fingers crossed at the time.

Antoman.Time for you to hum the A-Team tune.I'm goin'in!!lol.Woundedbolix at 6 o clock.I pity the fool!!

Rebelforce, Anyone born on the island of Ireland is a citizen of the Republic, so McAleese is an Irish citizen. The oath is required of naturalized US citizens. Generally, it doesn't automatically revoke prior citizenship unless the person submits a written staement to the Irish government that he wants it revoked.The only time I've seen it mentioned was when the Times Square Bomber was asked by the trial judge how he could plot to set off a bomb months after swearing the oath. His answer: "I lied."

Was this issue of dual citizenship raised about the current President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, who was born in Northern Ireland and is therefore (technically atleast) a "subject" of a foreign monarch?

TOWNGATE wrote "America may feel threatened by Europe, but the Irish don't". They do, towngate. And THEY SHOULD!

Towngate, I was not aware that America feels threatened by the EU. Actually, American taxpayers funded Europe's reconstruction after WWII, which made the EU possible. The only threat I see is from NATO's attempt to involve us in Libya. As Sec. Gates pointed out, they don't have the military capacity to handle the mission without us.I would like to see the US draw back to our own borders and let Europe defend itself militarily.Ireland too. BTW, most IMF money comes from US.

the yank threatens to yank the office from their strange and worthless group of those with the "bunker mentality." The words expressed in the "Amhrainn na Bfuin - Soldiers Song" are/were but a con for the diaspora exiles who contributed to the so-called noble cause that has since became an embarrassement. queen's cementing and some running for arras un uk-terra connection. Peace Process agreement did diddly for the poodle with its missing head.

I dont believe that anyone who doesn't live in Ireland will have a clue about what makes the country tick. And without meaning to offend, I think that Americans, though with the best of intentions, really don't understand modern day Ireland at all. Sorry.