13 Comments

• Seanmor | Mar 26, 2013, 07:20 PM EDT

  In June of '89 I flew from Newark to Gatwick Airport. When I showed my passport to the immigration official, he said in a very friendly manner: "Welcome home". That threw me for a few seconds, but then I realized that my British birth in indicated in my U.S passport. I'm a London-born U.S. citizen whose homeland will always be IRELAND, an tîr uile agus gach roinn di. However, I'm always very careful NOT to mention that anywhere in the Southern Irish state, which continues to separate itself from the North and move closer to Romania and Bulgaria.

• AndrewSB49 | Mar 22, 2013, 05:52 AM EDT

  I never have any problems entering the US. Police and Immigration Officer are always kind, patient, professional and courteous. On the other hand, when leaving Blackpool in the UK in 2004 I was stopped and searched by police at the airport!

• seanomelb | Mar 21, 2013, 07:10 PM EDT

  Loved my visits to the USA. It is only at heathrow and dover I had problems with arrogant British customs officials.

• Scrivner | Mar 21, 2013, 06:21 PM EDT

  Stevenstar, that "BIG FAT BURLY AMERICAN IMMIGRATION OFFICERS INCLUDING A VERY BIG BUTCH RUDE LESBIAN ONE" was just trying to tell you about Chicago's international airport, it's named after "BUTCH O'HARE." An Irish-American hero of note, and since you are Irish and she was "butch" the officials here thought that you would be pleased. So sorry, hope that you didn't get sunburned on the many miles of free public beaches.

• Smyrnian | Mar 21, 2013, 05:51 PM EDT

  Stevenstar - as usual your 'American' experiences seem to be the opposite of everyone else. Maybe the American immigration officers had good reason to hassle you. I am thinking yes, for sure! Get a life man.

• merefalow | Mar 21, 2013, 04:10 PM EDT

  i don,t support usa foreign policy,but the american people i have met on the many occasions i have been fortunate to meet,both in the usa and abroad have been incredibly courteous,generous and friendly.The irish americans remember their roots,and their history,and the reasons that drove their forefathers to those far flung shores.Their knowledge of their forsaken countries,,history culture and music often surppasses the native irish.They have a great love and nostalgia for their native land which will never diminish and has been reflected by the many forms of support given genourously and freely in support of their fellow irish mens struggles.There is a nasty and virulent thread on this site which has no basis of truth,Irish americans,are and always have been and always will be,welcome in IRELAND.

• Desty | Mar 21, 2013, 11:17 AM EDT

  These statistics seem to be misinterpreted by a lot of people. A couple of points. 1) The figures are from 2010, so this is not a "new" map. ...2) Unless I'm mistaken, it doesn't account for only Irish emigrants, but EVERYONE living here. ...3) The net migration rate (estimated in the CIA Factbook's most recent data) is positive, which means more people arrived in Ireland than left. People are not abandoning this place in droves. Happy days!

• STEVENSTAR | Mar 21, 2013, 09:11 AM EDT

  HALF A MILLION IRISH WENT TO ENGLAND BECAUSE AT LEAST WE CAN GO THERE WITHOUT BEEN FINGER PRINTED , QUIZZED, INTEROGATED, QUESTIONED BY BIG FAT BURLY AMERICAN IMMIGRATION OFFICERS INCLUDING A VERY BIG BUTCH RUDE LESBIAN ONE WHEN I GOT TO CHICAGO... AND MADE TO FEEL LIKE AN IRISH CRIMINAL AND THAT WAS ME GOING THERE 2 YEARS AGO ON A 2 WEEK HOLIDAY..BUT SHUR ALL IRISH PEOPLE GET THAT.SO I REALLY WOULD QUESTION THE FIGURE OF 137K IRISH MOVING TO AMERICA UNLESS THEY ARE AMERICAN OR HAD AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP ALREADY ... ON THE OTHER HAND YOU CAN GET TO ENGLAND ON A 20EURO FLIGHT AND NOT EVEN BE ASKED FOR A PASSPORT SO FOR ME ITS THE UK ALL THE WAY !!! ... SO WHEN IS SEE THAT IDIOT KENNY OVER THEER ON PADDIES DAY RUNNING AROUND WITH HIS BOWL OF SHAMROCK LCIKING THE YANKS BIG FAT ASSES IT TURNS MY STOMACH... TO SAY THE LEAST.!! HE SHOULS BE OVER IN THE UK THANKING DAVID CAMERON INSTEAD FOR BEEN OUR BIGGEST TRADING PARTNER AND BEEN A BIG HELP TO IRELAND OVER THE YEARS ESPECIALLY SINCE 2008 WHEN IRELANDS UNEMPLOMENT IS 15% AND THE UK IS LIKE 7.8% HALF OF WHAT WE HAVE AND IRELAND HAS A TOTAL POPULATION OF 4.5 MILLION THE SIZE OF NORTH LONDON.. DO THE MATHS ON THAT ONE !!! THATS MY OPINION ON ALL OF THIS CLAP TRAP !!

• Smyrnian | Mar 21, 2013, 06:09 AM EDT

  Bippy - Yea, the socialist model is failing in Ireland just as it fails everywhere else for all the reasons we know quite well. It will fail in the US as well, just a matter of how much destruction it causes first.

• seanomelb | Mar 20, 2013, 06:49 PM EDT

  How silly yuor comment is silling.

• BippyBellito | Mar 20, 2013, 10:19 AM EDT

  Are things so desperate in Ireland that the young want to leave to find opportunity elsewhere? Has the Socialist model of Irish government failed so miserably that over 800,000 are desperate enough to want to abandon their homeland. And now, you want to kiss Obama's socialist butt, instead of solving Ireland's problems? Shame.

• pilib04 | Mar 20, 2013, 09:43 AM EDT

  Silling, don't be ridiculous. It takes minutes to get to England. The cost can be free (plus tax) if you grab the RyanAir tickets as they appear. Certainly by Ferry or Air, transit to England is quite reasonable. Plus you have the benefit of all those relatives who are living there. As for Mother England, you have apparently never spoken to an Irish immigrant!

• Silling | Mar 20, 2013, 08:46 AM EDT

  The Irish are so attached to Mother England, they could not imagine life outside the colonies. Is it any wonder US, Canada, Australia and indeed the UK are the premier destinations. Incidentally, J'habite en France.