Call for Irish citizens to get British passports

Orange leader calls for British passports for Irish citizens

JAMES O'BRIEN,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Monday, July 12, 2010, 5:40 AM

Updated Monday, July 12, 2010, 6:54 AM

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British passports for Irish citizens

A Senior Orange leader has called for a major welcome for Queen Elizabeth when she visits the Republic of Ireland and for British passports to be available for Irish citizens.

Reverend Stanley Gamble was speaking at the only Irish Republic Orange parade which takes place annually in County Donegal.
More than 12,000 marchers and 30 bands marched along 2 miles of country roads.

Rev Gamble stated: "British passports should be available to Irish citizens south of the border, just as Irish passports are available to British citizens north of the border. This would be a real and tangible sign of change and hope."

He said that he looked forward to the queen visiting the Republic, as has been reported.

Rev Gamble said: "Won't it be great to see the queen afforded that much anticipated and long overdue visit to Dublin.

"And I have no doubt that the great majority of Irish people will extend a warm and friendly welcome to the queen, just as they did to her grandfather King George V, 100 years ago next year."

Orangemen have paraded in Donegal since the early 1900s.

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KerryLKing | Jul 23, 2010, 05:03 PM EDT

This story is just too, too, too ludicrous!!!!!!!! I'm a 2nd generation Irish-American and "even I" can not imagine why...after what the Irish went through in the early 1900's....any Irishman would "want" a Brit passport. That's like denying what your ancesters fought against. It is a travesty for this Reverend to even suggest this....

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Kilsally | Jul 15, 2010, 09:30 AM EDT

It is simply common sense - you are entitled to dual citizenship in Northern Ireland based on the notion of wquality - the same should be afforded those in the South!

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seanomelbourne | Jul 12, 2010, 07:04 PM EDT

Jacer another story! Standing in a short queue marked "other passports" at Dover some years ago the pommy customs official refused to allow me to pass and that I had to stand in the huge Queue with British passport holders. Who needs there passport,an Irish passport is safer and respected in more countries than a British passport

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Nelsonbarry | Jul 12, 2010, 04:00 PM EDT

If people in the north want to be British citizens, fine , give them a British passport and let them go to England where they feel more comfortable

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jacersisityourself | Jul 12, 2010, 03:29 PM EDT

I hafta tell a story: I, an Irish citizen, was sent to an foreign country by my job. I needed a visa and duly received it. Later, my time on the job in the country needed to be extended. I was asked by visa officials of that country that if I could get a British passport, my extension could be more easily granted. I swore blindly at the officials’ suggestion and demanded that my right to be an Irish citizen and p/port holder be respected. My visa extension was duly granted.

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HaikuEd | Jul 12, 2010, 02:52 PM EDT

If history is an indicator, the suggestion is as stupid as stupid gets. I agree that citizens of the Republic of Ireland, a free and independent country, should not have to have British (English) passports. That is tantamount to saying "we still are part of the UK or the Commonwealth" which the Republic of Ireland is NOT. Maybe the Brits should apply for Irish citizenship.

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STEPcoach | Jul 12, 2010, 12:36 PM EDT

British passports for Irish citizens? Didn't we fight a war to get out from under those sodding bastards? Kick the queen out of the country like we did in 1916. britain is going down the tubes (finally!) and they are leeching out to anyone who can shore them up. Down with brits; Erin go braugh!

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Downunderyan | Jul 12, 2010, 07:12 AM EDT

Up until the 'troubles' in the late 1960's, it was common for Northern Irish Protestants to come south for their summer holidays and hold their parades at their holiday veues. In particular, I recall that the 12th was celebrated in the seaside resort of Kilkee, Co Clare, where they would assemble outside their lodgings on the West End and parade around the horse shoe shaped bay to the East End and back. They were never molsested. On the contrary, locals would line the footpaths and applaud them. That all changed with the pogroms against the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association marches, the ultimate assault being by the British Army Paratroop Regiment in Derry on 31 January 1972.

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