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Texas kids got raw deal at Dublin Airport

By
NIALL O'DOWD,
IrishCentral.com Publisher

Published Thursday, July 16, 2009, 1:14 PM
Updated Thursday, July 23, 2009, 5:30 PM

 

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Dublin Airport, where the Texas backpackers were turned away
Dublin Airport, where the Texas backpackers were turned away

Rarely has a story ignited such different opinions as the one about the three Texas kids who were turned away by immigration in Ireland because they did not have a Dublin address, but arrived back into Ireland on Tuesday to a hero’s welcome.

IrishCentral.com has received huge numbers of emails from Americans and others who take sides on this question. They reveal, perhaps, a deep sense of conflict about what the Irish and American relationship is really about.

The three, Colin Zwirko, 21, Gavin Sides, 19, and Ben Whitehurst, 21, arrived in Dublin on July 3 intending to make Ireland the first stop on a year-long trip across Europe.

An immigration officer grew suspicious of them because they did not have an address in Dublin and sent them back home, forcing them to spend precious funds on immediate return tickets.

Back in America their story soon became known, and CBS News among others featured a lengthy piece on them.

Opinion in the Irish-American community seems evenly divided between those who felt they were very hard done by, and those who believe the immigration officer acted correctly.

On our website Irish Canuck wrote, “I am certainly happy for those young men and I hope that they enjoy their trip to a beautiful country. It doesn't surprise me that the misunderstanding was fixed; there are no better people on the planet than the Irish.”

Madokeith  wrote, “Now, that is Irish hospitality for you! A sad situation has been made so much better by the good people of Eire. The boys will hopefully learn a lesson about traveling into other countries, and they will be able to experience more than they had planned.

“My hat's off to all who have reached out to make these American boys welcome. Hopefully all learned a valuable lesson! Blessings to you good people!”

However, others disagreed. San Antonio Brendan wrote, “I'd be interested in seeing the follow-up to this story, but based on what I've read here, and having experience traveling into Ireland, I'd have to agree with the immigration officer.  The officer was not receiving clear answers to the questions, and the boys should have prepared better for this, too!”

Irish Fez wrote, “Ah come on now. We all know they were being cheeky and over-confident. I can just imagine them. Thinking, ‘It's only Ireland.’ ‘We are American.’ 

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