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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Diplomats gone wild at U.S. Embassy in Dublin say concerned Irish -- Horror stories about how Irish are treated after famed author Tim Pat Coogan refused

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Diplomats gone wild at U.S. Embassy in Dublin say concerned Irish -- Horror stories about how Irish are treated after famed author Tim Pat Coogan refused

Posted on Friday, November 30, 2012 at 07:18 AM

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Hillary Clinton

Since the Tim Pat Coogan story broke here, I have heard numerous horror stories about the American Embassy in Dublin and how it is treating Irish applicants for visas to the United States.

As we know, famed author and historian Tim Pat Coogan was treated incredibly poorly and denied a visa for his U.S. book tour until Irish American pressure and New York Senator Chuck Schumer reversed the decision.

It is vital how an embassy treats the citizens of the country they are operating in. It sets a tone. The U.S. Embassy currently is presenting a very hostile face to the Irish.

There is no good reason for that. Ireland is not the Soviet Union circa 1955.

That’s not just my opinion -- it is that of a broad spectrum of Irish government personnel, lawyers who deal with the visa section of the embassy, and people who went through the process who I have spoken with.

It now appears that Tim Pat was the tip of the iceberg. Several who have dealings with the embassy have recounted episodes of rudeness, arrogance and most of all incomprehensible decisions by visa officers there.

Read More: United States visa ban on Tim Pat Coogan removed after Senator Schumer steps in

It is spoken openly about in Irish government circles. Many prominent figures in Ireland and here are scratching their heads at the treatment.

Representations have been made but nothing has changed. Visa officers in U.S. embassies have broad latitude, but the division in Dublin seems deliberately set on keeping applicants out of the U.S. based on the slightest whim.

Ambassador Dan Rooney, while a beloved figure to many, hardly seems to have reacted despite being told on numerous occasions about the treatment of Irish visa seekers.

Since the arrival of visa head Bradley Wilde in 2010, things have quickly gone downhill in Ballsbridge where the embassy is located.

Wilde has instituted a very aggressive regime which treats visa seekers in the main like potential burdens on America.

Rules appear to have been arbitrarily applied and changed, leaving deep confusion. Rudeness, failure to explain and downright bloody mindedness when depriving people of visas on the smallest technicalities seems rampant.

Read more: Niall O'Dowd -- Barring of writer Tim Pat Coogan from U.S. is an absolute disgrace

Maybe Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who visits Dublin next week, could take this up with Ambassador Rooney.

It is long past due as the Tim Pat Coogan case finally proved.

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jamieLM | Nov 30, 2012, 11:39 AM EST

@bbbmckeon - good post. The election is over. Obama is going on his 5th yr. in office and he and his administration are responsible for the situation in 2012, soon to be 2013. This should be a concern for all Americans, regardless of party affiliation.

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bbbmckeon | Nov 30, 2012, 11:22 AM EST

@ Katie Murphy-What does the Republican Party have to do with this issue? It is the acting President and his administration (now going into a second term!) who are responsible for the behavior of our embassy in Ireland as well as the protection of our other embassies; i.e., Benghazi!! How far back in history you go in a futile attempt to make this good party vs. bad party argument. You left out one small little detail about a wonderful President (Lincoln) who led that war on slavery. He was a REPUBLICAN!! Now get off your partisan pedestal and try to encourage all Americans of every background who should be ashamed of the behavior of the staff in our Dublin embassy to voice their dissatisfaction and have this mess straightened out!!

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CindyDoyle | Nov 30, 2012, 10:54 AM EST

Keep in Mind that for years Ireland itself delibrately worked with American Immigration because Ireland did not want to lose it's own citizens.

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DrMcHugh | Nov 30, 2012, 10:43 AM EST

As an Irish-American, I am very sorry to hear that the American Embassy in Dublin is treating Irish applicants for a visa so poorly. I am grateful that Niall O'Dowd is making this injustice known to a wider public, through this excellent IrishCentral. President Obama needs to hear of this, because he would never support this kind of injustice on people. Obama is a man of integrity and focused on doing the right thing. The American Embassy in Dublin seems to have employed "ugly Americans" who need to be replaced by decent Americans. Sincerely, Dr Rosemary Eileen McHugh, Chicago, Illinois

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cillowen | Nov 30, 2012, 10:41 AM EST

Need to know how the world turns : Israel the US and seven other states, including Canada, the Marshall Islands and Panama, voted against the resolution. Forty-one nations including the UK and Germany abstained.

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LiamScanlan | Nov 30, 2012, 10:36 AM EST

You have to realize, US diplomats sent to Ireland are sent there as a punishment. They are the bottom of the class, so to speak. The better candidates get sent to Berlin, Paris, Tokyo, Sydney. It's like being sent to detention, so it's no surprise they treat the locals like riff-raff.

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KatieMurphy | Nov 30, 2012, 10:34 AM EST

Its my underswtanding that many in embassy were sppointed by Bush, an extreme right winger . They are probably having a hemmhorage over things like the reported 73% of the Irish people not supporting the church and supporting instead equal marriage rights for gay /lesbian people The repubican party's religious base is the old south where hatred of blacks and other minorities has been re-inflamed by the election of our first black president. Thats part of why you see the absolute intransighence of the republicans here to supporting any initiative tht Pr. Obama has offered to congress. The perfect example of these extreme right protestant xtians in the USA is former Gov. Huckabee of Arkansas, who in 2011 said re religion "we've got to get them to pray - at the point of a gun if necessary." BTW America is the most religious country in the west. It was also the 2nd to last to end slavery and the only one to need a war to do so.

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sgfoster1968 | Nov 30, 2012, 10:31 AM EST

Irish denied visas? Sounds like a re-hash of the early 1900s. No worries, fly to Mexico and sneak in to the US. You are welcome in los Estado Unidos if you are an illegal hispanic.

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Searlit | Nov 30, 2012, 10:31 AM EST

I didn't realize Irish people needed a visa to come over to the United States. You can't just get an Irish passport and take a vacation? I'm referring to Silling's comment.

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slainte9 | Nov 30, 2012, 10:28 AM EST

Is this a surprise. Wilde has 429 Facebook friends and only one has an Irish name. That's quite an acheivement for a diplomat assigned to Ireland. Most of our diplomats are produced by America's elite historically anti-Irish and anti-Catholic universties. That may be the problem here.

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Alexiswolf | Nov 30, 2012, 10:21 AM EST

They don't like you 'cos your cool and smart and say it like it is. Also, you're human and don't like Israeli apartheid.

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plmcnulty | Nov 30, 2012, 10:15 AM EST

Why does it cost 2 Euro per minute to talk to the US Consulate in Dublin? My friend scheduled a visa interview, traveled from remote Donegal, and because he made a slight error on his DS 160 was denied the interview.

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Nicopernicus | Nov 30, 2012, 09:55 AM EST

The Citizen Irish have a very surface view of America, Its politics and its leadership. This is not unlike the American citizenry viewing its own country, add any substance or depth to it and you may find the Irish that truly get are those that have had a serious education in the likes of it. Obama and the Irish ideals are mere fluff and fodder for light hearted "I just Love America." A pedestrians dream.

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caroled | Nov 30, 2012, 09:54 AM EST

It's about time. Too bad it always has to be somebody prominent to make people take notice. I've seen first hand how the Embassy works. Shame on them. A little power can give people false airs..

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Fan Tastic | Nov 30, 2012, 09:48 AM EST

I have being following The Best of Irish Central For years now! Currently living In UK. Would love to be in the USA with you Guys. But can Get a Visa, count yourselves Lucky. 2 years ago I was told under no circumstances apply for a US Visa through Dublin as the Diplomat in Charge just Refuses Visa's and as we all know , once refused a Visa you are flagged on the System for all time. This Guy Bradley Wilde has a serious Reputation, he got jumped up through the Ranks and seems to have something to Prove. He's dead Level, he has a Chip on both Shoulders. He has the Power and he wants to prove it, Rooney is just there for the pleasure, but is a push over. Its bad when I was told all this in a Layers Office In Tampa. Their Reputation stands before them. Well done Nial O Dowd for Highlighting the Problem, its about time! They are all very quick to look for the Irish Vote, its about time to give a little Back! Keep up the Great Work!

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