Sir, – The citizenship ceremonies in Killarney last week were specially remarkable in that at no point were the new citizens reminded that Ireland is a great country and told how fortunate they are to be here. Instead they were welcomed by a Minister and the presiding judge and told that the cultures they bring from their 80 or so countries of origin make Ireland the richer, and they must hold onto them. It was a generous, confident welcome beyond, I suspect, that of many other nations.
A total of 3,500 new citizens shed a tear and swore fidelity to the State. I was privileged to be among them. – Yours, etc,
JEREMY HARRISON,
Mullingar,
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Co Westmeath.
