Wombat Éireannach

I 2004, rinne mé iarratas saoránacht Éireannach. Trí bhliana níos moile, fuair mé an deá-scéal: glacadh m'iarratas! Agus mar sin de, chuaigh mé chun na cúirt mo dhílse a dhéarbhú faoi mhionn.

Beagán ósreal a bhí an eachtra. Ba orm léigh amach an mionn dílse, os comhair daoine a bhí ansin fá as ucht ticéid pairceála, ASBOs, nó mionchoireanna. Ní raibh suim ar bith acu, agus bhí an breitheamh ag déanamh oibre pháipéir. Ba é mo lá mór, ach níor thug duine ar bith suntas orm. Seachas garda amháin; dúirt sé liom i gcogar, "congratulations" agus mé ag imeacht. Go raibh maith agat, a gharda!

Ar aon chaoi, is wombat Éireannach atá ionam anois.

In 2004 I applied for Irish citizenship. Three years later, I got the good news: my application was approved. So off I went to the court to take a loyalty oath.

The experience was a bit surreal. I had to read the oath out loud, in front of people who were there for parking tickets, ASBOs, or minor crimes. No one was interested, and the judge was doing paperwork. It was my big day, but no one noticed. Except one guard; he whispered "congratulations" to me as I left. Thank you, guard!

Anyway, I'm an Irish wombat now.


I'm a learner, and I make plenty of mistakes, so don't model your Irish on mine!