Kiwi no more
Joe Schmidt has been in Ireland for a good few years at this stage, but as a man born in New Zealand he probably always felt a bit of an outsider no matter how much success he’s brought to our Irish teams.
Even with his status as the most popular Kiwi in the country right now, the Ireland rugby boss was still not considered ‘one of our own’ and we all know how we hate ‘blow-ins.’
Well that’s not true anymore as the former Leinster coach is now officially a 100% certified and guaranteed Irish citizen.
The rugby coach along with Richardt Strauss and the IRFU’s Olly Hodges have all been granted full citizenship at a ceremony in Dublin today.
Minister @FitzgeraldFrncs presents Joe Schmidt with a certificate of naturalisation as he becomes an Irish citizen. pic.twitter.com/wy51yKHWIM
— MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) September 2, 2015
The lads all look delighted but Richardt, well he’s less enthused.
Maybe someone asked him to explain the tuiseal ginideach
Joe Schmidt, Olly Hodges and
Richardt Strauss all became citizens in a ceremony presided over by Judge Bryan McMahon pic.twitter.com/XsR22jRKu4— MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) September 2, 2015
Schmidt has been in Ireland for over five years, and as a non-Irish national you can apply for a process called ‘naturalisation’ to become an Irish citizen but you must fit the criteria as laid out by the government.
Some of the expectations that apply to those hoping for an Irish passport include:
- Be of good character – Back to back Six Nations has that taken care of
- Intend in good faith to continue to reside in the State after naturalisation That big contract from the IRFU takes care of that
- Make a declaration of fidelity to the nation and loyalty to the State We think that’s been proven over the last few years
After today’s news we expect him to belting out the national anthem at closing time in the bar after we win the World Cup in October.
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