RTE are reporting that they turned up at the stations voluntarily this morning.. probably with lawyers.. and one of the three - Niall Connolly, Sinn Féin's representative in Cuba - was arrested under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act this afternoon... that seems to be in relation to obtaining a false passport.

OK, call me a pedant, but the name of the country is Colombia, not Columbia. Actually, Columbia is the Jam of the Ocean.

on the subject of passports

Quite a lot of southern Irish people take advantage of the fact that their parents were born before 1949--and acquire a British passport while still holding onto their Irish one.

they then enter the USA on visa granted on their Irish pasport when this expires--they apply and often obtain a new visa under their British passport----

will these mercenary flag of convienience travellers all be extradited---!?

Colombia has been restored, Alan. Thanks.

I hope Philip doesn't mind...

Martin,

So that's why there are so many British people with Irish accents working in bars in Boston!

A MC D,

yep

"Quite a lot of southern Irish people take advantage of the fact that their parents were born before 1949--and acquire a British passport while still holding onto their Irish one."

Really?? I never heard that before. And indeed I don't know a single person who has done that.

Dont lie Maca its very common

How do they then explain being in the US with a visa on a passport with no entry stamp?

Martin
"Dont lie Maca its very common"

Are you a mind reader? Or how exactly can you tell if I am lying or not.

When you say "quite many" and "very common", how many people do you mean? 3? 300,000?

Whichever pasport they are using on this particular visit will have an entry stamp.

well martin?

I have your place bugged Maca,

asking me how many is silly its like asking me how many illegal Irish immigrants are in USA--we all know there are thousands-but
we cant exactly find out the real numbers by a survey can we.

Won't the passport with the entry stamp also have the expired visa?

martin
So just an attempt to insult me.

"asking me how many is silly"

In other words you don't have a clue.
You claim quite many people do it, i'm very curious to know how many because I don't know a single Irish person (excl those of British extraction) who carries or would carry a British passport.

Two of the C3 have been released...

Maca,

no insult intended.
I personally know 4 such--and people down south are in general not nationalistic and only 2 willing to sell out their national identity--they might as well have the star of India flying over the GPO for all the difference it would make to them

"I don't know a single Irish person (excl those of British extraction) who carries or would carry a British passport."

If I was in a tight spot, needed a passport urgently to get me somewhere I needed to go, and couldn't get my Irish one renewed, I think I'd probably hold my nose. Do you really think the passport's that big a deal maca?

I know a few northern chuckies with British passports cause it was a few pound cheaper when they were students. If you want an estimate of numbers, personally, I know exactly 13 people who have done that, and would estimate that there are probably 3,487 across the six counties, and a further 300 or so in the South who have taken this traitorous step.

Didn't John White go on some fact finding trip as Sean Ban cause his UK passport had expired!?

Birth before 1949 in Southern Ireland entitles one to status as a British Subject, but not British Citizenship. This right is not heritable, otherwise the entire population of the Southern state would be able to fill out an application right now. It is necessary for an Irish citizen to move to the UK to become eligible for naturalisation.

Martin
"only 2 willing to sell out their national identity"

Speak for yourself Martin :)

MCT
"Do you really think the passport's that big a deal maca?"

All i'm saying is that I don't know anyone who does this and never heard of anyone doing it.
And therefore i'm challenging the point that 'quite many' people do it. You estimate 300 people, that's hardly 'quite many' ... it's 'fuck all' ;)

"only 2 willing to sell out their national identity"

Speak for yourself Martin :)

Im a Northern Irish Republican.

Martin
"Im a Northern Irish Republican."

Then don't attempt to speak for us ;)

Then don't attempt to speak for us ;)

Who exactly are us-and when did I .attempt to speak for you.

the average Free Staters that I have had the great misfortune to come across in my liketime have held views very similar to Jimmy s---i wouldnt try to speak for persons who hold such diabolical views

"Us" is people from the Irish state, your 9:34 is what i'm challenging.

p.s. We're not talking about South Africa here (you must have Willowfield's disease).

well where did I attempt to speek for "us".

It seems to me that the most nationalist thing that Free Staters ever do is to come up to Northerners in pubs-completly uninvited I might add-and tell the said Northerners to fcuk aff tae Beelfasst where yee came from--in fairness Belfast is probably the only place in the north the West Brit,inbred red neck crap heads have ever heard of.

The same people are always slabbering about their grandfathers being in the OLD IRA--I suspect that the most nationalistic thing these peoples families ever did was --female members killed Black and Tans by passing on veneral disease.

You've got serious problems Martin.

And, what's this fascination with South Africa?

Intrigued by the British extraction point...

but actually bemused as to from which orifice they extract the Britishness!

Good luck to London hurlers for Londain v Lú on Sunday in the Nicky Rackard too!

"I suspect that the most nationalistic thing these peoples families ever did was --female members killed Black and Tans by passing on veneral disease"

That's a shocking thing to say, Martin, but I had to laugh. :}