Skip to content
Votes for Irish Citizens Abroad
  • Home
  • About us
    • Join us or contact us
    • FAQs
    • Founding sponsors (2011)
  • News
Site Search
Uncategorized

Nina on ‘Why votes for Irish citizens abroad?’

  • 15 April, 201915 April, 2019
  • by VoIrCiAb

My name’s Nina, I’m 29, and I’m asking for the right to vote as an Irish citizen abroad.

Emigration has remained a central part of the Irish experience; there can’t be a single Irish person who either hasn’t been affected by it, or who hasn’t had to make the move themselves. I’m part of the latter group and I’ve lived in London for the last four years.

While the move has made sense for me career wise, and I’ve made a nice life in London, I often feel that this has been at the expense of my identity as an Irish person. It may seem dramatic, but once you leave for any amount of time there is a sense that you’re somehow deemed “not Irish enough” to have any investment in the country. It feels as though once you’re gone, the door shuts behind you.

Not being able to vote from abroad, especially after just 1.5 years, feels punitive. When I compare it with the experiences of Italian, American, and other friends living here, they’re shocked that I’m unable to vote. For them, voting is a right and responsibility of citizenship. I strongly believe the same.

For many emigrants there’s a long gaze back towards home, I often wonder if it looks both ways. Does Ireland look outwards to its citizens abroad, does it miss them? I’ve said previously that the Irish experience is marked by emigration, but it doesn’t have to be marked by absence as well. Allowing those overseas to retain their voice gives them a reason to come back and it makes them feel like they still belong. It keeps the connection between communities at home and abroad alive.

We live in divisive times, and I can say especially being in Britain with Brexit impending, that fostering connections rather than breaking them is to the benefit of everyone, at home or abroad. I am Irish and I am European, and I don’t want to be forgotten. Britain’s Queen does not represent me, and I’d like to be able to vote for the president who does.

6 Myths about a Vote for Citizens Abroad
Quiz! How does Ireland compare…
VoIrCiAb

Related articles

Ben: ‘The presidency is just…

VICA CampaignFollow

VICA Campaign
Retweet on TwitterVICA Campaign Retweeted
BenKellyTweetsBen Kelly@BenKellyTweets·
19 Sep

A reminder: A referendum will be held before 2025 on extending votes for the presidency to Irish citizens in the North, and those abroad.

Join @VICAcampaign and @VotingRightsIE to make the Irish President a President for all. https://t.co/WmfytakYdx

Reply on TwitterRetweet on Twitter18Like on Twitter124Twitter
VICAcampaignVICA Campaign@VICAcampaign·
16 Mar 2021

Happy #StPatricksDay2021!

Share this beautiful message to all Irish citizens around the world, who help make our nation great 🇮🇪 ☘️

Reply on TwitterRetweet on Twitter8Like on Twitter10Twitter
Retweet on TwitterVICA Campaign Retweeted
VotingRightsIEVotingRights.ie@VotingRightsIE·
1 Mar 2021

Exclusive Poll: 56% of people believe Irish citizens in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK with valid passports should be able to vote for the presidency.

Reply on TwitterRetweet on Twitter9Like on Twitter21Twitter
Retweet on TwitterVICA Campaign Retweeted
VotingRightsIEVotingRights.ie@VotingRightsIE·
1 Mar 2021

Exclusive Poll: 52% of people in Ireland believe all Irish citizens abroad with valid passports should be allowed to vote for the presidency.

Reply on TwitterRetweet on Twitter2Like on Twitter4Twitter
Retweet on TwitterVICA Campaign Retweeted
VotingRightsIEVotingRights.ie@VotingRightsIE·
25 Feb 2021

We are pleased to say that three Ministers will be joining us on Monday.

To book your place at this major digital conference on Citizenship, Emigrants and Voting Rights Post-Brexit register here: https://t.co/G63jVnvyv4

@Clinton_InstUCD @VICAcampaign @EPICMuseumCHQ

Reply on TwitterRetweet on Twitter8Like on Twitter11Twitter
Load More...

Contact us

Facebook
TWITTER
Follow
INSTAGRAM
info@vica.ie

BM Box Votes for Irish Citizens Abroad,
London,
WC1N 3XX

Useful links

Environ.ie
GlobalIrish
Vote.ie
Diaspora.ie
Irish Government options paper on voting at presidential elections
Theme by Colorlib Powered by WordPress