The day I was granted an Irish Passport in 2020, was one of the most significant days of my life. It gave me what I had lacked for all of earlier life, an identity.

My unmarried mother came from Ireland to England when she was pregnant with me. She and I spent nearly 4 years in a Mother and Baby Home until she was coerced into giving me up for adoption. I was physically well cared for by my adoptive family but never felt I truly belonged and lacked any feeling of identity.

I do not know how, but I always had a feeling that mother might be Irish and always took a particular interest in Irish affairs. I had for decades not sought to track down my identity for fear of putting more strain on my already fraught relationship with my adoptive mother. Things moved on as my adoptive mother died, I retired and Covid gave more time for exploring my ancestry.

Through the processes of applying for birth details and DNA testing I discovered that both my parents were Irish from County Galway,

At long last I had an identity and it was Irish.
Having been without an identity for so long it seemed natural to express that new found identity by all means possible so off went the passport application.

Since discovering my Irish identity I have used every opportunity to explore what being Irish means through the study of Irish history, music and culture.

One of my sons has also been granted an Irish passport and has adopted his Irish heritage with enthusiasm.