Passport as gaelge

tbreath wrote: »

I'm chomh chomh chomh annoyed with these new passport rules.

I went up to the passport office in Cork today to apply for a new passport (my old one expired in Feb). I planned to get it my Irish name which I've been using for years (albeit not in a very official capacity).

As proof of usage I gave my driver's license, bank statement, flipping AA membership cards (all as gaeilge) and even a flipping DEED POLL from 2009 and I was denied it. The oldest documentation I had was 23 months old and they need to be a min of 2yrs old to be accepted. Now, due to time constraints, I have to apply for a ten year passport in a name I never use and no longer really identify myself with. Work, friends, the whole shebang is in Irish.

I'm not a anal Gaeilgeoir, it's more about cultural identity, but I resent these new regulations which, as far as I know, withdraw my constitutional right to use my Irish name.

If anybody has any advice on this I'd appreciate. I'm in a "talk-to-Joe" state of mind.

Go raibh míle

It might be a bit too late now that you have your passport, but I would have recommended using unofficial documentation, as that worked for me (I forgot to update the thread and let people know I got my name as Gaeilge in the end). The Dublin office seemed a bit lax about it, as all I provided was a reference from two sports clubs I've been a member of for over two years.

If anyone is having trouble finding official documentation proving you use your name in Irish, ask for a reference from somewhere, referring to you by Irish name, and have it state how long you've been a member/known the club/person (if it's over two years).

A couple of examples:

Society Membership: Seán Ó Bod has been a member of Galway Squirrel Impersonation Society since June 2005 and has since...

Sports Club Membership: Seán Ó Bod has been a member of Leitrim Arse-Frisbee Club since June 2005...

If you know any Gardaí, Doctors, Teachers, Priests etc. who can write you a personal reference: I have known Seán Ó Bod since June 2005 and can vouch for his character/personal hygiene...


It probably depends on how anal the person who's dealing with your passport is, as the lady who dealt with mine seemed all right.

However, the fact that you changed your name by deed poll means that you should legally be allowed to be recognised by that name. I know nothing about law, but I imagine you would have a legal case there.