Poles say thanks as Gaeilge for warm welcome
Thank you very much for having us, Polish diplomats have told the people of Ireland... in Irish.
To celebrate next month’s 10th anniversary of Poland’s accession to the EU, Polish diplomats have released a short film to convey their gratitude to the Irish people for being so welcoming.
The embassy staff wanted to show their appreciation to the Irish people for the openness and kindness they have shown to Poles in Ireland over the past decade, as well as the many joys that the Emerald Isle has to offer.
“Watch this film (to be taken with a pinch of salt) and see how Polish diplomats cope with the challenges of the Irish language,” they urge.
The film, which runs for just over a minute and a half, opens with Polish ambassador Marcin Nawrot greeting viewers in Irish — he also speaks fluent Russian.
Embassy staff thank the Irish for their unusual sports, with members making a few unusual moves and slip-ups while playing hurling and football.
“We thank you for all the cheerful and easy to read books,” they declare as a member of staff holds a copy of James Joyce’s Ulysses upside down.
“We thank you for the beautiful weather,” which is accompanied by three women on a wet and windy beach, two sitting uncomfortably and another chasing an umbrella.
“We thank you for the healthy food,” with a staff member tucking into a full Irish breakfast.
“We thank you for your black gold,” as the ambassador and a colleague toast each other with pints of Guinness.
“But most of all thank you for being so open, making us feel like at home for the past 10 years,” said the staff as they wave balloons outside the embassy and cheer loudly.
The number of Polish nationals living in Ireland increased by 94% since 2006 — from 63,276 to 122,587 in 2011.
They were the largest national group recorded in Ireland — slightly ahead of British nationals with 112,259 people here, according to Census 2011 from the Central Statistics Office.
