Because of the long and storied and intertwined history of our two islands, Irish people retain a very privileged position in UK society. Functionally, and for all practical purposes, an Irish citizen is treated identically in UK law to a British citizen.
You can vote in British elections, and hold any job in the UK without a work permit – including jobs in the Judiciary. In return, UK citizens enjoy similar privileges here, though they take those privileges up in substantially lesser numbers. While Ireland and the UK are, as a result of the regrettable bloodshed a century ago, two different legal jurisdictions, functionally we all remain equally treated citizens of a common unit.
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