Metro Éireann will host a new initiative which aims to help Irish citizens from international backgrounds to express their special appreciation for the ‘céad míle fáilte’ they have received.

More than 17 per cent of the population is not Irish by birth, according to provisional figures from the 2016 Census.

That means almost everyone in the country has an immigrant neighbour, schoolmate or colleague, not to mention local shop workers or service providers.

“Thank You Ireland will also showcase the progress which many non-Irish nationals and those who have gained Irish citizenship over the years have made in Ireland,” said the organisers in a statement. 

The initiative will select several people from various walks of life to share their experiences through music, dance or the spoken word.

“The special celebration will highlight unique organisations, agencies and companies that have supported the new Irish to emerge by way of inclusion in the workplace, using their power to make them very visible, or by standing by them in times of need,” the organisers added.

More details on this initiative will be available in future issues of Metro Éireann.