Some 2,400 people have been conferred with Irish citizenship in Co Kerry.

The new citizens hail from over 90 countries - including 309 people from the UK.

The three citizenship ceremonies were held in the Convention Centre Killarney - with presiding officers retired High Court Judge Bryan McMahon and retired District Court Judge Paddy McMahon.

Addressing the new citizens, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said: "Today, you will take an oath of fidelity to our nation and loyalty to our State.

"You will do so in the knowledge that this relatively young State - still less than a century since our independence was gained - is a place of culture where traditions are cherished and history is ever-present.

"And be sure, too, that this State is a place of diversity and openness."

Minister Flanagan also highlighted the Government's Migrant Integration Strategy - which is aimed not just at all newcomers but also at Irish citizens, with the primary objective of ensuring that barriers to full participation in Irish society are identified and addressed.

Citizenship ceremonies were first introduced in 2011.

These latest ceremonies bring the total number of ceremonies held since then to 141, where people from over 180 countries will have received their certificates of naturalisation.

Over 122,000 people will have received Irish citizenship since 2011 following the ceremonies.

There continues to be significant numbers of those originating from the United Kingdom granted Irish citizenship.

Among the rights gained by those receiving citizenship is voting rights equal to those of all Irish citizens, including the right to vote in referendums and presidential elections.

New Irish Citizens standing to attention for their new national anthem pic.twitter.com/2mHERpgIJA

— Department of Justice 🇮🇪 (@DeptJusticeIRL) April 29, 2019

Each of the three ceremonies was also addressed by Ms Justice Tara Burns, chairperson of the Referendum Commission, who encouraged the new citizens to register to vote ahead of the upcoming referendum on divorce.

She said: "Becoming a citizen of Ireland is a wonderful thing but it also casts a civic duty on all of us to be involved and take part in our society.

"One way you can fulfil that civic duty is by voting in the upcoming referendum which proposes a change to our Constitution.

"People living in Ireland have the right to vote in different types of elections, but only citizens of Ireland can vote in a referendum proposing a change to the Constitution

"This is your Constitution now also - only citizens of Ireland can change it.

"The Government and the politicians cannot.

"You and you alone have the power to change the Constitution or keep it the same."

The proposal to change the Constitution has two parts: The first part of the proposal is to remove from the Constitution the requirement that a couple be living apart for four out of the previous five years before they can apply for a divorce.

If the proposal is passed, it will mean that the Oireachtas can legislate and reduce this to two years.

The second part of the proposal relates to foreign divorces.

A provision of the Constitution states that a person who has obtained a foreign divorce abroad which is not recognised in the State cannot remarry.

The proposal is to remove this provision of the Constitution and replace it with a provision which explicitly states that the Oireachtas can legislate to recognise foreign divorces.

The website checktheregister.ie gives access to downloadable forms to register for the first time, or to change status.

Voting takes place on May 24th.

Main image: Lina Chen from Hong Kong at a citizenship ceremony in the National Concert Hall in September 2018 | Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie