ELEVEN years after her love-at-first-sight encounter with an Aussie, Irish-born beauty therapist Donna Wall received her citizenship.
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Ms Wall was among 13 Dubbo residents to receive their citizenship yesterday at a ceremony in the Dubbo City Council building.
The other citizens originated from India, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Philippines, the UK and Iraq.
Ms Wall was backpacking across the east coast with her brother when her van broke down.
Her brother joked she should go into the mechanic across the road and flirt to get the van fixed.
She was met by local mechanic Byant Donlan and she "couldn't resist his charms," said Mr Donlan.
The now engaged pair lived together for 12 months in Ireland before they moved to Sydney and eventually settled in Dubbo.
Citizenship could not come quick enough for the new Australian, who was almost declined entry into the country after a recent trip to Ireland.
Ms Wall's Visa had unknowingly expired, but she was lucky enough to renew it in time for the ceremony.
As a lover of Vegemite, Ms Wall is arguably a true blue Aussie and has enough pride of our country for the whole of Dubbo.
"I love Australia, the weather is different and people's vibe is different," she said.
"In Ireland people act the same as the weather, so bad weather means bad moods.
"Here people and bright and lovely like the weather."
Ms Wall's added she "doesn't know why anyone from Australian would want to go anywhere else."
"You can do everything you can do everywhere in the world, like snowboarding and snorkelling, here in Australia," she said.
"I wish I got citizenship years ago."