Well, for a start, it will get you a better class of welcome from any French or German official at a port of entry, such as an airfield. I have flown in and out of France and other parts with fellow pilots and the Irish invariably get a better reception than the British. We landed in Le Touquet once and were waved to the front of the queue and allowed to get away first, much to the dismay of the long, long queue of British pilots and their passengers. My friend had seen the queue forming earlier, found the airfield manager at lunch, made sure his glass was topped up and we sailed through what could have been an ordeal. Any time he landed to clear customs and refuel there after, he was treated like a king......