Well mightyimp, what's your background? Where are you from originally? When and what did you join etc. Obviously you were met whatever criteria was required.
The fact of the matter is that right now, a young person coming directly from the Republic of Ireland is restricted in what roles he or she can apply for in the UK military and the reason is security clearances. You simply cannot joing the RAF as a pilot candidate anymore because of that.
Obviously in the real world, allowances can and have been made.