The Poles took last year's Irish rejection of Nice as a personal snub from a country they hold in great affection. But, for Poland, yesterday's vote put things right and went some way to explaining the lyrics of a favourite sing-a-long song.
"Will you forgive me someday? What I did, I was acting foolishly," goes one line, which could have been voiced by a contrite Irish voter. The song continues: "Does it mean anything to you that I love you like I love Ireland?"
The referendum received extensive media coverage in Poland over the weekend. The leading newspapers printed front-page editorials with headlines such as: "What do you say, Ireland?"
Following the result, Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland's leading newspaper, wrote in a commentary: "By voting Yes the Irish people have stretched out their hands to Poland and other candidate countries."
On the streets of Warsaw yesterday, most Poles agreed.
"The Poles and the Irish have so much in common, and I don't just mean religion," said one elderly man. "I know so many Polish-Irish married couples. I am very happy with the result and that the Irish have given us our chance."
Not everyone in the largest accession state, which will vote on the issue next year, was happy that Poland moved one step closer to EU membership.
"I'm not happy at all about the result," said one woman. "I'm afraid of a socialist EU central government taking over."
However Polish prime minister Mr Leszek Miller toasted Ireland with a Guinness and hailed the vote as a "big victory."
