But in reality they come from two different countries . . . Mikuszewski from the old communist state and the younger Daniel from the country which has enthusiastically joined the EU.

Mikuszewski's wife and two sons are back in Poland and don't want to come to Ireland. "I miss my wife and sons and dog, " he says, although he plans to stay in Ireland for another few years.

Rather than go to the pub after work, he goes home and talks to his wife using Skype technology. "I don't like Guinness and the Polish beer is too dear. I drink Tuborg, " he says. "The Irish like the Polish more than the Polish like themselves."

He is half joking, half in earnest.

Although he always wanted to travel, he says the main reason he came to Ireland was to earn more. "In Poland, Ireland is seen as a place to get good money. At home I would only get one-fifth of what I am earning here, " he says. He found it very expensive here at first but adds that in Poland petrol and water is very expensive. "I still think in zloty, " he admits.

Joanna Daniel, who has perfect English, appears a bit unsure whether earnings would be quite so low back home.

But she admits the standard wage in Poland means you cannot go out.

Daniel works in HR for Killarney Communications, has a master's degree and "will probably return to Poland at some stage".

She came to Ireland in 2004 to study in Cork and says life is easier here. It took some time to get used to. "I was surprised by the welcome and maybe I am lucky but I have had no bad experiences in Ireland, " she says. Unlike Mikuszewski, Daniel loves to go to the pub and has many Irish friendships that "will last".

Part of a new generation of Poles who are emigrating to gain experience as much as money, Daniel says it is as easy for her now to fly back and forth between Dublin and Warsaw as it would be to travel from her home town of Turun to Warsaw.

She bought an apartment in Poland last year and says it has risen 150% in value as the Polish economy shows signs of taking off.

Niall Byrne, managing director of Killarney Communications, says he is delighted with the skill level of Polish workers who constitute around 40% of the workforce.

"We adapt the work environment to suit them because we need them. We allow extra leave to go home at Easter which is special for Polish people and will rearrange work schedules to suit that, " says Byrne.