Rosie O’Donnell has officially packed up her life in the United States for a new start in the Emerald Isle. In a TikTok video shared on Tuesday, March 11, the talk show host confirmed that she and her child Dakota had made the move to Ireland on January 15 and she is currently “in the process” of getting her Irish citizenship. While admitting she misses “many things about life there” in the U.S., O’Donnell shared the political reasons for her international move.

The comedian opened up about her warm welcome in Ireland on TikTok Tuesday as she confirmed speculation that she’d made the cross-Atlantic move with her 12-year-old child, whose nickname is Clay. “It’s been pretty wonderful, I have to say. The people are so loving and so kind, so welcoming. And I’m very grateful,” O’Donnell shared, revealing that her grandparents are from Ireland and she’s working on getting her citizenship.

O’Donnell said she hadn’t anticipated leaving the United States for Dublin, but she was happy with the decision due to the current political climate after the 2024 presidential election. “I was never someone who thought I would move to another country, that’s what I decided would be the best for myself and my 12-year-old child. And here we are,” she shared.

“You know, I’m happy. Clay is happy. I miss my other kids. I miss my friends,” O’Donnell–who also shares kids Parker, 29, Chelsea, 27, Blake, 25, and Vivienne, 22, with ex-wife Kelli Carpenter–added. “I miss many things about life there at home and I’m trying to find a home here in this beautiful country and when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America, that’s when we will consider coming back.”

“It’s been heartbreaking to see what’s happening politically and hard for me personally as well,” she continued. “The personal is political, as we all know … I just felt like we needed to take care of ourselves and make some hard decisions and follow through.”

Now that she was “getting settled,” the TV personality also shared some details about her new life in Dublin, saying she’d “met a bunch of people” and everyone was “friendly.” 

O’Donnell previously sparked rumors that she’d made the move to Ireland in a now-private March 7 Instagram post, which included a photo of Dakota in the backseat of a car seemingly going to school. She also shared a selfie with her new “little used car,” writing that she’d bought it to “tool around the countryside on the wrong side of the road” on her page, “Hit the curb three times – thought I hit a cat !!! #newadventures ❤️.”