There is a lot that you can be grateful for being Irish. They have a strong and rich history that is rooted in their deep, mythical connection to the land of Eire and extends beyond oceans to a diaspora that is in the millions-strong.
So it’s no surprise then that those of Irish descent the world over take particular pride in retaining strong links to their Irish heritage, whether they’re passport carrying Irishmen or not and there are enough of those besides with an estimated 1.75 million Irish passport holders who currently live outside of Ireland but with a number that runs into the millions of those who could potentially gain Irish citizenship through descent. It’s no wonder that the influence of this island can be felt in many different areas around the world.
HOW TO TRACE YOUR IRISH ANCESTRY
Many interested Irishmen from the world over are attempting to trace their Irish ancestry than ever before. Whether or not it is to gain Irish citizenship or just to gain a stronger sense of identity, there are many agencies and online sources that you can make use of to aid in your efforts. Check out Irish Central which is a wonderful resource filled with interesting articles and services but there are dozens more online sources that a quick google search will yield.
HOW TO GAIN IRISH CITIZENSHIP
Irish citizenship could in theory be gained by going as far back as 3 generations, where most countries cut off at the grandparent stage, in Ireland, you could get citizenship if one of your great grandparents was Irish, provided that they registered the birth of your grandparents at a foreign mission and your grandparents did the same for one of your parents. It’s relatively easy to determine this if you have sufficient biographical and birth information about your ascendants and there are tons of agencies that can help you with that.
CELEBRATING YOUR IRISH ANCESTRY
Ireland historically has been very much a clan or tribal culture and so your links to the island can be relatively easily tracked and established – it starts with your last name or the last name of your Irish ascendant and once you know what that is, you can trace your Irish Coat of Arms.
Does anyone need to be reminded of when St. Patrick’s day is coming around again or does the sea of green in major cities the world over not give it away? As clichè as this could seem, the actual festival of St. Paddy’s day is taken rather a touch more seriously in Ireland. You’re not likely to find many Irishmen with dyed green hair or rivers turned green like they do in Chicago but in the more rural areas down the country, you’ll find locals celebrating with horse racing, traditional games and songs. Not that there is anything wrong with this massive global explosion that celebrates Ireland, the “islanders” rather like that their country is celebrated so enthusiastically around the world.
From the UK, USA and Australia to South Africa, New Zeeland and Germany, Irish migrants have laid roots and continue to spread the spirit of the Emerald Isle. Maintaining your Irish heritage is easier than ever before and there are so many wonderful ways to do it. So before you go planning your next exotic holiday, maybe put Dublin on your bucket list.
