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Desert Orchid

Desert Orchid

Senior Jockey
Joined
Aug 2, 2005
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I am now officially registered as a citizen of Ireland.


I've been revising my other languages with the book series Brush Up Your French and Brush Up Your Spanish. Now I'm looking for the book on Irish Gaelic.


Erin Go Bragh!
 
Are you a rat exiting from a sinking ship?

My Grandfather's name was Connolly and when he was alive he told us he was born in County Cork but as he also claimed that Maureen (Little Mo) Connolly (for younger forumites - she was quite good at tennis) was a member of our family I'm not sure he can be believed. I'm too old to bother anyway.
 
I've been mulling the idea of becoming Irish too i.e applying for an Irish Passport but not sure if I qualify

My maternal grandmother was born in County Offaly and migrated to England as a teenager in the '20s, then married an Englishman, from which union my mother appeared

Meanwhile, my paternal grandparents, one Trinidadian the other English, conceived my father at home in sunny Nottingham, only for him to pop out in Dublin whilst they were working and living there for a shortish time. They returned to Nottingham when my father was about 10 months old and he has always had a British Passport

Do I stand a chance? I mastered blarney years ago
 
I'm pretty certain you do, Drone.

I qualify via my mother (born in Scotland) whose father was born in Ireland (Athy) and came here as a young man. My wife qualified via her Scottish parent whose father was born in Northern Ireland.
 
Drone said:
I've been mulling the idea of becoming Irish too i.e applying for an Irish Passport but not sure if I qualify

My maternal grandmother was born in County Offaly and migrated to England as a teenager in the '20s, then married an Englishman, from which union my mother appeared

Meanwhile, my paternal grandparents, one Trinidadian the other English, conceived my father at home in sunny Nottingham, only for him to pop out in Dublin whilst they were working and living there for a shortish time. They returned to Nottingham when my father was about 10 months old and he has always had a British Passport

Do I stand a chance? I mastered blarney years ago
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I hear Offaly was where my old man was from. Myself. Drone, and Barack Obama, all share the Offaly connections and good looks then...
 
Desert Orchid said:
I am now officially registered as a citizen of Ireland.


I've been revising my other languages with the book series Brush Up Your French and Brush Up Your Spanish. Now I'm looking for the book on Irish Gaelic.


Erin Go Bragh!
Click to expand...



Ta tu an failte romhat go hEirinn, DO. Muiris O'Neill is anim duit.

Erin go brea!
 
Thankyou for this information, Grey. However, My father, I only actually know by name, (Gerry McCormack: Also, I am assured there are thousands of men with this name in Ireland). The only other piece of information I suppose I can believe is where he said he was from, (County Offaly), which he said to my mother, Margaret, back in Islington, in 1985, before he disappeared, after a charmingly brief romance. He never returned or was ever seen again. My mother reports that two fellas in suits knocked on my mum's council flat asking for one, 'Gerry McCormack', shortly after he went missing, but other than that, I know little. Unless someone in The Irish Foreign Office wants to 'hear me out', or 'hear my story', I doubt I can prove a bleeding thing, my friend. Do they accept DNA tests? :)
 
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Knowing he was from Offaly narrows it down. Are there any details about him on your birth cert, e.g. occupation, place or date of birth?
 
I take it your mother never married your father, marble?

On my birth certificate it says where and when my parents were married.
 
Desert Orchid said:
I take it your mother never married your father, marble?

On my birth certificate it says where and when my parents were married.
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Yes, that's right,, married twice in her life but not to my biological father. Of the two that she has married, one was Italian, one Welsh. A very European affair, it's fair to say!
 
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Grey said:
Drone, I reckon you're eligible. There's an intermediate step you'd have to take first before applying for a passport but it doesn't sound that big a deal.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/e...ish_citizenship_through_birth_or_descent.html
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Thanks Grey, useful info

From the Table it looks as though I qualify twice: as a C on my father's side and as a D on my mother's side

No idea how welcoming other countries are to those with tenuous links to them but the Irish do seem generous with their qualifications for citizenship. Ireland is underpopulated, at least compared with our heaving septic isle, which makes it such a joy to travel around

This old sod spending his dotage in the Auld Sod: yes, no, but:confused:
 
Those of you with forebears from Offaly (aka Uibh Fhaili, aka Kings County) should be aware that gentlemen from the area are known affectionately as 'Biffos.' Googling this term is often a helpful shortcut in tracing heritage.
 
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Stop it, Al.

I've recently heard a report from my beloved mum Margaret that my grandfather, (Gerry's father), was a very important man in politics, Apparantly Gerry uttered something before he dissapeared. I couldn't say what exactly, because it could put my life in danger. :)
 
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It's cute that the newly found brethern dont yet understand that if two or more of my parents generation knew of a character's surname and the side of a county from which they were 'rared', they would be able to track them down and give a full rendition of his/her ancestry for hours. In fact, its how many of the older folk entertain themselves at weddings/funerals etc. Welcome to Ireland.
 
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