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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Am I white Irish?

243 replies

SmallNuts · 01/12/2022 21:12

Parents are from Ireland, have the accent, moved when they were late twenties.

i was born in England. Have an Irish passport. Live in England.

can I consider myself white Irish?

it’s for diversity monitoring.

OP posts:
LynLynette · 01/12/2022 21:55

I had to look up diversity monitoring but it’s up to you, you could be white Irish or white British.

EarringsandLipstick · 01/12/2022 21:56

Lesina · 01/12/2022 21:31

You are Irish. White or otherwise you are Irish.

Why is she?

Henuinequest · 01/12/2022 21:56

Yes, of course you can.

HappyStar56 · 01/12/2022 21:56

I would consider you British but I understand Ireland is one of the countries which allow other nationals to get an Irish passport if they have certain Irish family members/relatives,

Appleandoranges · 01/12/2022 21:57

So if your parents were white Irish, you would be white Irish. What about if your grandparents were white Irish but you were born in England and your parents were too. How long does the Irishness last in terms of ethnicity?

EarringsandLipstick · 01/12/2022 21:57

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 01/12/2022 21:33

I'm Irish and would consider you English/British.

But if you want to identify as white Irish that's your business.

I'd agree with this.

I'm perplexed why you'd want to choose this; but these options are for self-selection, so I guess choose the one you wish to.

I'm Irish, I don't consider someone who is not born here, and does not live here, Irish.

Heyahun · 01/12/2022 21:58

My husband and I are Irish and out daughter was born here in the uk -even though she’s born her i would not call her British - she’s Irish.

in fact I’m not even sure she can have a British passport or not seeing as neither parent is a British citizen? (I may well be wrong as haven’t looked into it properly - just got be Irish Pasport.)

Henuinequest · 01/12/2022 21:59

To be British you have to be born in Britain with at least One British parent. So technically…
still, you’re a dual national if you have an Irish and British passport - you can choose which to put down as suits tou

EarringsandLipstick · 01/12/2022 21:59

Heyahun · 01/12/2022 21:58

My husband and I are Irish and out daughter was born here in the uk -even though she’s born her i would not call her British - she’s Irish.

in fact I’m not even sure she can have a British passport or not seeing as neither parent is a British citizen? (I may well be wrong as haven’t looked into it properly - just got be Irish Pasport.)

She's not Irish!

Irishfarmer · 01/12/2022 22:01

legalseagull · 01/12/2022 21:14

You're British though if you were born here aren't you?

Not always. I was born in England but cannot get a British passport.

OP I think you can realistically call yourself either. I know people like me born in the UK but came back to Ireland young so would only refer to themselves as Irish. But I also have cousins who were born and raised in the UK to Irish parents and would call themselves either.

Henuinequest · 01/12/2022 22:01

Irish and U.K. citizens are treated equally in each other’s countries ( cos of the odd situation with Northern Ireland) for jobs, voting etc
so Irish people can live and work etc in England without ever needing to get U.K. passports or citizenship and the same rules go for U.K. people living or working in The Republic of Ireland

EarringsandLipstick · 01/12/2022 22:03

Henuinequest · 01/12/2022 21:59

To be British you have to be born in Britain with at least One British parent. So technically…
still, you’re a dual national if you have an Irish and British passport - you can choose which to put down as suits tou

That's not true. It depends on the date of birth as well as a number of other factors. All set out here

www.gov.uk/browse/citizenship/citizenship

Heyahun · 01/12/2022 22:03

She’s not British @EarringsandLipstick she can’t even have the bloody passport 😂

CarefreeMe · 01/12/2022 22:03

I’d think you were English/British if you were born and raised in England.

It doesn’t matter if your parent are from Mexico.
If you’re born in Britain you are British.

On most forms there are 2 boxes one for your race and one for the country you are from.

Henuinequest · 01/12/2022 22:03

‘She's not Irish!’

er,
yes she is.
British people
are FUNNY sometimes but you make the rules saying children born in the UK aren’t automatically British unless one of their parents are … so…

swissrollisntswiss · 01/12/2022 22:04

DS was born in Switzerland and has only ever lived in Switzerland. Both DH and I are British. If I had to tick a box for him it would always be British, even if we claim Swiss naturalisation for him when he is eligible. So judging by my situation I would say you are Irish. Admittedly he may feel differently once he is an adult. Go with whatever you feel.

Luckyducker · 01/12/2022 22:04

I suppose anybody can consider themselves as anything so you could.

Henuinequest · 01/12/2022 22:05

‘It doesn’t matter if your parent are from Mexico.
If you’re born in Britain you are British.’

it actually very much DOES matter to the U.K. government - you wouldn’t be a U.K. citizen, you’d be Mexican living in the U.K…with your Mexican parents.

EarringsandLipstick · 01/12/2022 22:05

Heyahun · 01/12/2022 22:03

She’s not British @EarringsandLipstick she can’t even have the bloody passport 😂

When was she born? If it's after 2006 & either parent is UK or Irish born, or an EU national till a certain point, then yes, she can.

See the conditions here. You're correct that it's not entirely straightforward, and further complicated by Brexit, but it's fully set out: www.gov.uk/browse/citizenship/citizenship

Henuinequest · 01/12/2022 22:06

It’s not like in the USA where any child born in the US is an American citizen. Our rules are different.

EarringsandLipstick · 01/12/2022 22:06

Henuinequest · 01/12/2022 22:03

‘She's not Irish!’

er,
yes she is.
British people
are FUNNY sometimes but you make the rules saying children born in the UK aren’t automatically British unless one of their parents are … so…

Not necessarily the rule! (I'm not British. I'm Irish. But I can read a website).

Livelovebehappy · 01/12/2022 22:06

You can identify as whatever you feel comfortable with. I know people who are the same ethnicity, but identify differently on these diversity forms. .

swissrollisntswiss · 01/12/2022 22:08

Henuinequest · 01/12/2022 21:59

To be British you have to be born in Britain with at least One British parent. So technically…
still, you’re a dual national if you have an Irish and British passport - you can choose which to put down as suits tou

You don’t need to be born in Britain, you just need to have a British parent who was born in Britain.

EarringsandLipstick · 01/12/2022 22:08

Henuinequest · 01/12/2022 22:05

‘It doesn’t matter if your parent are from Mexico.
If you’re born in Britain you are British.’

it actually very much DOES matter to the U.K. government - you wouldn’t be a U.K. citizen, you’d be Mexican living in the U.K…with your Mexican parents.

Again, not correct.

www.gov.uk/check-british-citizenship/born-in-the-uk-from-1-july-2021-onwards

(For example - you would need to look at all the categories to ascertain which apply but it's very clear)

AlecTrevelyan006 · 01/12/2022 22:10

i was born in England - both parents born in Ireland

I was always put White Irish if given the otion