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Original poster

Irish citizens what do you think of Brits getting Irish passports?

109 replies

Itscoldouthere · 10/04/2019 22:39

I’d be very interested to know what Irish people think.
I’m a remainer and have always been very happy to be considered European, I lived in London in a multicultural environment and I have never identified with being British and certainly not English.
I’ve just got an Irish passport for myself and my 2 DC, I was born in Ireland, my parents lived there for 12 years, I’m the youngest of 6 we were all born in Ireland, both parents British, but my maternal grandparents were Irish. We left when I was 2 years old so I have no real memories of Ireland.
My husband is Scottish and proud of being so.
He keeps joking that we are fake Irish. He also thinks that Irish people must be pissed off with Brits just wanting to be identified as Irish for the passport.
I think he’s probably right, but would love to know what Irish people think.

OP posts:

Melancholymuffin · 11/04/2019 08:46

I’d be annoyed if I was Irish.. there are enough people going around shouting about how ‘irish’ they are (because it’s cool, or because it’s St Patrick’s day) when they’ve never set foot in Ireland in their lives.
Saying that, I’ve made my DP (born in uk, to Irish parents) apply for an Irish passport so the future DC can have one - so we’re part of the problem!

WitsEnd2018 · 11/04/2019 08:52

If people meet the criteria to apply for one, then why shouldn't they? Who should be 'allowed' to become an Irish citizen in your eyes? Who's on your 'approved' list and who isn't?

Ffsnosexallowed · 11/04/2019 08:54

Agree with witsend, if you meet the criteria then why shouldn't you get an Irish passport???

alwayscrashinginthesamecar1 · 11/04/2019 09:00

I'm Northern Irish and am not bothered at all. In fact I have a spare Irish passport, I wish I could sell it to the highest bidder!

I do think anyone who voted for Brexit shouldn't be allowed one though.

Dowser · 11/04/2019 09:02

Does having Irish great grandparents count
I haven’t been to Ireland yet either but would love to go

Sakura7 · 11/04/2019 09:05

I just find it funny tbh. Considering the way Britian has treated us throughout history and the prejudice many Irish people faced, it's interesting to see so many Brits now scrambling for an Irish passport. However, I know the people applying for passports are more likely to be decent, tolerant people. The swivel eyed loons would never want anything other than a blue British passport I'm sure.

I'm not pissed off at all, the only reason I think people might be is if it increases the waiting time for renewing your passport.

Happyspud · 11/04/2019 09:06

If someone is entitled to one why would I care.

scratchbass · 11/04/2019 09:08

In NI you can identify as British, Irish, or both, so being British or Irish is not mutually exclusive. It's not out of the ordinary to have both passports.

If people are eligible then I don't see an issue.

WitsEnd2018 · 11/04/2019 09:10

So the op was born in Ireland, as were ALL of her siblings, grandmother was Irish, BUT she has lived in London for years, certainly doesn't feel English ( has to make this point very clear in her OP) and now she's applied for her Irish passport but feels that perhaps other people shouldn't do this ( who are these other people OP?) and wants to canvass opinion from other Irish people like herself? I'm thinking that the OP feels entitled to her passport because she has felt the need to prove in her OP how authentically 'Irish' she is but that others who apply may not be?

You go on about living in London and how multicultural it is, and I assume you like that about it? But reading your OP, you don't seem happy for others with Irish ancestry to apply for their passports? I'm left wondering who is 'allowed' to apply for an Irish passport in the OP's opinion?

Sakura7 · 11/04/2019 09:15

WitsEnd2018

Why are you attacking the OP? I don't get any sense that she's judging others for doing the same thing she did. She's just asking for Irish people's opinions.

WitsEnd2018 · 11/04/2019 09:16

It's completely goady.

WitsEnd2018 · 11/04/2019 09:19

OP identifies as Irish ( made a point of explaining she was born there, grandmother born there, doesn't identify as British, certainly not English) but asks what people think of Brits getting Irish passports. Very much Us and Them. Nasty attitude.

Youngandfree · 11/04/2019 09:27

It’s not like ANY Brit can get one!! You have to have Irish parents or grandparents!! So it’s not “brits” getting Irish passports in the first place!! You could get them before brexit, you’ll be entitled to get them after. It’s a non issue to me!!

Whoops75 · 11/04/2019 09:33

I’ve got no issue with it,
We’re used to big families

The Irish pride themselves on inclusivity, it’s also how we recruit most of our soccer team.

havingtochangeusernameagain · 11/04/2019 09:36

Irish people must be pissed off with Brits just wanting to be identified as Irish for the passport

They are Irish, otherwise they wouldn't be able to get the passport.

You can't just turn up at the embassy and say you want one!

Theimpossiblegirl · 11/04/2019 09:39

I do think anyone who voted for Brexit shouldn't be allowed one though.

That seems fair.

fitflopqueen · 11/04/2019 09:40

My mum is Irish along with all her side of family, I was born here in UK and never thought much about it until Brexit and realised I am an Irish citizen too. My daughter is currently applying for her Irish passport - more complex process for her than me and she wants freedom to travel as is now. I will apply for one once DD has the documents back. Just to make travel easier in future and we spend time in Ireland anyway.

Lisette1940 · 11/04/2019 09:42

I don't mind at all OP. Congrats!

lastqueenofscotland · 11/04/2019 09:42

@dowser
No you need to have a grandparent that was born there.

Sakura7 · 11/04/2019 09:47

It's completely goady.

It's really not. You're reading way too much into this.

Yubaba · 11/04/2019 09:49

I’m applying for one, both my parents are Irish.
I was born in England but I feel Irish because my parents made sure that I knew my cultural heritage. I spent a lot of my childhood in Ireland with my grandparents and extended family and I know it well, I don’t go as often now because I have a job and kids but I would quite often jump on an easyJet flight to go drinking with my cousins for the weekend when I was younger, it’s not even an hour alway by plane.

MindyStClaire · 11/04/2019 09:55

To get an Irish passport, you need to be an Irish citizen. So no, I don't begrudge Irish citizens their Irish passports.

Special exemption though for Leave voters (whether they had acknowledged their citizenship before or not as Ireland will suffer with Brexit and we have always known that) who get their passport to preserve their freedom of movement. Especially Ian Paisley Jr and his ilk, who pin their whole identity on their not-Irishness. They can scoop their eyeballs out with a rusty spoon.

The Irish pride themselves on inclusivity, it’s also how we recruit most of our soccer team.

Love this

Sproutsandall · 11/04/2019 10:17

As an Irish person, I totally support eligible Brits getting an Irish passport, although I’m presuming that those doing so are Remainers.

Leavers can go swivel though. I don’t think they should be allowed one. Perhaps we should add an extra question to the passport application to verify this.

Vagndidit · 11/04/2019 10:46

They're not exactly handing them out willy-nilly to anyone who wants one. You have to demonstrate ancestry (and only as far back as grandparent) and/or birthplace to qualify. There a lot of people in the UK of Irish descent, but not that many. Surely if they qualify, they should be able to get one.
I'm American born (to Irish born parents) and have always held an Irish passport (which now comes in handy and gives me the right to live and work here in the UK)

tisonlymeagain · 11/04/2019 10:51

If one of your parents was an Irish citizen, born in Ireland, then you are automatically an Irish citizen, irrespective of being born in England. So, therefore, isn't it a case of Irish citizen's just applying for a passport they are already entitled to?

I personally think maybe it's a bit of a stretch when you start including grandparents (although again, technically acceptable...)

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