You may want to consider this VERY carefully, even if you are eligible. For folks who need security clearances or might need your country of origin to intervene in your behalf, it might not be such an unmixed "blessing to be Irish"...

Fianna does not presume to give legal advice.
Please check this all out carefully for yourself and seek such legal advice as would be prudent.

Irish Citizenship requirements
Irish Citizenship by Descent info from Embassy of Ireland
Irish Embassies and Consular Offices


For a good overview of the US policy on dual citizenship visit the following website: Dual Citizenship FAQ and also U. S. State Department position on dual citizenship


Currently the US State Department has an administrative standard of evidence where they assume that U.S. citizens intend to retain United States citizenship when they obtain naturalization in a foreign state, subscribe to routine declarations of allegiance to a foreign state, or accept non-policy level employment with a foreign government. You can find this policy at http://travel.state.gov/loss.html

To summarize, you are allowed to take Irish citizenship through your ancestors or your spouse, and as long as your intention is to keep your US citizenship, you will keep it. As evidence that you intend to keep US citizenship, you should continue to obey all the laws that apply to US citizens. This means entering and leaving the US with a US passport (although you can use your Irish passport to go anywhere else in the world). If you ever move abroad, you would have to continue to file US tax returns, since all US citizens who live abroad are still subject to US tax laws.

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