eligible to claim Irish citizenship Great Grandparent?

Can anyone tell me if my Father is eligible to claim Irish citizenship through descent?

My Father - Born in England
His Grandfather - Born in England
His Great Grandfather - Born in Ireland 1848

If so, what must he do to initiate the process? what proof must he gather?

Hello - it's likely that no, your father is too far removed from an irish-born citizen to claim citizenship. If it had been his grandfather that was born in Ireland, then he could register in the Foreign Births Registry. To be sure, you could contact your nearest Irish Consulate and have them confirm.

Irish citizenship can pass down at least three generations to children born outside Ireland as long as the parent is an Irish citizen at the time of birth. Each generation of children born outside of Ireland needs to have their birth registered in Ireland (foreign birth registration) before the next generation is born, otherwise the chain will break.

Example:


- Mary and Bob are both Irish citizens born in Ireland. They have a child outside of Ireland, Karen.

- Karen is automatically an Irish citizen by descent. Karen has her own child outside of Ireland, Dave.

- Dave is not automatically an Irish citizen but is entitled to become one simply by registering his birth in Ireland, which he does at a young age.

- Dave has a child outside of Ireland, Rob.

- Rob is not automatically an Irish citizen but is entitled to become one simply by registering his birth in Ireland.


I'm not sure whether this chain can continue indefinitely.

Thanks for the replies.

The problem I have is that 1864 start of Civil Records started and my Dad doesnt know how to prove his Great Grandfather was born in Ireland as he was Born in Ireland 1848

I agree with the posters.

The generation born outside Ireland should have registered themselves under the foreign birth register to be eligible to pass on Irish Citizenship. As soon may already have died, it may be impossible.

Thanks all, it appears my fathers Grandfather may have also been born in Ireland too, we are just checking into that.

So if my Fathers Grandfather had been born in Ireland would he be eligible for Irish Citizenship?

If so, and my Father becomes an Irish Citizen, would I as his son also be entitled to Irish Citizenship?

If your father's grandfather was Irish born, but his father was born outside Ireland and is Irish by descent, then he can probably claim Irish citizenship through foreign birth registration, but he won't be able to pass it on to you as you were born after he became Irish.

EDIT: post corrected

Hi there. I have to disagree. The posters father (or poster himself) could apply for Irish citizenship based on Irish Associations if they could prove the link. What's important however is whether the person in question lives in Ireland; they'd have to have lived in Ireland for 3 years and be resident here.