Able to get Irish citizenship?

Hi all

Can anyone tell me whether I would be eligible to apply for Irish citizenship?

I am Australian (51) and have lived and worked in Australia my whole life.

My mother was born in Australia in 1944, lived in Australia her whole life, died in 1997. My father was born in 1938 in Australia, worked in Australia his whole life, died this year. All of my father's family were Australian. My parents were married when I was born.

My mother's father was born in London in 1899 and died in the early 1970s after moving to Australia. his wife was Australian born.

My mothers fathers parents were both in Northern Ireland and they later moved to Australia. All other relatives of mine are Australian born.

I understand that my grandfather would have been a irish citizen by descent and that my mother coudl have signed teh foreign births register before I was born to make her an irish citozen and thus I coudl have done the same. However in Australia one could not become a citizen of another country without losing citizenship until 2002. By then my mother had died.

Having regard to the above legislative impediment that prevented my mother filling out the foreign births register, is there some way that I can obtain Irish citizenship?

Thanking you

Peter