Dallas, Texas

Most Americans are such a hodge podge of nationalities that they can't point to any country as their "homeland". Don't begrudge those that can a little pride that they know their roots.

StCirq

cd:<BR><BR>To obtain Irish citizenship, you have to have a parent or grandparent who was born in Ireland, and you have to have the records to prove it. In many cases, lacking a birth certificate, parish records will suffice.<BR><BR>Once you have the records, you apply to the Irish Embassy, providing photos and paying a nominal fee, and you obtain Irish citzenship under the Foreign Citizens Act of 1956.<BR><BR>Once you have the citizenship papers, you apply for a passport, which among other things might make it far easier for you to obtain a permit to work in EU countries. It also would enable your children to attend college, should they so desire, in Europe, as EU citizens, where the costs are lots lower than they are in the USA.<BR><BR>Having German parents or grandparents will not enable you to get an EU passport. As far as I know, only Ireland offers this opportunity.

ppp

Rules for Italy (the last time I checked)<BR>a) heritage of Italian born (or registered) father or grandfather may apply (also the heritage of Italian mother/grandmother, born after January 1st, 1948)<BR>b) Italian father/grandfather (or mother/grandmother after 1948) MUST NOT have taken a 2nd nationality through naturalization<BR><BR>Germany is a matriarcal state ... only the heritage of German born (or registered) mother/grandmother could apply for citizenship in the recent past (don´t know if the German have closed the door since)

cd

Thanks StCirq and PPP

Devlingirl

That answer to everyone's problem would be for Ireland to come screaming into the 21 Century and get an up-to-date births Deaths and Marriage data base so that the poor Parish Priests, the pub owner and every other Irish person who can't be bothered can get on with their lives and those who wish/need that information can get it more easily. <BR>Can the rest of the world help it if Ireland insists on staying in the 17th Century? Had it every occurred to James that without other countries taking and making time for the Irish, in their times of need, they may well have been wiped out? What a selfish attitude James has. <BR>Our daughter in law's father was born in Ireland in about 1932 and even in those days there was nothing in the records and even he does not know what his actual birth date is. This is stopping him, because of no records, from getting a passport and coming to see his daughter. So whats so good about having parish priests holding onto records? Bah and Humbug <BR>

why

devlingirl<BR><BR>I believe that the thread is "Tongue-in-cheek", as most have recognized, and have kept it light and informative and neither flaming nor critical. Surely no need to change it now?

Leslie

To answer the question about obtaining a German passport, if your ancestors are German, following is some information for first-generation Americans, although it would also be pertinent for others that are first-generation children but whose parent(s) emigrated to another country (I hope I am clear):<BR><BR>A passport can only be obtained by first generation Americans (one of your parents must have been born in Germany -- not your grandparents, if your parent was born in the US).<BR><BR>However, these passports are only available to Americans who have a parent that was forced to leave or escaped from Germany during WWII. For example, my Dad was born in Germany, so I am entitled to have a German passport. However, my Dad's brother who was born in the US, can also get one, but his children are not eligible. Also, my nephews do not fit the criteria and are not eligible to apply. <BR><BR>For further information, if you do a search on the New York Times site, there was an article written about 5-7 years ago about this topic. You can also contact the German Consulate for further information. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that it is a long drawn out process to get a passport. You must supply a great deal of information (German birth certificate of your parent, immigration papers, sponsorship papers, American citizenship papers, etc).

xx

To the poster who stated that she wanted an EU passport so that she could breeze thru european airports, or send her kids to college cheap, you then have the audacity to claim you are reconnecting to your roots!! boy are you full of shit! if you want to do a trace on your family use the computor and other resources that are out there for the profession known as "geneology" and leave the parish priest alone to molest little kids...oopps wrong country sorry~!!!

nolook

Poster says that "the thread is 'Tongue-in-cheek'"...ummmm, yes that is where you will find Father Ted and that is why he can not research the Parish records.

chris

It isn't just Americans who like to claim their roots. An English relative goes on and on about being Italian, and how that supposedly makes her so much more knowledgable about wine and food, and all things Italian in general. Okay, her Great Grandfather was Italian, but she is as Brit as you could get. In total days I have spent more time in Italy then she has.

James

I'm not the original poster, but I've experienced the same thing.<BR><BR>But first off, some of St. Cirq's info is simply wrong. The only way that you or your children can attend a university in a European country on the cheap is if you actually live there for a time. For example, in Ireland, I believe you must live in the country for three years (my info is a little old here, it may have changed in the last four years) before you qualify for non-foreign tuition. Otherwise, it's just as if not more expensive than universities in the U.S. Other countries have different rules. So just having the passport doesn't do any good unless you live there. Also, you can't trace back very far for ancestors if you want a passport. It has to be a grandparent.<BR><BR>I'm CONSTANTLY accosted by people who say "I'm Irish, too!" Of course, they're not. They're American. My wife is very proud to be an American. Whenever anyone asks her if she's "Irish, too", she replies, "No, I'm American!" Why do so many Americans want to be something else, and say they're Irish, Italian, German, etc., when their families have been in the U.S. for several generations, and they are completely ignorant of the country the claim.<BR><BR>I would have much more patience for Americans who claim to be Irish if only they knew a little bit about Ireland. Some of them still don't know that the Republic of Ireland is not under British control! I met one man who told me that I spoke excellent English. Another one asked me about driving times from Dublin to London.<BR><BR>Also, I find it extremely funny that every single American I meet who wants to talk to me about their Irishness claims that their family came from Cork.<BR><BR>One more thing: before I came to the United States, I had never in my life eaten corned beef and cabbage. Also, real soda bread contains neither raisins or caraway seeds.

Dan

Well James Number 2, if you are losing patience with Americans remember this. We Irish Americans grew up sending parcels of used clothes to our relatives who were often broke because the father in the family was always drunk, if there at all. Money too. Let's not get to big for our britches. This technology boom that Ireland is experiencing, thanks to American hardware and software companies, is about over. Will Ireland be able to sustain its growth? Your track record isn't good. And this infatuation that Irish Americans have with Ireland results in the US always watching out for Ireland. If we weren't there the British would have you for lunch. So just put up with a few silly songs or questions.<BR><BR>

XXX

Dan has seemed to lose the point. It might help for all people decended from another country to just say of Irish American, Greek American, Italian American etc. Irish American are much different from Irish, as are Greek American much different than Greek etc. Yes tradition,language, and stories may be shared, but lifestyle, attitude and manerisms are so different that you are misrepresenting the decended country by claiming to be from that country.<BR>

starshiptrooper

Here is yet another example of anti American attitude. <BR><BR>We Americans are only interested in family history. If that bugs you, then so be it paley!<BR><BR>Since most white Americans are of European backgrounds, I'm amazed how differnt most of us are from the tea sippin, pastry eating Europeans.<BR><BR>Now I like to get a pitcher of beer and some BBQ and eat and drink until the juice runs down my chin on to my Yosimite Sam shirt.<BR><BR>But I'm luckier than most I guess. I know my Grandpa came from Bavaria. So I don't have to chase down and bother Bavarian locals abut my familie's past.<BR><BR>In conclusion, be patient with us silly Americans as we search for our European past.

Ryan

Here's the American-capitalist solution your problem, start charging for the service. Better yet James, set up your own business which caters to this need.<BR><BR>Most people are probably willing to pay a for the service, just call it an Administration and Record fee. Let's say $15 U.S., $25 if you're running a business.<BR><BR>Your parish benefits because it supplements the weekly collection plate or you can give them a cut.<BR><BR>Look on the bright side, right now we only want to know where we are from. WAIT UNTIL WE DECIDE TO COME BACK!

yes

&gt;But in Boston and somewhat elsewhere, &gt;people would hear my accent and &gt;immediately say "I'm Irish too" Well &gt;they weren't. They were American!!! <BR><BR>That irritates me too. You don't get WASPs claiming to be English. I recently met an American who thought that Ireland was part of the British mainland. Mind you, that wasn't as bad as an Australian friend being complimented on his English.<BR>As for the British. We have managed to reach a pretty good accommodation with them and are mature enough to forget the old hatreds. It's a pity that so called Irish-Americans can't do the same.If you read people like Dickens and Mayhew, you'll realise that at the time of the potato famine, the poor people in England and Scotland weren't exactly living off the fat of the land. Our present prosperity is mainly due to the EEC.

Katherine

Leave James alone -<BR><BR>He had nothing but kind words towards Americans. And let's face it - we Americans as wonderful as we are do tend to get a wee bit awe struck by accents. Frankly - it would get annoying if I was EVER asked to sing Oh Danny Boy - I've heard better folk in my day.<BR><BR>America is the new world - we don't have the roots, the history of Englad, Italy, or the rest of Europe. We cling to our ancestry to remind us of where we came from. It's actually quite humbling for Americans - who can seem a bit arrogant to the outsider. <BR><BR>I am a proud American - so when I visit Ireland in the Spring - I will not visit a village priest and steel him away from his pint - but rather I'll but him a pint and say thanks for welcoming us in your lovely village.<BR>

Thyra

OK, I love Europeans, and Irish... but everytime we travel, the subject invariably comes up of where are we from and what do we do for a living. Well we live in Los Angeles, and I work in the Entertainment industry! Sheesh is every cab driver a closet actor... No I don't know Tom Cruises publicist! No I can't get your screenplay made into a movie, and NO I can't sponser you to stay in Sunshiny L.A for the duration of your chilly (beloved) Irish July!!! See, this type of thing goes both ways! People are just making conversation, friendly and interesting, and certainly safer then political discussions.

Pam

Please don't blame us poor Americans for something else now. If we are<BR>unfriendly we get critized, now if we try to reach a common bond with someone that is being critized. That is a way to be friendly, in case that you don't recoginize friendliness, James. I think the people that bothered you just didn't say the whole phrase "Irish-American" or of "Irish ancestry". I think you should find something else to whine about, not how people reached out to you in conversation.

cowboy

Pam, you said it beter than any of us could ever say it. I get so irritated at this American bashing. This is just yet another attempt at American bashing. Clever as heck mind you, but bashing nonetheless.<BR><BR>And just sit back and watch now as all the apologetic people start defending James and flamming those of us that are sick and tired of this mess!<BR><BR>In my travels in Europe, I have met many people that I am friendly with, especially the young ladies. heh heh heh<BR><BR>They know me as a polite (to a fault) person, until someone gets in my face about something they don't like about Americans. Even then I try and be polite, but if pushed into a corner, I'll come out swinging!<BR><BR>I remember one drunken lout trashing some Americans in a bar. He was loud, he was obnoxious. Now it just happened that there were some young American military people in the bar. After awhile, they had heard enough. I stoped them from going over there. I said: we are guests in this man's country. Let him huff and puff about how crummy we are as a country and as a people.<BR><BR>This bashing is old people! IT IS REAL OLD!!!