Read the information here; http://uk.angloinfo.com/
and another forum...this time for UK expats returning home.Still you may be able to gain something from it.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=61

Have a grandparent born in Eire? If so, you may be able to get an Irish passport... otherwise, if England is such a draw I'd take the suggestion to spend part of the year there and part in the US.

Unless you have a grandparent or parent born in Ireland, that way is just as difficult (if not more so) than the UK. I know, I've researched both.

I have dual citizenship (American-Irish). It was easier to obtain back when I did it in 1987 than it appears to be now. But in principle, all you need is original documentation of the birth of a parent or grandparent, which may or may not be easily obtainable. In my case, I already had it. There's a ton of pesky paperwork to complete for the embassy, though, and the staff there don't act with much alacrity.

political asylum?