Let the Irish Apply

Seek not preference, but rather reciprocity. Create the same number of American-to-Irish paths to citizenship as Irish-to-American ones. Net immigration=null. No preferential treatment, just a lowering of political hurdles in a bilateral agreement. This type of arrangement would be feasible, since the immigration numbers would not be impacted on balance. From the comments here and what I've read elsewhere, there would be many places opened when Americans applied for places in Ireland. Guess this proves that "the grass is always greener on the other side" of the "Pond".

Patrica Shure now yer niece Aofie could'nt have chosen a better place to make her home than here in Aotearoa( the land of the long white cloud)I have no doubt in my mind you'll be hearin from her in the near future tellin you bout the warm heartedness of the Kiwis I bid her a Maori ...Haeri Mai!!!!!!!!!!

The Irish are smart to make citizenship so difficult. The US is too easy with immigrants and it's costing Americans job security and $$$$$ and has been for years.

My husband and I are finishing up the five year process of getting dual citizenship- Irish/American. Each year we have to prove that we live here over 6 months of the year, are/would not be a burden on the Irish state, and will not apply for any Social Services or employment. We then pay 400 Euro for our residency cards for the year, The citizenship process will be around 1,000 Euro, My son can not apply for residency if he came over because he would need to seek a steady income. Are the immigrants to the US willing to do what my husband and I have to do to maintain residency in Ireland? I think not. And Patricia, my only words for you are "Don't bite the hand that feeds you." You still feel like an immigrant, while you soak up the benefits, really?

Congrats Colkelly, my sentiments exactly. The Irish in the south and especially my state of Texas were treated with respect. Here is Texas the Irish helped settle and develop the state and they were from all parts of Ireland both Catholic and Protestant. The greatest of the Irish units from Texas was Hoods Texas Brigade. John Bell Hood gave his name to Ft. Hood outside of Killeen, Texas

You completely forgot about the Affirmative Action excutative order from 1970, which prevent third generation Irish American Males from applying for jobs. So do not complain to me about discrimination, because I have been discriminated against in my own country since 1970. If Amnesty is in acted then Mexican will get job preference over native born Americans. Where's the justice?

It has often been noted that a significant part of both armys in the War of Northern Aggression/the Civil War were Irish born or Irish bred. I too would like to obtain Irish Citizenship, but even though all 4 of my grandparents were native born Irish, I've only run into walls trying to gather the necessary documentation.

In the South the Irish were integrated into society and treated with a respect not experienced by the Irish unfortunate enough to have been recruited as cannon fodder for the Union Army which equipped them with smoothbore rifles to force them to close within 25 yards of Confederate forces...and those Confederate forces included many native Irish and Irish-Americans including renowned Irish Confederate General Patrick R. Cleburne. There were no "No Dogs or Irish Allowed" signs in the South as there were in the North.

I totally agree with both cillowen and felicia. America was mostly built by the Irish. The Irish had to work ten times harder then any other ethnic group in order to be accepted and consider a group worthy of American citizenship. I was born and raised here in the U.S. and went to visit Ireland. Although I am Half Irish, 25% German, and 25% French, I felt more relaxed and comfortable in Ireland then I did when I visited Germany and France. I felt as though I truly belonged in Ireland. I for one would love to have citizenship to Ireland but after reviewing all of the necessary requirements, I feel that I would be better off just visiting for extended lengths of time. Very sad.

Consider how Ireland screwed immigrants to her shore during the end of the boom era, we have some nerve expecting other counties to treat us any differently.

the irish - without them the thing we call america would not exist - full stop. The UK crowd mightily wailed of their loss on how they should have treated their subjects better.

Interesting perspective, especially when there is so much red tape that very few Americans could ever truthfully fulfill their dream of moving to Ireland on a permanent basis.