Certificate of Irish Heritage

[Phil]

Sounds like a great revenue raising idea to me. The current euro crisis and the failure of Ireland's "Celtic Tiger" boom in the recession means they need every euro they can get. So what better way can you think of? On the other hand you might just think it is a bit of a rip-off.

[Grizzly]

Why would you need a piece of paper to qualify your heritage? Surely its enough to know that you have Celtic heritage? When someone asks you why you are wearing a Saffron coloured kilt are you going to rummage in your sporran and produce a certificate of a long lost ancestor or are you just going to say that you are descended from a noble celtic kinsman. My father was born in Wales and I know that I could wear a Welsh Cilt if I wanted too, The feeling or for the want of a better word "hiraeth" is imbedded within my spirit, I know that I can wear the Cilt or the Kilt (on my mothers side) and that is enough for me.
regards

[Meggers]

I made a family tree online today. still working on tracing us even further back but I was able to get up to two generations in Ireland on a number of branches. one generation in Scotland so far.

Last names from Ireland:
-Clarkin from Co. Cork
-Monroe
-Kane from Co. Derry
-Sharpe
-Dixon from Co. Armagh

Last names from Scotland:
-Walker...one lonely Scot on my family tree. I can't trace him back any further yet
-Poole (thats on my moms side)

[Red Stag]

Turns out my Irish GG grandfather was born in Liverpool, England in 1847 but both of his parents were Irish. I have their names but no birth dates/places, just the family story that they were from Balinasloe, Co. Galway but they may have moved there from some place else. My Scottish GG grandmother was Irish and Welsh according the 1880 US census. I can't trace my surname out of Pennsylvania but some of the first people in the area with that name came over in 1690. My Gaelic ancestors are a tough bunch to track down.

[Red Stag]

Why would you need a piece of paper to qualify your heritage? Surely its enough to know that you have Celtic heritage? When someone asks you why you are wearing a Saffron coloured kilt are you going to rummage in your sporran and produce a certificate of a long lost ancestor or are you just going to say that you are descended from a noble celtic kinsman. My father was born in Wales and I know that I could wear a Welsh Cilt if I wanted too, The feeling or for the want of a better word "hiraeth" is imbedded within my spirit, I know that I can wear the Cilt or the Kilt (on my mothers side) and that is enough for me.
regards

I don't need the paper but now I'm wondering if it would make it easier to apply for a coat of arms. The Chief Herald of Ireland will grant coats of arms to Irish descendants outside of Ireland but you have to prove your Irish roots. This Certificate could make that easier than sending several proofs of each generation etc.

[Downunder Kilt]

Sounds like a great revenue raising idea to me. The current euro crisis and the failure of Ireland's "Celtic Tiger" boom in the recession means they need every euro they can get. So what better way can you think of? On the other hand you might just think it is a bit of a rip-off.

From the first post of the thread Phil, I thought exactly the same thing. If you have the money and want something, that I class as a bit of fun (much like those plots that you buy in Scotland to become a Laird) then go ahead.

In all seriousness, if you got the paperwork that proves you are of Irish descent eg. birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, copy of electoral rolls etc. then do you also need a certificate?

Yes it's a fun thing and a revenue raiser for the Irish government and the Company that's organising it.