Irish Citizenship and Passport

Over Easter I went home to Hastings for the first time since Mum died - it's over 10 years since I've visited. Talking with my Aunty Mary, I discovered my cousins have successfully made application to the Irish Consulate in Auckland and are now Irish citizens travelling on Irish Passports - entitled to both the dole and a reciprical Pension!! My grandfather, John Fitzgerald, was born on board the ship Rodney in 1875, en route from Ireland to NZ. His mother, Ellen Heffernan Fitzgerald is pictured here. Ellen and her husband, Oliver Fitzgerald, were married in the church in Emly, Co. Limerick. Emly is about 5km from Tipperary. John and I visited this beautiful church in 2006. Due to the fact the ship Rodney had not yet arrived in Dunedin when the young Ellen gave birth to her first child, my grandfather was born Irish. Thanks to the timing of his birth I am entitled to Irish Citzenship and an Irish Passport. Never again will I be separated from John when we travel through Europe. No more standing in the Alien line for me - instead I will be able to stay with him (John travels on a Dutch Passport). Together we will wave our passports at the customs official and walk on through.
This week I have been in contact with the Irish Consulate and Internal Affairs. I am now form filling and gathering up all the documents required by the Irish Consulate.