The Irish are extremely proud of their heritage, and for very good reasons. Ireland has given the world so many wonderful things, including color photography, the Kelvin temperature scale, the submarine, the modern tractor, the tank, potato chips, St. Patrick's Day, and of course Guinness.

If you have a grandparent that is of Irish decent, then you've most likely heard all the wonderful stories about the Emerald Isle, and its people. If these stories made you consider becoming an Irish citizen, then we've got some good news for you.

What many people don't know is that even if neither of your parents were born in Ireland, you may be eligible to get your hands on an Irish citizenship if your roots go further back.

Benefits of having an Irish citizenship include the ability to work and travel in any of the 28 countries in the European Union, no permits required. After spending some time in one place, you will be entitled to health care benefits, a pension plan, unemployment insurance, and more.

So what criteria must you meet to be eligible?

In order to be considered for an Irish citizenship, you must be either born in Ireland or have Irish-born parents or grandparents.

If at least one of your grandparents was born in Ireland, you are eligible to submit an application for a citizenship. Most cities in the United States have an Irish consulate, so you can obtain the necessary documents and advise when you file.

However, you will have to provide proof that your grandparent is indeed Irish before your application is accepted. This entails you obtaining a copy of their birth certificate (you can obtain one from the General Registry Office in Dublin), a current official I.D., and both theirs and your parents' certificates of marriage. If the grandparent is deceased, then a copy of their death certificate will also need to be submitted.

You will also be asked to provide other information about your connection to Ireland, so it is recommended that you do a little bit of genealogy research.

You can all the information you need on the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland's website.

If you have an Irish ancestry, will you be applying for a citizenship?