the repeal (along with other tidying up acts) was mainly to encourage trade - there were still advantages in being a native - vide the complaints in 1750's by George Moore et al that too many were being naturalized - especially irksome for George Moore was that several of these were Roman Catholics (he has been described as something of a protestant bigot!)

(re Irish names a google search found http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~homespun/spsnames.html)