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HE famously sings about being Born in the USA and writes about life in New Jersey, but a new book reveals that The Boss can actually trace his roots back to Westmeath.
According to the book, the 62 year old rocker’s great great grandmother left Ireland during the potato famine in the 1850s.
The book’s authors claim that Ann Garrity, who hailed from Mullingar, left the country for America arriving in Freehold New Jersey in 1852. The same town where her famous great great grandson still lives.
Because of the revealations in the book, ‘Land of Hope and Dreams: Celebrating 25 Years if Bruce Springsteen in Ireland’, Mullingar Town Council and Westmeath County Council have invited the rock star to visit the area next week, according to reports in The Irish Mirror.
A spokesperson told the paper: “I was delighted to hear Bruce Springsteen has roots here. I look forward to welcoming him to his ancestral home.”
The book’s c- author also revealed he would not be surprised if the singer took up the offer of a tour of his ancestral homestead.
Greg Lewis told the paper: “Family and roots are something that are important to Bruce and you can see it in the music.”
“His wife Patty actually has roots in Belfast as well so there is a big connection with both of them.”
The book’s other author Moira Sharkey revealed that the Boss had ordered a copy of the book for himself.
“Bruce has not been back in Ireland since the book came out. So we were delighted when he ordered a copy and also signed one for us.”
Springsteen is not the first American star to discover roots in Ireland. Martin Sheen and Rosie O’Donnell have both travelled over the Atlantic for the series ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ when it was discovered that their ancesters left Ireland for a better life in America.
