Springsteen vows to plant a tree in Kildare to honour his local ancestors

Bruce Springsteen has promised in an interview on RTE to plant a tree in Kildare during his next Irish tour, the Irish Independent reports. 

The US rocker has been invited to Rathangan to explore his ancestral links he and the E Street Band play three shows at the RDS Arena in Dublin next May.

Springsteen has Irish heritage through his great-great-great-grandparents Christy Garrity and Christy's wife Catherine Kelly who lived in Rathangan.

Springsteen's great-great-grandmother Ann Garrity set sail for New Jersey in 1853.

Speaking about Kildare on The Brendan O'Connor Show on RTE Radio One at the weekend, Springsteen said: "I'm very connected to [that part] of Ireland.

"Spiritually, I feel a great warmth there and our Irish audience is a very special audience to us."

“They have given us such a tremendous home in Ireland, and it is completely appreciated by myself and the band. We love, love coming to Ireland.

Speaking about his visit to Ireland next year, he added: "I got my stops that I like to make, and it's pretty cool.

"Everywhere I go people just say hi, buy me a drink or something, and I gotta get my fish and chips and stop here and there and have a great time.”

O’Connor joked that Springsteen should be buying his fans a drink, to which he replied: “It's true .... I'll have to remember that.”