NFL superstar Tom Brady spoke about the pride he felt when visiting Ireland, the home of his ancestors.
The New England Patriots legend is one of the highest profile sports stars in the world, having won an incredible seven Super Bowl titles throughout his career.
Brady is considered an all-American hero thanks to his amazing career spanning two decades in American Football.
However, his family heritage can be traced back to Ireland. Brady’s great-grandparents were one of thousands of families that were forced to leave Ireland during the Great Famine in the mid-19th century.
John and Bridget Brady left their hometowns of Cork and Cavan respectively to travel to Boston, USA in search of better opportunities.
John found work as a labourer and Bridget as a server for wealthy families in the neighbourhood and the couple settled down to a normal American life.
They later moved cross-country to San Francisco after Bridget’s sister had also left Ireland to seek a better life in America.
This struggle and sacrifice made by his great-grandparents is not lost on Brady, and he has spoken about his pride of his Irish roots, and the closeness he feels towards the country.
The veteran quarterback said: “My father is 100 percent Irish. We took a trip over there together and visited some of the places where my family came from.
“That was a great experience for me and obviously, I am very proud of my Irish roots.”
Following his trip, Brady urged other Americans to do the same and visit the land of their ancestors to give themselves a ‘sense of history’.
He said: “I’ve been golfing in Ireland and Scotland as well. I’ve really enjoyed my time over there. Anyone who’s been over to that part of the world comes away with a greater sense of history. I know this will be a great experience for the players.”
