BRUCE Springsteen has been invited to Co Kildare to explore his Irish ancestry when he plays shows in Dublin next year.
Mark Stafford, a Fine Gael councillor on Kildare County Council, told RTÉ that he wants to the star to come to Rathangan and to plant a tree.
Springsteen's great-great-great-grandfather Christy Garrity and his wife Catherine Kelly came from Rathangan.
The star's great-great-grandmother Ann Garrity set sail for New Jersey in 1853.
"We know that he's proud of his Irish ancestry and makes reference to it during concerts in Ireland," Mr Stafford said.
He said he and the council want to establish where family home was, identify Springsteen's cousins and invite him there to see the area.
Mr Stafford has previously written to Springsteen with the idea.
"We want to show him around and meet his relatives that we believe he has and want to trace them back," he explained.
"We want him to plant a tree and recount the lovely story of Ann Garrity - that she brought a copper beech tree to the US and planted it.
"We don't know if that is true, but he speaks of sitting under the tree with his grandmother as a child."
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are due to play three shows at the RDS Arena in Dublin next May.
