Kildare's Rathangan gets shout out from Bruce Springsteen at Croke Park concert

It was close to dusk as Bruce Springsteen approached the microphone in Croke Park last night. Up he steps, and in his customary charming manner, he welcomes the Mayor of his hometown of Freehold, Kevin Kane along with his delegation from New Jersey, and his friends from Rathangan, his ancestral home. 

"My homies", he says as he thrusts his fist in the air before launching into a rousing rendition of My Hometown. 

What a moment. It was a weekend to remember for the Rathangan Freehold Twinning Association and their American counterparts. 

The visit of the Freehold delegation to Kildare is part of the process of setting up the twinning arrangement between the two towns. Springsteen's great-great grandmother Ann Garrity left Rathangan for Freehold in 1853. In May of last year, Springsteen visited Rathangan to find out more about his Irish ancestry.

In March, the Rathangan committee traveled to Freehold for St Patrick's Day. In return, the delegation arrived in Kildare last Wednesday, May 15 and during their stay they took in visits to Kildare County Council, Dermot Weld's stud, the Curragh Racecourse, the National Stud and Japanese Gardens, St Brigid's Cathedral, Kildare Heritage Centre, Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park, Rathangan including night of music at the Village Pump and the Croke Park concert.

Mayor of Freehold, Kevin Kane and Glenn Cashion (Bruce Springsteen's cousin) plant the copper beach in Rathangan on Saturday, May 18

On Saturday, Bruce's cousin Glenn Cashion and Mayor Kane planted a copper Beach tree in Rathangan followed by refreshments in the Burrow pub. 

"We are overwhelmed with the hospitality we have been given here in Rathangan," said Mayor Kane at the tree planting ceremony on Sunday, "it's been amazing."

He thanked the twinning association for all their hard work.

Mayor Kane spoke about how Freehold is in the process of opening the My Hometown Experience - The Bruce Springsteen Story, which will feature exhibits of the singer's early life, his ancestry and heritage right up until he signed his first record deal. The second part of his life will feature in the Monmouth University experience, which has the archive for all of the superstar's songs.

Mr Cashion said; "Bruce would have loved to have been here. He is a little busy at the moment but he expresses his appreciation for what you are doing. He will be back. He has said that."

He presented the committee a photograph of the copper beach tree that was in the yard of 87 Randolph Street in Freehold. This was the home of Bruce's grandparents, a home where he spent most of his childhood. It's said that Ann Garrity brought the seed of the tree with her to Freehold when she emigrated.

Glenn explained how he grew up half a block away from that house and was a regular visitor, popping in the back door, chatting to his uncle Fred (Bruce's grandfather) who used to fix radios and other equipment.

Chair of the Rathangan Freehold Twinning Association, Mark Stafford; Sen Fiona O'Loughlin and Mayor of Kildare Municipal District Cllr Paddy Curran all spoke followed by a rendition of My Hometown from local singer, Paddy O'Loughlin.