Inside Taylor Swift’s secret Irish roots with ancestors’ tragic love story

SINGER Taylor Swift’s secret Irish roots has been revealed in a sweet but tragic love story.

The Shake It Off singer is preparing to dazzle her Irish fans with her upcoming gigs in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium next week on June 28, 29 and 30.

And it has been unveiled that two of the 34-year-old’s Irish ancestors emigrated from Derry almost two centuries ago.

The captivating tale predates her iconic song Love Story.

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, with the help of their genealogy partners, The Irish Family History Centre, looked back into Taylor’s great-great-great grandparents’ past.

On Saturday 11th of June 1836, 21-year-olds Susan Davis and Francis Gwynn, embarked on a journey to America as they boarded ship AMY from Derry.

After a two-month-long trip, the ship docked in Philadelphia on August 20.

It is unclear whether or not Susan and Francis departed together or went their separate ways.

However, what is known is that three years later – love’s young dream got married.

The pair had six kids, Ann, John, William, Francis, Joseph, and Mary. Sadly, five of those children predeceased Susan and Francis.

They were survived by daughter Mary Gwynn, who is Taylor’s great-great-grandmother.

Mary laid the loving couple to rest, just two months apart. Some people say the latter died of a broken heart, but that may just be folklore.

Taylor’s Irish past can also be traced back to Dublin.

In 1866, Taylor’s great-great-grandfather, George Findlay, enlisted in the Royal Navy and ended up settling in the UK after meeting Emma Maria Whiffin in South Africa.

Their son George was born in Southampton, but they separated shortly after.

He then recorded himself as a bachelor when he married Louisa Anna Darling in Dublin in 1880.

The Findlay family were members of Dublin’s Hosier’s Guild for at least three generations, living in places such as Phibsborough, Portobello, and Harold’s Cross as their fortunes improved.

If Taylor is looking to connect with her ancestors’ past, she can head over to Derry Port, now operating as Foyle Port, located on Lough Foyle in Northern Ireland, while she’s in Ireland for her Eras Tour.

Director at the Irish Family History Centre, Fiona Fitzsimons, told The Irish Sun: “She could visit the port of Derry. The port of Derry, it wouldn’t even be in Derry City itself.

“The people who took passage, took a small boat and they sailed up almost to the coast and that’s where they got on board the big sail ships.”