Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

€2 a Month €5 a Month One-off amount
Ed Sheeran performs at 3Arena in Dublin in 2014 wearing an Irish football jersey Alamy Stock Photo
Quiz

How much do you know about the Irish heritage of these famous people?

Ed Sheeran this week said he identifies culturally as Irish – despite being born and raised in England.
10.01pm, 15 Jun 2025
25.7k
33

GALWAY GIRL SINGER Ed Sheeran this week said he identifies culturally as Irish – despite being born and raised in England.

While he was brought up in Suffolk, Sheeran has a large Irish family and said he would spend his holidays in the country as a child.

“I class my culture as Irish. I think that’s what I grew up with,” Sheeran told the latest episode of The Louis Theroux Podcast.

After Sheeran’s announcement that he identifies “culturally” as Irish, we want to test your knowledge on the supposed Irishness of these famous figures:

“My dad is Irish,” remarked Sheeran on The Louis Theroux podcast. Where is his dad from?
Alamy Stock Photo
Cork
Belfast

Limerick
Galway
Former US president Barack Obama famously has Irish roots, but to where?
Alamy Stock Photo
Ballina, Co Mayo
Moneygall, Co Offaly

Carlingford, Co Louth
Virginia, Co Cavan
The DUP recently commissioned a report into the supposed Scots-Irish heritage of a US politician but came up short and found no connection. Who is the politician in question?
Alamy Stock Photo
Donald Trump
Alamy Stock Photo
Lindsey Graham

Alamy Stock Photo
Marco Rubio
Alamy Stock Photo
JD Vance
Which famous celebrity loves to holiday in Ireland but this month said they have given up on their ambition to gain Irish citizenship?
Alamy Stock Photo
Kim Kardashian
Alamy Stock Photo
Jeremy Irons

Alamy Stock Photo
Sarah Jessica Parker
Alamy Stock Photo
Matt Damon
While the above celebrity has given up their hopes of an Irish passport, Rosie O’Donnell said she is in the process of getting hers. Why did she move to Ireland?
RTÉ
For a new job
To 'escape' Trump

For the scenery
She choose Ireland at random from a map
Model and actress Emily Ratajkowski has grandmothers who are both from Ireland and her artist father has a farmhouse in Bantry, Co Cork. He has a book featuring drawings of which animals found in fields near his Bantry home?
Alamy Stock Photo
Cows
Chickens

Pigs
Horses
Mission Impossible star Tom Cruise previously said he can trace his Irish ancestry back to the ninth century and that research on his family showed they owned “most” of a city at “a certain point”? What was the city?
Alamy Stock Photo
Tipperary
Galway

Cork
Dublin
Former Sex Pistol John Lydon, once known as Johnny Rotten, has strong Cork roots. What did he say the ‘local boys would slag me off for’ when he visited during the summer as a child?
Alamy Stock Photo
His name
His fashion sense

His Cockney accent
His music taste
Conan O’Brien is of Irish descent, and what Irish drama did he appear in last year?
Alamy Stock Photo
Kin
Hidden Assets

Fair City
Ros na Rún
Irish-American Hollywood star John C. Reilly was honoured with an Oscar Wilde Award in February. What did he say makes Ireland “great”?
AER
Guinness
Its care to the most vulnerable

The Music
The storytelling
Answer all the questions to see your result!
RAY RYAN
You scored out of !
Conan O'Brien
Proven Irish bona fides
Share your result:
Alamy Stock Photo
You scored out of !
John Ratajkowski
You love quizzing as much as John loves cows
Share your result:
Mark Rode
You scored out of !
Barack Obama Plaza
Ireland's best pitstop
Share your result:
Alamy Stock Photo
You scored out of !
JD Vance
Needs more work
Share your result:

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
Learn More Support The Journal

Author
View 33 comments
Send Tip or Correction
Close
33 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel

     
    JournalTv
    News in 60 seconds
    The Journal supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at https://www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1800 208 080 or email: mailto:[email protected]
    OSZAR »