Cavan still waiting on Tom Brady touchdown

Legendry NFL quarterback Tom Brady's whistle-stop tour of Ireland took in several golf courses and even an appearance on the Late Late Show season finale with Patrick Kielty. But, while there was reference to his connections to the Breffni county, amid a hectic schedule that involved several business meetings, he was unable to make time to visit his father's ancestral homeplace.

“Irish boy at heart, for sure,” the seven-time Super Bowl winner said to Kielty with a broad smile, before a photo taken of his dad, Tom Brady Senior and wife Galynn, during their visit to Milltown in July 2023 was shown to viewers at home. The photo was taken by Cavan photographer Lorraine Teevan, and the piece proudly held by Tom Snr inscribed with an image of Drumlane Abbey was made by local craftsman Tommy Dolan from Bawnboy.

When asked by Kielty about the strength of his Irish heritage, Brady replied: “Fifty percent but trending. The more visits I take here, the more Irish I'm becoming.”

The record setting NFL champ said this latest visit had been “awesome”, the last time being more than 20 years previous with Tom Snr for a father-son golf trip.

Tom Snr was speaking to local parish priest Fr Gerry Comiskey as recently as last Friday, before the Late Late Show was aired. The former Milltown curate helped facilitate the visit for Brady's parents almost two years ago and has kept in close contact with the family since.

He said Tom Sr is determined to return to Ireland and to Cavan again sometime in the not too distant future. “That is his ambition, to return to Cavan, to Milltown, and on the next occasion to have his son with him.”