Taylor Swift’s Irish roots have been traced back to Derry.

Genealogy experts have pieced together the global icon’s ancestry and found that her forebearers departed for a new life in America on board a ship that left Derry in 1836. 

Ahead of the American popstar’s arrival to Dublin’s Aviva Stadium next week, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, along with their genealogy partners The Irish Family History Centre, has revealed the superstar’s ancestral ties to Ireland.

On September 12, 2008, Taylor catapulted to stardom with her song Love Story, which explored themes of romance, growth, and heartache. Long before this chart-topper, however, a love story unfolded aboard the ship AMY, sailing from Derry on June 11, 1836. 

Susan Davis, a 21-year-old dressmaker, and Francis Gwynn, a 21-year-old weaver, embarked on a journey across the Atlantic, seeking a better life. They left from Derry, though it is unclear where exactly they hailed from. 

Their meeting aboard the ship marked the start of a love story that would transcend generations, laying the foundation for a far-reaching legacy. After a two-month voyage, the AMY arrived in port in the United States. 

Susan and Francis settled in Philadelphia, marrying in 1839, raising a family of six children, two girls and four boys. Francis Gwynn established a successful soap-making business, and the family prospered. 

Their idyllic life in Philadelphia was touched by tragedy. Five of the Gwynn children died before their parents. Only one, Mrs Mary Douglas (née Gwynn), Taylor Swift’s great-great-great-grandmother, outlived her parents.

You can read more in an article in the belfastlive.co.uk web site at: https://bit.ly/45uAvNw.