Government to honour Tom Cruise, says Roscommon Mayor

Actor Tom Cruise is to receive a certificate of Irish heritage from the Department of Foreign Affairs next Wednesday when he visits Ireland for a film premiere, the Mayor of Roscommon has said.

Cllr Tom Crosby has said he intends to use the occasion to extend an invitation to Cruise (50) to visit Kilteevan outside Roscommon town, from where the actor's great-grandmother emigrated in the 19th century.

Cruise’s real name is Mapother, a family with Dorset roots who became established in Co Roscommon in Elizabethan times. The family were prosperous and built a church which is now a community hall in the village.

“My understanding is that the Department of Foreign Affairs is to present a scroll to him to recognise his Roscommon roots though there is a bit of secrecy about it for obvious reasons,” Cllr Crosby said.

A department spokesman had no comment to make it. “You’ll have to ask Tom Cruise’s people,” he said.

Cruise is due to attend the Irish premiere of his latest film Oblivion on Wednesday night in Dublin.

Cllr Crosby said Cruise had been to Roscommon before. “We’re hoping to meet him and extend an invitation to come to Roscommon again.”