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Harry Kane's Irish roots: Galway family ties and Ireland eligibility explained

Harry Kane is aiming to fire England into a World Cup final, but he could have played for Ireland

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Harry Kane (Image: Martin Rickett/PA)

Harry Kane will be hoping to fire England into the World Cup final on Wednesday night when Thomas Tuchel's side face Argentina in a massive semi-final clash. The winners will face Spain in Sunday's decider after they defeated France 2-0 on Tuesday.

Since emerging onto the football stage in 2015, Kane has established himself as one of the greatest strikers in world football.

The Londoner became a Tottenham Hotspur icon before joining Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023. He has won two Bundesliga titles, a German Cup and a Supercup since joining the Bavarian side.

Meanwhile, at international level, he stands as England's record goalscorer, having skippered the side for several years. He has netted 85 times for his country.

Yet, circumstances could have been vastly different, as Kane was actually eligible to represent Ireland due to his family heritage.

Indeed, his ties to Ireland, particularly Galway, run deeper than many realise. A significant portion of Kane's family are Irish speakers hailing from the tiny village of Letterfrack in the Connemara Gaeltacht.

His father was born in Galway before moving to London with his father Michael John, where Kane and his siblings were born and raised in a distinctly Irish home.

The 32-year-old has maintained strong links to his Letterfrack heritage and frequently donates jerseys, boots and other memorabilia to the village football club.

When questioned about whether representing Ireland was ever a genuine possibility for his international career, Kane previously revealed: "My nana and grandad were Irish on my dad's side, so I had that decision. It never really came about as when I started playing in the Premier League, the England call-up didn't come too long after. But for me I always wanted to play for England. That was my dream."

Several years back, however, he was caught committing what some might consider sacrilege against his Galway heritage by posing with a Mayo GAA jersey, though it's likely the Galway faithful have since moved past this transgression!

By declaring his intentions for England from the outset, Kane spared Irish supporters the heartbreak experienced with Declan Rice and Jack Grealish.

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