SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOWhen Tom Cruise visited Dublin for the premiere of his new film Oblivion on Wednesday, he also learnt about his "extraordinary" Irish ancestry, which has been traced back to the 12th century. "To learn about the history of my family – it was incredible," said the Mission: Impossible star, who was presented with a framed certificate confirming his Irish roots by Foreign Affairs Minister Eamon Gilmore. "I knew I was Irish, but I had no idea where it went."
"I'm very proud to be Irish," he added. "There's a pride in America of being Irish." Tom learnt that his family can be traced back to knights in the 12th century and rebels in the 17th century. In the 19th century, Tom's ancestor Patrick Russell Cruise was regarded as a hero when he returned from America to Ireland to restore evicted tenants to their lands shortly before the Great Famine. Tom also learnt about one of Ireland's most famous exports – Guinness – on his trip. The actor visited the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin where he was taught how the Irish dry stout is made and how to pour the perfect pint.
When he leaves Dublin he will be embarking on a worldwide promotional tour of Oblivion with his co-star, Bond girl Olga Kurylenko. He plans further trips back to the Emerald Isle. "I can’t wait to come back and I want to visit the land of my ancestors and the castle that they had," he said.