'Grandpa John was a survivor': Duff McKagan of Guns N' Roses on his links to West Cork 

Duff McKagan tells Marc O’Sullivan Vallig about his Castletownbere heritage, a source of pride that has even seen the GNR bassist get an Irish passport in recent years 

Duff McKagan's grandfather emigrated from Co Cork in the early part of the 20th century, taking the well-worn route to Montana. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows )

Duff McKagan found fame as the bassist in Guns N’ Roses, one of the most successful – and controversial – rock bands of the 1980s and ‘90s. Their first album, Appetite for Destruction, was released in 1987 and became the best-selling debut of all time, shifting over 30 million copies and spawning a succession of chart-topping singles, such as ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Paradise City’ and ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’.

Outside of Guns N’ Roses, Duff has released three widely acclaimed solo albums; Believe in Me, Tenderness, and Lighthouse.