Ireland's America250 Programme Celebrates Irish Role in Founding of the United States
Ireland's formal partnership with the United States Semiquincentennial Commission, established through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Washington in September 2025, is generating a rich programme of cultural and historical events throughout 2026 as the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding. From exhibitions at the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin to documentary screenings at Irish consulates across the US, the programme is telling the story of the Irish contribution to the American republic — a story that begins with John Dunlap of County Tyrone, who printed the first copies of the Declaration of Independence, and extends to the 23 US Presidents who claim Irish heritage.
Background
The relationship between Ireland and the United States is one of the most significant bilateral relationships in the world, shaped by centuries of emigration, cultural exchange, and political engagement. The Irish diaspora in the United States numbers in the tens of millions, and the influence of Irish-Americans on American political, cultural, and social life has been profound and enduring. The 250th anniversary of American independence provides a natural occasion to reflect on and celebrate that relationship, and Ireland's decision to become a formal international partner of the Semiquincentennial Commission reflects the depth and importance of the transatlantic bond.
The historical connections between Ireland and the American founding are more extensive than many people realise. John Dunlap, born in Strabane, County Tyrone, was the printer who produced the first copies of the Declaration of Independence on the night of July 4, 1776. Charles Thomson, born in Derry, was the Secretary of the Continental Congress who finalised the design of the Great Seal of the United States and advocated for the motto E pluribus unum. Stephen Moylan, born in Cork, is credited with being the first person to use the term "United States of America" in writing. Three of the 56 signatories of the Declaration — Matthew Thornton, James Smith, and George Taylor — were born on the island of Ireland.
The programme, led by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in collaboration with the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, has been designed to tell this story to audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, using a combination of exhibitions, documentaries, cultural events, and educational programmes.
Key Developments
The centrepiece of Ireland's America250 programme is the documentary US250: The Irish Connection and the exhibition Ireland and the Making of America, both developed in partnership with EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin. The documentary has been screened at Irish consulates and cultural centres across the United States, reaching audiences in cities with large Irish-American populations including New York, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The exhibition has been touring Irish cultural institutions and is expected to travel to the United States later in the year.
The Irish Traditional Music Archive has created Across the States: An Irish Cultural Atlas of America, a digital map of Irish migration and music that traces the influence of Irish traditional music on American folk, country, and bluegrass traditions. The Clinton Institute at University College Dublin hosted a conference on the Irish role in the American national story, bringing together historians, cultural figures, and policy makers from both countries. The American President's Trail, which marks ancestral sites of US Presidents with Irish heritage across the island of Ireland with native trees and interpretive panels, has been extended and promoted as part of the programme.
Why It Matters
Ireland's America250 programme matters because it provides an opportunity to deepen and renew the transatlantic relationship at a time when that relationship is more important than ever. The Irish diaspora in the United States remains one of Ireland's most valuable assets — a community of tens of millions of people who maintain strong emotional and cultural ties to the island of Ireland and who can be powerful advocates for Irish interests in American political and business life. The programme also matters because it tells a story that is genuinely important and genuinely Irish: the story of how a small island on the edge of Europe contributed disproportionately to the founding and development of the world's most powerful democracy. That story deserves to be told, and the America250 programme is telling it well.
Local Impact
In Ireland, the America250 programme has generated significant interest and engagement, particularly in counties with strong historical connections to American emigration. County Tyrone, the birthplace of John Dunlap, has hosted a series of events celebrating his contribution to the founding of the United States, including an exhibition at the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh that traces the journey of Ulster emigrants to America in the eighteenth century. County Derry, the birthplace of Charles Thomson, has similarly hosted events celebrating his role in the Continental Congress. The programme has also generated significant media coverage in the United States, with Irish-American newspapers and broadcasters providing extensive coverage of the historical connections between the two countries.
What's Next
Ireland's America250 programme will continue throughout 2026, with a series of events planned for the autumn and winter months. The Irish government's ministers are expected to undertake further visits to US cities with large Irish-American populations in the coming months, building on the St Patrick's Day visits that took place in March. The EPIC Irish Emigration Museum's exhibition is expected to travel to the United States later in the year, and the documentary US250: The Irish Connection will continue to be screened at Irish cultural events across the country. Full details of the programme are available on the Ireland.ie website.
