Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 July 2026
54. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which Ireland will be joining the United States of America in celebrating the 250th anniversary of achieving independence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49809/26]
View answerMy Department is supporting a programme of events and engagements in the U.S. to mark the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence, and the strong Irish dimension of this history. This programme speaks to the depth of the Irish relationship with the United States and forms an important dimension of our bilateral engagement with the United States this year.
Many events have already taken place, with the support of our Embassy in Washington D.C. and our eight Consulates General across the United States. There was a concentration of events around the St. Patrick's Day period. During my visit to Boston, I reflected on the Irish involvement in the revolutionary moment in America in a lecture at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. The Taoiseach reflected on the 250 theme throughout his engagements in Philadelphia, including a keynote speech at Villanova University and his St. Patrick's Day engagements in Washington D.C.
Also in March, Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O'Donovan T.D., alongside Northern Ireland's Minister for Communities Gordon Lyons MLA, launched a lecture series on the remarkable Scots Irish contribution to the development of the United States at Georgia Southern University.
This programme builds on the Memorandum of Understanding which Ireland signed with the United States Semiquincentennial Commission in 2025.
To tell the story of the Irish contribution, my Department commissioned a documentary entitled 'US250 - the Irish connection' and worked in partnership with EPIC to curate an exhibition. These resources have been used across the U.S. and were this week published on the America 250 page on Ireland.ie. This page will continue to be updated throughout this year.
In the development of my Department's America 250 programme, officials have worked closely and in coordination with the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport who are leading on a commemorative programme taking place in Ireland.
