Report by Brad Balfour, Arts Editor
On President’s Day –– Monday, February 16, 2026 –– the official launch of Irish America 250 took place in New York City’s Irish American Historical Society at 5th Ave and 80th St. That event was the kickoff for an organization dedicated to celebrating the bond between the Irish who came to America and, in particular, to New York City.
Now Irish America 250 launched America Éireon on July 1st, a nationwide digital archive capturing the lived experiences, cultural traditions, and personal journeys of the Irish in America. Timed to the U.S. Semiquincentennial, the project invites people with Irish roots — or any meaningful cultural connection to Ireland — to share their stories. At its heart, America Éire honors why these stories matter.
The project begins July 1st and runs for the next six months until the end of year. This is a digital time capsule. The Library of Congress intends to include all our projects in its archives of the 250th Anniversary.
This initiative offers a fresh angle on the 250th anniversary, being a people‑driven record of how people of Irish heritage have impacted the nation’s political, cultural, civic life and military honor. It presents a rich lens on identity, migration, memory and the evolving Irish-American narrative at a pivotal national anniversary.
It also gives everyday working Irish Americans a chance to record their family histories and put their ancestors’ lives on record. Storytelling builds empathy, understanding and compassion –– we need to bring people together right now.
Beginning July 1, participants can submit their stories at americaeire.org, where each will receive a dedicated page. These can be shared across social platforms under the campaign #MyIrishStory –– preserving the connections, contributions, and voices that have been carried across generations. If you sign up now, you’ll receive early access to submit your story ahead of the launch.
Irish Americans were central to the city’s growth and the country’s birth. From the Revolutionary era through the waves of immigration that reshaped the city’s neighborhoods, labor forces, and civic institutions, Irish New Yorkers helped build the physical, political, and cultural foundations of the nation’s largest city.
As the United States approached its 250th anniversary, Irish America 250 was formed to celebrate the Irish contributions to the nation’s creation and early development. This initiative has announced a series of events in New York City. A coalition of interested parties is organizing a commemoration in New York City of the 250th anniversary of the First Reading of the Declaration of Independence which took place on July 9, 1776. Irish America 250 has organized a reading of the Declaration on July 9, 2026, to be held at Bowling Green with some of the descendants of the signers joining in on the reading.
NYC has been deeply tied to Irish-American history. It was here that Irish immigrants lived, worked, organized, and served — steps from the docks where they arrived and the institutions they helped build. From early patriots like Hercules Mulligan to generations of Irish New Yorkers who served as soldiers, labor leaders, public servants, firefighters, police officers, teachers, and elected officials, the Irish story is inseparable from the story of New York City.
For 250 years, those of Irish heritage have shaped America, but much of that history is unknown. The Irish were there at the beginning of the Revolution. Over 20 Irish Americans were generals under George Washington. More than 30 million Americans trace their roots to Ireland. Yet so many of these personal histories remain untold.
From the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the present day, Irish heritage has been deeply woven into the fabric of American democracy and culture. More than 30 million Americans –– one in 10 –– trace their roots to Ireland. In this moment of reflection on the nation’s journey –– its challenges, achievements, and the people who shaped it –– Irish America 250 is shining a light on the Irish who have helped steer American democracy from the beginning.
In honoring the Irish contribution, Kevin Sullivan, founder of Irish America 250, shared: “There are so many great stories to tell of the Irish in America over these last 250 years. With great deference to Jefferson, Franklin, and Adams, there were more than a few Irish Founding Fathers in Philadelphia in 1776. An Irishman from Cork was the first person to name the nation. Eight signers of the Declaration of Independence were of Irish descent. The father of the American Navy, Commodore John Barry, was born in Wexford. Over 20 Irish-American generals served under George Washington.
“The story of Irish-American women has yet to be told, and we will tell their story this September. There are scores of unsung Irish heroes, including the ‘mother of the orphans,’ Margaret Haughey from New Orleans … Fr. Thomas O’Reilly who saved Atlanta from being burned to the ground during the Civil War … and the father of American soccer, Thomas Cahill of Saint Louis. We will tell these also. All of their stories are relatively unknown, and there are thousands more out there. This project offers a rich lens on the extraordinary and epic Irish-American experience from 1776 to today. It is calling on Irish America to add to that story.”