Northern Ireland delegation visits Washington, D.C. on St. Patrick’s Day to honor America’s 250th anniversary
Northern Ireland delegation visits Washington, D.C. on St. Patrick’s Day to honor America’s 250th anniversary.
A delegation of political and business leaders from Ireland visited Washington, D.C. this week to announce economic investments in the U.S. economy. Northern Ireland Communities Minister Gordon Lyons was part of the delegation which also took time to honor and celebrate America’s 250th upcoming anniversary.
A delegation of political and business leaders from Ireland visited Washington, D.C. this week to announce economic investments in the U.S. economy.
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The visit coincided with St. Patrick’s Day and included President Donald Trump welcoming Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin to the Oval Office.
Taoiseach visit to US President Donald Trump (left) with Taoiseach Micheal Martin during the St Patrick's Day Reception & Shamrock Ceremony at the White House in Washington DC, as part of a visit to the US for St Patrick's Day. Picture date:
Northern Ireland Communities Minister Gordon Lyons was part of the delegation which also took time to honor and celebrate America’s 250th upcoming anniversary.
In an interview with LiveNOW Digital Journalist Ryan Schmelz, Lyons says St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect day to focus on Ireland and the unique role people from Ireland played in the foundation of the United States.
"Many key figures during that early period hailed from Ulster's shores and we want to highlight those connections. For example John Dunlap who printed the first copies of the Declaration of Independence, hailed from Straban in County to Rome. We also have the First Secretary to the Continental Congress, Charles Thompson, who was from County Londonderry. These were important figures at that time, said Lyons. "Many who signed the Declaration of Independence hailed from what is now Northern Ireland. And many of your presidents have family homes in Northern Ireland, Chester A. Arthur, Andrew Jackson and others can trace their roots. So I think that most people are familiar or have some knowledge of the waves of Irish emigration that took place in the 19th and 20th century, but I want to take people back to the 18th century. Northern part of the island of Ireland and the unique contribution that was made and that's the story that I want to tell.
As part of his visit, Lyons attended a special reception in the Senate hosted by the Department for Communities and the America250 Commission.
The Source: Information in this article was sourced from an interview with Northern Ireland Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and the America250 Commission. This story was reported from Orlando.