A US presidents’ trail being developed by the Government could become comparable to the Wild Atlantic Way, according to a TD who has championed the initiative.
The project – seeking to highlight the links of 23 US presidents to the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland – is being advanced as part of the America250 programme, the State’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence.
Among the past US presidents with Irish ancestry are Joe Biden (Mayo), Barack Obama (Offaly), John F Kennedy (Wexford), Woodrow Wilson (Tyrone), William McKinley (Antrim) and James Buchanan (Donegal and Tyrone).
Fine Gael TD for Wicklow Edward Timmins, who proposed the trail last year, said many US presidents had Northern Irish heritage and the initiative “could be a very positive North-South project”.
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He believes a “fully-fledged” tourist route for US visitors could also eventually be “comparable to the Wild Atlantic Way”.
Minister of State Charlie McConalogue said the trail is a “key initiative” of the 250th anniversary commemorations taking place this year and into 2027.
When Timmins raised the issue in the Dáil, the Minister said the Department of Culture was “working closely with local authority partners to identify communities across the island with ancestral connections to former US presidents, recognising the important contribution of Irish heritage to the American story”.
Each ancestral site will be marked with a native tree and information panel, “creating a lasting legacy for local communities and visitors”, the Minister said.
Plans also include the publication of two literary guides to “provide a more widely accessible form of the presidents’ trail”, he added. One for a general audience will be published in advance of the July 4th celebration of US independence, with a further guide due in the autumn for children.
It will be delivered in partnership with the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland and local authorities as part of the America250 programme.
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McConalogue said, “all activity will be guided by the established principles of commemorations: respectful remembrance, historical authenticity, inclusivity and accessibility”.
The trail “will leave a lasting legacy, celebrating the contribution of Irish communities to the American story while delivering cultural, educational and tourism benefits”, he said.
Timmins said he had produced a roadmap identifying several key counties linked to US presidents with a suggested route, “stretching from Antrim to Offaly, Wexford, Mayo and beyond”.
He said ultimately the map would benefit all parts of Ireland.
“With millions of Americans claiming Irish heritage, the trail is well positioned to attract significant international interest as US presidents Barack Obama, John F Kennedy and Ronald Reagan all hold Irish links.”
Timmins said many Americans were looking for a link to their roots. And the trail could give them “a structured, meaningful way to explore that connection” while also bringing footfall and economic benefits to many communities.
