THE REVOLUTIONARY IRISH TRAIL

The American Revolution is taking center stage across the United States this
year, as preparations get underway to officially celebrate the 250 th
anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the birth
of our nation in 2026.

The effort is being led nationally by America 250, "a nonpartisan initiative
working to engage every American in commemorating the 250th anniversary
of our country. This multi-year effort is an opportunity to pause and reflect on
our nation's past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead
toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond."
Colonial leaders such as George Washington, John and Abigail Adams, Mercy
Otis Warren, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin will rightly be a focal
point of the conversation, and so too will Native Americans, Black slaves,
women and children, and Europeans such as Irish, French, Germans and
Poles who fought with the colonists against the British.

The distinctive role of Irish and Scots-Irish in the American Revolution is
central to the commemoration. Historic figures such as Commodore John
Barry, General John Sullivan, artillery matross Margaret Cochrane Corbin, spy
Hercules Mulligan, Colonel Henry Knox, Declaration signer Charles Carroll
and scores of others will be part of the broad reflection and national
discussion on what happened during the American Revolution and why.
To fully amplify the Irish contribution, we are creating a Revolutionary Irish
Trail of landmarks relating to the Irish and Scots-Irish role in the American
Revolution. The trail will pass through multiple states, from Maine to Florida,
and feature a selection of public monuments and statues, historic homes and
museums, battlefields and cemeteries and national parks and local parks,
telling both the Irish and the American story. The project will also include
relevant landmarks in Canada and Ireland.

The Trail will feature about 100 notable landmarks and include stories about
individuals, Irish-American settlements and milestone events. We want the
Revolutionary Irish Trail to serve as an accessible and informative resource
for educators, visitors and local residents interested in American and Irish-
American history.

We are engaging with America 250 and national, state and local entities, with
American and Irish-American historians and authors, along with various ​
ethnic groups, women's organizations, civic associations, religious
denominations and military branches.

We welcome your interest, ideas and participation in the coming months. To
learn more about the Revolutionary Irish Trail initiative, contact
irishmassachusetts@comcast.net

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