Untold Ulster stories behind America’s founding revealed in major new PRONI publication

Communities Minister pictured with US Consul General James Applegate and Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly at the launch of PRONI’s Ulster American Treasures: The Migration Story at Belfast City Hall.

Northern Ireland’s deep and often overlooked role in the creation of the United States has been brought sharply back into focus with the launch of a major new publication uncovering the stories of Ulster emigrants who helped shape America from its earliest days.

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons unveiled Ulster American Treasures: The Migration Story at Belfast City Hall as part of the growing USA-NI250 programme marking the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The new publication from Public Record Office of Northern Ireland explores the lives, struggles and achievements of generations of people who left Ulster for America over the past 250 years — from influential political figures to ordinary families searching for opportunity, freedom and survival.

Stories that helped shape America

The book shines a spotlight on figures from across Ulster whose contributions to the foundations of the United States remain relatively unknown to many people on both sides of the Atlantic.

Among those highlighted is Charles Thomson from Maghera, County Londonderry, who served as Secretary to the Continental Congress. His name appeared on the first printing of the Declaration of Independence alongside John Hancock, and he also helped design the Great Seal of the United States — a symbol still used today.

Another featured figure is John Dunlap from County Tyrone, the printer responsible for producing the first copies of the Declaration of Independence.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Lyons said the publication aimed to reclaim an important chapter of history often reduced to footnotes.

He said:

“This book tells an incredible story, one that is still largely untold on both sides of the Atlantic. I want to shine a light on those who left Ulster and left an enduring imprint on the foundation of the United States.”

The Minister said the publication was not solely about famous historical names, but also about the thousands of ordinary emigrants whose journeys transformed communities across America.

“While history often highlights famous names, the fuller story belongs to the thousands of ordinary people, farmers, tradesmen, teachers, clergy and families, whose courage built settlements and communities across America,” he said.

“Their letters and diaries still speak powerfully of their values, hopes, and hardships.”

From perilous voyages to war and famine

The documents featured in the publication have been drawn from PRONI archives and chart centuries of migration experiences from Ulster to America.

The collection covers:

• dangerous transatlantic sea journeys

• struggles to find work and establish new lives

• the American Revolutionary War

• the US Civil War

• the Great Famine

The publication also reflects how migration from Ulster helped influence political, cultural and economic life in the United States across generations.

Minister Lyons said the project was also designed to strengthen modern-day ties between Northern Ireland and America.

“The book is not simply about looking back. It is about the next chapter,” he said.

“It’s about seeking to embrace and embed opportunities to promote the deep-rooted connections between Northern Ireland and the USA for the benefit of us all today.”

US officials praise Northern Ireland connections

US Consul General James Applegate said the stories contained in the publication form part of the wider story of America itself.

He noted that around a quarter of a million emigrants left this part of Ireland in pursuit of freedom and opportunity in the decades before American independence.

Applegate said:

“PRONI’s Ulster American Treasures: The Migration Story tells the story of those people.”

He also praised the wider USA-NI250 initiative and efforts to strengthen cultural and economic links between Northern Ireland and the United States.

“The relationship between the United States and Northern Ireland is also thoroughly modern,” he added.

Part of wider USA-NI250 programme

The launch forms part of the broader USA-NI250 programme, which is expected to see a range of cultural, heritage and international engagement events taking place ahead of the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026.

The American launch of Ulster American Treasures: The Migration Story was held earlier this year during a special Northern Ireland 250 reception in Washington DC on 18 March 2026.

An electronic version of the publication and more information about the USA-NI250 programme is available at:

TAP HERE

For many readers across Northern Ireland, the publication offers not just a history lesson, but a reminder of how deeply local stories from towns, villages and farming communities across Ulster became woven into the foundations of one of the world’s most influential nations.