"Creesh" [Creesh] Meaning: Grease
Kennedy Opens US Declaration of Independence...
20 April 2023
A new exhibition highlighting the role of the Ulster-Scots in the American Declaration of Independence has been opened by Joe Kennedy III at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland in Belfast.
The exhibition includes an original Declaration of Independence on loan from The National Archives (UK), which is on display in Belfast for the first time.
Mr Kennedy, the US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs, said, "...the contribution that your forefathers made to the traditions and values of the United States is profound. I want to thank the Public Record Office and the Ulster-Scots Agency, organisations that preserve our shared history for future generations. It is through moments like this and these documents that we commit ourselves to the values and the ties that united us in the first place."
The event was also attended by Northern Ireland Office Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Lord Caine, whose team played a key role in securing the loan of the Declaration.
Lord Caine said, “I am delighted that the Northern Ireland Office has supported the Ulster-Scots Agency in bringing the Dunlap Broadside to Northern Ireland.
“The Government is committed to celebrating and promoting Northern Ireland’s rich diversity of identities and cultures, including Ulster-Scots.
“As we mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement, and following President Biden’s remarks on the contribution of the Ulster-Scots to the establishment of the United States of America, it’s particularly apt that the National Archives has facilitated the loan of this Declaration of Independence for people in Northern Ireland to view.”
The event comes only days after President Joe Biden told an audience in Belfast, “…The family ties and the pride in those Ulster Scots immigrants who helped found and build my country run very deep…Men born in Ulster were among those who signed the Declaration of Independence in the United States, pledging their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honour for freedom’s cause.”
The exhibition has been brought about as a result of a partnership between the Ulster-Scots Agency and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.
Ulster-Scots Agency Chief Executive, Ian Crozier said, “This is a landmark day for the Ulster-Scots community and a celebration of our greatest achievement, helping to establish the United States of America. Our achievements and even our existence is often much better appreciated outside Northern Ireland, particularly in the US, than they are at home and we hope this will be a timely reminder that we are a vibrant community with a global legacy that should be appreciated at home and abroad. The cultural ties that bind Ulster and America – particularly as we approach the 250th anniversary of American Independence in 2026 – can and must be a part of our future development, creating economic opportunities and inspiring current and future generations of our people.”
At the conclusion of remarks, Mr Kennedy officially cut the ribbon to open the exhibition and he and Lord Caine enjoyed a tour of the display, followed by more than 100 invited guests from across the Ulster-Scots community and beyond.
The exhibition is open to the public at PRONI from 20th April to 24th July and admission is free.