Events across Northern Ireland celebrate Ulster Scots connections as 4 July marks 250th Anniversary of American Independence
Celebrations are breaking out all across Northern Ireland's strong links to the creation of America, as it celebrates the 250th of its indepdence on 4 July.
From the 18th century onward, waves of emigrants from Ulster helped shape the foundations of what would become the United States of America, particularly in regions like Appalachia where their customs, music, and storytelling traditions continue to flourish.
Seventeen US presidents, including Andrew Jackson and Chester A. Arthur, have ancestral links to NI and at least five signatories of the Declaration of Independence had roots in Ulster. Over two million people travelled from Ulster in the 1700s and 1800s.
The 3ICE World Cup ice hockey tournament comes to Belfast on 4 and 5 July as part of the America 250 celebrations.
Many heritage sites celebrating the US links are putting on special celebrations this weekend.
In Belfast, the Ulster-Scots Visitor Centre is unpacking the stories of the Ulster-Scots diaspora and their indelible mark on American identity, and Titanic Belfast offers insight into the ship that carried thousands of emigrants - many with hopes of a new life in America.
A visit to PRONI (Public Record Office of Northern Ireland) allows visitors to explore their own heritage, with emigration records and family archives waiting to be uncovered.
The Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh is running American Independence Weekend (July 4–5) showing how those who called Ulster home helped influence the creation of the new and independent America.
National Museums NI are introducing a wide range of exciting events, exhibitions and activities for visitors. 'Stories of us' unpacks the lives of James McGavock, who played a role in the move towards US Independence; Charles Thomson from Maghera, one of the first signatories of the Declaration; and John Dunlap, a printer from Strabane who later went on to print the first copies of the Declaration.
Tourism NI has launched 14 new visitor experiences which highlight Northern Ireland’s strong historical connections with the US, in and around Belfast, the North-West, Mid Ulster and counties Antrim and Down. See www.tourismni.com
In Hillsborough Castle visitors will find stories of visiting US dignitaries and diplomatic ties that have played a key role in Northern Ireland's peace journey.
In Carrickfergus, the Andrew Jackson Cottage and US Rangers Museum celebrates both presidential roots and military bravery. In Londonderry, the Siege Museum and Tower Museum explore American links to the city's history, including transatlantic trade and emigration.
Gray’s Printing Press in Strabane tells the story visitors can uncover stories of family heritage and emigration, while the Armagh Robinson Library has rare early American texts on display.
Arthur Cottage in Cullybackey offers an intimate look at the ancestral family cottage of US President Chester A. Arthur, with a brand new interpretative centre.
And through stories of land, heritage, and migration, Montalto Estate in Ballynahinch forms part of the wider narrative connecting Ulster and America.
Saintfield Community Association and Saintfield Heritage Society are hosting a free family day celebrating Francis Hutcheson and Saintfield's links with early America on 4 July.
The Independent Loyal Orange Institution is holding a Faith & Freedom Festival marking the 250th anniversary of American Independence from 3 - 13 July 2026. The centrepiece is a day of US themed events on Saturday 4 July at the body's
Ballymoney centre. See: www.iloi.org