06/29/2026
๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ค๐ง๐ ๐พ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐๐จ ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐ช๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ!
On July 9 at 6PM, New York City will mark the 250th commemoration of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence, held in City Hall Park. This anniversary brings together civic groups, cultural organizations, descendants of the Declarationโs signers, and members of the Irish American community to retrace the steps taken on that extraordinary day in 1776.
Irish of New York City is honored to support and amplify the work of the outstanding coalition bringing this commemoration to life. This event is made possible through the dedication of Irish America 250, The Bowling Green Association, The Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians (LAOH), and The Boys Scouts of America, along with dozens of Irish, academic, cultural, and civic partners across New York and beyond.
At 5:30 PM, participants are invited to gather in City Hall Park before walking down Broadway to Bowling Green โ following the same route taken when New Yorkers first heard the Declaration read aloud. At Bowling Green, descendants of the original signers will read the Declaration once more, joined by invited guests, historians, and community leaders.
"ALL ARE WELCOME TO COME AND CELEBRATE THIS HISTORICAL OCCASION.
The first wave of Irish emigrants in the 1700s (because of the penal laws) mostly from Ulster (Ulster Scots) were there in the beginning and helped create the United States, they designed the great seal of the United States, they printed the first declarations of independence in Philadelphia, 22 generals in the continental army were of Irish extraction, eight signers of the declaration of independence were of Irish heritage, three of which were born in Ireland. It was the second wave of Irish emigrants in the 1800s and 1900s mostly Catholic (because of the famine) that helped build the country.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF JULY 9, 1776.
The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in New York City took place on July 9, 1776. On that day, General George Washington, based at his headquarters at Number One Broadway (beside Bowling Green), received a copy of the Declaration โ adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776 โ and ordered a formal reading to his troops and the public History 101 NYC. At 6:00 PM, Washington assembled the cityโs brigades at the Common, now known as City Hall Park. After the reading, a large crowd led by figures like Isaac Sears, Hercules Mulligan marched to Bowling Green Park to protest the presence of a large statue of King George III. The statue was torn down, and pieces were shipped to Connecticut, to make bullets for the American cause.
The July 9, 1776, reading was a pivotal moment in the Revolutionary War, and cemented New York Cityโs role as a key center of the independence movement."
Irish of New York City is proud to help shine a light on this anniversary and the role our community played in the earliest days of the American story.
Join Irish America 250, The Bowling Green Association, The Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution, The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians (LAOH), and The Boys Scouts of America, along with dozens of Irish, academic, cultural, and civic partners across New York and beyond on JULY 9, 2026, at 6PM - Help kick-off our next 250 years!
United Irish Counties Association of New York, Inc.. Hilary Beirne
