Event Description
In the Shelter of Each Other: The Irish and America’s Medal of Honor
A lecture by Patrick Downes MRHistS
In the year marking the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence, Patrick Downes examines the remarkable and often misunderstood Irish story behind America’s highest military decoration: the Medal of Honor.
More Irish-born men have received the Medal of Honor than those born in any other country outside the United States. But how secure is that claim? Drawing on research for his forthcoming book, For Valour and Heritage: The Irish Story of America’s Medal of Honor, Patrick traces recipients from the Civil War to Vietnam, separating archival evidence from the myths that have grown around their stories.
The lecture explores emigration, military service and the making of Irish America. It considers how changed names, inaccurate birth records and commemorative exaggeration have distorted the historical record; and what military service meant for an immigrant community whose loyalty was often doubted. It also addresses the contested margins of the story, including Irish-descended figures such as President John F. Kennedy and Lt. Michael P. Murphy. US Navy SEAL
Patrick Downes is the Writer in Residence at the Princess Grace Irish Library, a Member of the Royal Historical Society and Chair of The Lucas Foundation. The lecture is presented under the auspices of the Lucas Lecture, the Foundation’s annual address at the Royal Dublin Society.
Admission is free, but advance booking is required. Tickets may be requested at the Princess Grace Irish Library.
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September 4, 2025