Irish leader deValera Speaks on Boston Common, April 30, 1927

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Image Courtesy of Boston Public Library Special Collections



On March 6, 1927 Eamon De Valera visited the United States after an absence of six and a half years. The purpose of his visit, according to the New York Times, was to testify in the Irish Republican bonds litigation being tried on March 9, 1927 before the Supreme Court of the State of New York.

"The funds in question amount to more than $2,500,000 and represent the unexpended balance of the first and second external loans of the Irish Republican Government and were raised by me, in the capacity of the first President of the Irish Republic, and by my colleagues, during our visit to the United States in 1919 and 1921,” he said.

During his trip, deValera visited New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Kansas City, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles among other places. 

 At the end of the 7-week tour, he returned to New York City for a final farewell, in which he declared, "The republicans of Ireland will never bow their knees to the King of England. If we go ever onward we will in truth have a country of the people, by the people and for the people," as reported by the New York Times. 

De Valera returned to Boston on Friday, April 29, where he was greeted at South Station by throngs of well-wishers.  That evening,  he addressed the Boston Chamber of Commerce before an audience of about 1,000 guests, according to The Boston Globe. 

The next day, April 30, just prior to his departure, de Valera spoke at the Parkman Bandstand on historic Boston Common in front of thousands of Bostonians who supported him. Following the speech, the Saint Ambrose Fife and Drum Corps of Dorchester led a procession to Commonwealth Pier, where the Republic was docked and was sent to depart at 4 p.m.

At the pier De Valera’s car was closed in by thousands of supporters, “many of them with children held high in their arms to give them an opportunity to shake hands with the leader,” wrote the Irish World. He stood up in the car and spoke to the crowd in Gaelic and English, and they finally let him board the ship, which sailed out of Boston Harbor “to the skirling of the bagpipe music of the Irish Republican Band playing the Soldiers Song.”

Find additional stories on deValera's connections to Massachusetts by reading Irish Boston, published by Globe Pequot Press.

Learn more about Boston's Irish history by visiting the Irish Heritage Trail.


Research, Photo + Text, Michael Quinlin






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