Mayor Richard J. Daley and the Northern Ireland conflict, 1968–76

Abstract Between September 1969 and December 1972, Mayor Richard J. Daley of Chicago sent almost a quarter of a million dollars to charitable organisations that were helping victims of violence in Northern Ireland. He also issued scathing attacks on British and unionist government policies, particularly over the introduction of internment and the murder of fourteen civil rights demonstrators on Bloody Sunday. In addition, from 1973 onwards, Daley worked closely with the Dublin government to encourage Chicago’s Irish community to support peaceful means to end the conflict in Northern Ireland. Why Daley, arguably the most powerful urban leader in the United States during these years, with both statewide and national political clout, chose to devote his time and energy to the Northern Ireland conflict is the focus of this article. Drawing primarily on the mayor’s personal papers, it highlights the multiple factors that drove his activism, considers how these forces changed over time and assesses the impact of his initiatives both in Northern Ireland and in Chicago. While Daley’s financial disbursements and criticisms of the Westminster and Stormont governments had important impacts, this article argues that his most significant contribution was assisting a campaign by the Irish and US governments that undercut the effectiveness of Chicago’s IRA support network.