The American Dream exhibition and booklet launch at Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre

Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre hosted the launch of The American Dream exhibition and accompanying booklet on Wednesday 29 July at 7pm, as part of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s USA 250 programme.

Developed by Museum Services, the exhibition and booklet explore the remarkable connections between the Causeway Coast and Glens and the United States of America, tracing the stories of local people whose lives and legacies crossed the Atlantic and helped shape communities throughout North America.

The project tells a story that is both local and international, highlighting how the history of the borough reaches far beyond its shores. It features early Ulster settlers of the eighteenth century, as well as individuals who contributed to the American Revolution, the abolitionist movement, journalism, enterprise, culture and the arts.

Speaking at the launch, the Deputy Mayor, Alderman Sandra Hunter said: “This publication reminds us that the history of our Borough reaches far beyond our shores, carried across the Atlantic by generations of people who left this place. The booklet connects familiar places including Coleraine, Ballymoney, Limavady, Portrush, Portstewart, Rathlin, Dungiven and Mosside with people and events that helped shape communities across North America, showing how local history can illuminate world history.”

The Deputy Mayor also noted the importance of reflecting on the complexity of this shared history, adding: “The idea of the ‘American Dream’ is often associated with hope and achievement, but for many emigrants the journey also involved hardship, discrimination, separation and loss. By recognising both the opportunities and the challenges faced by those who travelled before us, we gain a fuller understanding of our shared past.”

Alderman Aaron Callan, Chair of the USA 250 Working Group, also spoke about the area’s historic links with the United States of America, including two of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence who are connected to the borough – Dr. Matthew Thornton and Thomas McKean.

Following the launch, Dr David Hume MBE delivered a well-attended talk, Ulster Americans: A Look at Some Famous Figures from History. The talk explored presidents, musicians, writers, activists and other notable figures with links to Ulster.

The American Dream exhibition will remain on display at Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre until 20 August 2026. Visitors are invited to explore the exhibition and collect a free copy of the accompanying booklet, which is also available from Ballymoney Museum.