Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President (1963-69)
Great (x5) Grandfather from Galway
Johnson grew up in central Texas, not far from Johnson City, which his family helped found. A veteran politician, his term as president was dominated by the ongoing Vietnam War. His ‘Great Society’ programme allowed access to medical care to be expanded and in 1964, Johnson won the Presidency with 61 percent of the vote and had the widest popular margin in American history up until that point – more than 15,000,000 votes.
Richard Nixon, 37th President (1969-74)
Ancestors from Kildare
Richard Nixon’s mother Hannah was descended from the Milhous family, Irish Quakers from Timahoe, Kildare while the first Nixon to arrive in the US, James, left Ireland in 1731. President Nixon visited the small town in October 1970 during a state visit to Ireland. He is the only US president to date to resign from office following his involvement in the Watergate scandal.
Gerald Ford, 38th President (1974-77)
Great (x4) Grandparents from Armagh and Down
Ford assumed the presidency following Nixon’s resignation in 1974, the first vice-president to do so in such circumstances. Once in office he attempted to deal with rising inflation, a sluggish economy and conflict in the Middle East.
Jimmy Carter, 39th President (1977-81)
Great (x4) Grandparents from Antrim
President Carter’s term as president was dominated by economic issues. He is credited with helping to create 8 million new jobs, reducing America’s budgetary deficient and negotiating the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty with the Soviet Union but a series of foreign policy set back towards the end of his term saw him fail to be reflected in 1980. In 2002 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.
Ronald Reagan, 40th President (1981-89)
Great-Grandparents from Antrim and Tipperary
Reagan could boast at least three Irish ancestors, most notably Michael Regan from Ballyporeen in Tipperary who left Ireland in 1851. When he visited Ireland in 1984, following his re-election as president, he visited his ancestral hometown where they later named the local bar after him.
George H.W. Bush, 41st President (1989-93)
Great (x4) Grandparents from Down
A former senator and vice president, George H.W. Bush took office in 1989. He led the US during the First Gulf War and oversaw the end of the Cold War but would economic problems at home would see him fail to be re-elected for a second term.
George W. Bush, 43rd President (2001-2009)
Great (x5) Grandparents from Down
The son of George H.W. Bush, he was only the second child of a former president to then become president themselves. He led America during a transformative period dominated by the ‘War on Terror’ which he declared in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
Joe Biden, 46th President (2021-Present)
Great-Great Grandparents from Mayo and Louth
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