Irish Americans are Americans who have full or partial Irish ancestry or citizenship.
Charles Carroll, the sole Catholic signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, was the descendant of Irish nobility in County Tipperary. Signers Matthew Thornton, George Taylor were born in Ireland and were "Ulster" Scots, while Thomas Lynch Jr., for example, was Protestant; he was of Irish ancestry and retained a strong Irish identity.
Thomas Ambrose Butler, an Irish Catholic priest, was a leading voice in urging Irish immigrants to colonize Kansas