The United States ambassador to Ireland is the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary from the United States of America to Ireland. It is considered a highly prestigious position within the United States Foreign Service. The current ambassador is Edward Walsh.

The chief of mission for the United States in Ireland held the title of envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary from 1927 through 1950, and six people served in the role. Since 1950, the title has been ambassador, and 23 people have served in the role. Only the first envoy, Frederick A. Sterling, was a career Foreign Service Officer – other envoys, and all ambassadors to date, have been non-career appointees. The first four envoys were commissioned to the Irish Free State, prior to the formation of the State.

The ambassador and embassy staff at large work at the Ballsbridge Chancery of the Embassy of the United States, Dublin. Deerfield Residence is the official residence of the ambassador, located in the Phoenix Park, Dublin.

Incumbent The position was vacant from January 2017 through the end of June 2019, with Reece Smyth serving as the chargé d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Ireland. The prior ambassador, Kevin O'Malley, was nominated by President Barack Obama and served from October 2014 until the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump. In December 2016, it was reported that then president-elect Trump intended to name Brian P. Burns as the next ambassador to Ireland. However, in June 2017, Burns withdrew his name from consideration, due to ill health.

Edward F. Crawford, a businessman and entrepreneur from Ohio whose parents were from Cork, was approved to be the next ambassador by the Senate's foreign relations committee in May 2019, confirmed by a vote of the United States Senate on June 13, 2019, and sworn into office on June 26, 2019. He officially began his term as ambassador upon presentation of his credentials to President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins on July 1, 2019.

Chiefs of mission

Envoys Until 1950, the official title was Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. No. Name Appointed Presentationof credentials Terminationof mission Days inoffice Notes 1 Frederick A. Sterling February 19, 1927 July 27, 1927 March 7, 1934 2 W. W. McDowell January 15, 1934 March 27, 1934 April 9, 1934 3 Alvin Mansfield Owsley May 15, 1935 June 27, 1935 July 7, 1937 4 John Cudahy May 28, 1937 August 23, 1937 January 15, 1940 5 David Gray February 16, 1940 April 15, 1940 June 28, 1947 6 George A. Garrett April 10, 1947 July 28, 1947 April 18, 1950 Commissioned to the Irish Free State Died in office (while in Ireland) Promoted to Ambassador

Ambassadors Since 1950, the official title has been Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. No. Name Appointed Presentationof credentials Terminationof mission Days inoffice Notes 1 March 17, 1950 April 18, 1950 May 27, 1951 2 July 6, 1951 October 22, 1951 September 7, 1952 3 April 2, 1953 May 13, 1953 June 25, 1957 4 May 9, 1957 July 17, 1957 March 15, 1961 5 March 29, 1961 May 17, 1961 July 7, 1962 6 July 12, 1962 July 19, 1962 June 7, 1964 7 March 11, 1965 April 28, 1965 June 7, 1968 8 September 26, 1968 November 1, 1968 June 1, 1969 9 April 19, 1969 June 23, 1969 June 30, 1975 10 July 23, 1975 September 18, 1975 May 2, 1977 11 June 22, 1977 July 20, 1977 June 7, 1981 12 March 15, 1982 April 30, 1982 January 15, 1984 13 February 28, 1984 March 6, 1984 May 29, 1985 14 December 17, 1985 January 30, 1986 August 20, 1989 15 August 7, 1989 September 19, 1989 June 15, 1992 16 June 15, 1992 June 26, 1992 June 5, 1993 17 June 17, 1993 June 24, 1993 September 17, 1998 18 October 22, 1998 January 21, 1999 June 20, 2001 19 August 29, 2001 September 10, 2001 January 31, 2003 20 October 6, 2003 October 31, 2003 August 13, 2006 21 August 28, 2006 October 18, 2006 January 22, 2009 22 July 1, 2009 July 3, 2009 December 14, 2012 23 September 18, 2014 October 8, 2014 January 20, 2017 24 June 13, 2019 July 1, 2019 January 19, 2021 25 December 18, 2021 February 10, 2022 January 20, 2025 26 June 4, 2025 July 1, 2025 Incumbent Died in office (while in the United States) Interred in Ireland Still living

Other nominees

Appointed or nominated, but did not serve. W. W. McDowell Appointment: September 13, 1933. Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; did not serve under this appointment. Reappointed in January 1934. William E. McCann Note: Not commissioned; nomination of March 17, 1981, not acted upon by the Senate.

Chargé d’affaires Interim chiefs of mission. Stuart A. Dwyer September 2013 – October 2014 Reece Smyth January 2017 – June 2019 Alexandra McKnight January 2021 – February 2022

See also Embassy of the United States, Dublin Deerfield Residence – Official residence of the ambassador Ireland–United States relations Foreign relations of Ireland Ambassadors of the United States Embassy of Ireland, Washington, D.C.

References United States Department of State: Background notes on Ireland

External links United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Ireland United States Department of State: Ireland United States Embassy in Ireland Twitter account (verified) of the United States Ambassador to Ireland