Joe Kennedy III to speak at Irish Americans for Harris-Walz rally tonight

The Harris for President Campaign has announced that Joe Kennedy III will be among the special guests at the Irish Americans for Harris-Walz rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania tonight, Monday, October 7.

Former Congressman Kennedy, the grandson of Senator Bobby Kennedy and grand-nephew of President John F. Kennedy, is President Biden's Special Envoy to Northern Ireland and is a major contributor to peace in the region.

The Irish Americans for Harris-Walz rally will be hosted at Riley's Pour House Restaurant on Monday from 6 - 9:30 pm EDT. 

Those interested in attending the rally can sign up online here to join Kennedy and other political and community leaders for an evening of fellowship, Irish music, and great food.

The Harris for President Campaign, whose Irish American Coordinator is Alex Nason, is supported by the Irish Americans for Harris National Committee, chaired by Brian O’Dwyer. Other Committee members who will be in attendance on Monday include Irish Honorary Consul in Pittsburgh Jim Lamb, Stella O’Leary, and Ted Smyth.

This year, the Harris Walz campaign is making a major commitment to securing Irish American votes for Democrats up and down the ballot, with events in states with large Irish American populations including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

In the 2020 presidential election, the Biden-Harris campaign also made a special commitment to securing Irish American votes. For example, Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker in the "Star Wars" franchise) headlined Irish American rallies for Biden, which included prominent Irish American politicians, community leaders, and musicians.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz.

The Harris for President Campaign notes that 35 million Americans of Irish heritage have demonstrated in previous presidential elections that they are an important swing vote, particularly in states like Pennsylvania with large Irish American populations.

Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania has one of the largest Irish American populations with its heritage of Irish American and Scots-Irish settlers personified in the leadership over the years of families with names like Flaherty, Murphy, Rooney, Mellon, Lamb, Lawrence, Kelly, and Feeney.

The late Dan Rooney, former Ambassador to Ireland, co-founded the American Ireland Fund which made a critical contribution to peace in Ireland. His sons, Art Rooney, President of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and author Jim Rooney continue to host Ireland Fund dinners in Pittsburgh every year.

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the largest in America and well supported by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Gaelic Athletic Association, and local Irish American organizations.