Sometimes, the best of friendships are the least likely, but they are formed through similar experiences. This is true of the friendship between the Choctaw Nation and Ireland. They have more in common than meets the eye, and they are merely separated by an ocean.
Over the course of the history of the Irish and the Choctaws, they have each had their fair share of difficulties. Both groups have dealt with their nations being overtaken by another group. Their languages have both plunged to the edge of becoming extinct. Despite these challenges, both groups have preserved their cultures and languages.
The relationship between the Choctaw Nation and the Irish was formed in 1847 when the Choctaws donated $170, which is the equivalent of $5000 in today’s money to the people of Ireland that year, who were in the midst of the Potato Famine.
The donation came after the Choctaws arrived in Oklahoma following the “Trail of Tears and Death.” They saw that the Irish were suffering from something not of their doing, just like the Choctaws had. The Choctaws saw that the Irish were suffering under colonial powers and could relate to the struggles.
The donation was sent to Midleton in County Cork, who later realized all the Choctaw people had overcome just prior to the donation. A report about the American aid to Ireland during the Famine says, “The largest part was contributed by the children of the forest, our red brethren of the Choctaw nation.”
In 1990, Choctaw people visited Ireland to participate in the first “Famine Walk.” This annual walk, which takes place in the Doolough Valley, is the reenactment of a walk by desperate Irish people to their landlords. This walk still takes place today.
In 1992, the Irish visit Choctaw Nation to participate in a trek from Mississippi to commemorate the Trail of Tears. That same year, a plaque that commemorates the Choctaw’s aid to the Irish during the Great Hunger was installed in the Mansion House, which has been the official residence of the Lord Mayor of Dublin.
In 1995, Irish President Mary Robinson visited the Choctaw Nation. Her goal was to rekindle the friendship between the Choctaws and the Irish, as well as thank them for their donation to Midleton during the Great Hunger.
In 2017, a sculpture called “Kindred Spirits” was placed in Bailick Park in Midleton. This sculpture commemorates the Choctaws and their gift. It is known locally as “The Feathers” and was created by Alex Pentek. It features nine stainless steel feathers that stand at 20 feet high.
In 2018, Ireland’s Taoiseach (prime minister) Leo Varadkar visited the Choctaw Nation headquarters to show his gratitude to the Choctaws. He also announced the first of a series of yearly scholarships for Choctaw students to study in Ireland.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world, the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Reservation were hit particularly hard. The Irish, thinking of the kindness bestowed upon them by the Choctaw people, gathered a sizeable donation to help the Navajo and Hopi people in their time of need.
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