Is Irish America moving towards the Republican Party?

The return of United States President Donald Trump to the White House has been fuelled by the “America First” ethos.

This has two big elements – a radical rethinking of the role played by the US on the international stage and “protectionist” economic policies.

Trump is reflecting a broader shift within America, towards the right of the political spectrum.

As our documentary, Trump, Tariffs and Us, has discovered, he has garnered support for this new direction from many different elements within American society, not least Irish America.

Whereas previous US presidents, predominantly those from the Democratic Party, have taken a keen interest in Northern Ireland and the peace process – think Bill Clinton and Joe Biden – Trump seems, currently at least, to have his focus elsewhere rather than on what may be happening in Belfast.

While there has long been bipartisan support for Northern Ireland peace building in Washington, it was the Democrats that were most closely associated with ensuring the process stayed high on the agenda of Capitol Hill.

But, as the former US Northern Ireland special envoy Richard Haass tells us in the programme, that generation of politicians has “moved on”.

Senator Ted Kennedy passed away in 2009 while other figures, such as Senator Chris Dodd, have stepped away from politics.

Instead, much of Irish America seems to have inched closer to the Republican Party and the policies of Trump.

This shift away from the Democrats has been noted by the publisher of the Irish American newspaper, the Irish Echo.

“Despite the threat to the Irish unauthorised immigrants, the undocumented immigrants, I have seen Irish America move to the right,” Máirtín Ó Muilleoir said.

“A majority now have moved to Trump because they see it in their self-interest to do so.

“We [the Irish Echo] endorsed Kamala Harris and we’re swimming against the tide.

“Some of the bedrocks of Irish America, just outside Manhattan, I have seen those not only move to Republicans but move very firmly to Republican candidates. I don’t see a time when the Democrats take those seats back.”

Irish American band the Dropkick Murphys known to many for their iconic song I’m Shipping Up to Boston, which featured heavily in the Martin Scorsese film The Departed, is still deeply rooted in trade union politics.

Lead singer Ken Casey said his regular, on-stage commentary against the US president had caused the band to lose listeners, “loads” of whom now supported Trump’s view of the world.

“I have many friends that came over from Ireland in their 20s to Boston, first generation, and they’re already on the Trump train – saying ‘close the door behind us’,” said Mr Casey.

“I was taught as an Irish-American I could never have those thoughts towards another immigrant because my family was able to come here and climb the economic ladder.

“A lot of my friends have gone to the ‘dark side’ and a tonne of the band’s fans.”

Trump has won strong support from the Irish American law enforcement community.

Treasurer of the New York Correctional Department’s Emerald Society Brian Sharkey believes the Democrats abandoned the issue of law and order to the Republicans.

“They [Irish Americans] are hoping Trump can change things. He is a big supporter of law and order, and he’s not a phoney,” said Mr Sharkey, a former correctional officer on New York’s Rikers Island.

“Right now there is a big problem in the city [New York] and there is a big problem with crime in general in New York State.”

He described Joe Biden as “the worst president of my lifetime” and has little time for Mr Biden’s strong sense of Irishness.

“He’s a typical politician, able to put on the Irish blarney, talk about his Irish grandmother,” he said.

Trump has won support, too, from some people with a unionist background and for whom the United States is now home.

Originally from north Belfast, Michael George has become friendly with the Trump family through his banking career in Manhattan.

He sees some merit in the president’s tariffs as policy tools.

“He wants to try and encourage free and fair tariffs,” said Mr George.

“He says he is going to do reciprocal tariffs. Well, if the Europeans tariff us why shouldn’t we tariff them?”

Mr George believes the widespread use of tariffs on foreign imports is a tactical move that will end in negotiation.

Trump’s “America First” vision seems to enjoy support from diverse parts of American society for now. Whether that remains the case, only time will tell.

Trump, Tariffs and Us, is on Sunday 30 March at 22:30 BST on BBC iPlayer and BBC One Northern Ireland. It was produced for BBC Northern Ireland by Clean Slate TV.