“Tyrone to the New World: Ulster Links to the Spirit of 1776” explores the remarkable story of Thomas Greer, a Tyrone merchant whose trade, correspondence and family connections reached across the Atlantic to the emerging United States of America.
Dungannon, Co. Tyrone – September 2026: DMC Consultancy is delighted to have played a key role in the development and launch of “Tyrone to the New World: Ulster Links to the Spirit of 1776”, an important new heritage project created by Donaghmore Historical Society as part of the USA–NI 250 Programme.
The project was made possible through funding from the Department for Communities under the USA–NI 250 programme, which is led by the Department and delivered in partnership with the Ulster-Scots Agency. It forms part of the programme marking 250 years since the signing of the American Declaration of Independence.
At the centre of the project is the extraordinary story of Thomas Greer, a Quaker linen merchant based in Dungannon whose business, family and correspondence connected County Tyrone with America during one of the most significant periods in world history.
Greer became one of Ulster’s most prominent linen traders during the eighteenth century. His extensive network connected him with merchants, emigrants and Quaker communities throughout Ireland, Britain and the American colonies. Surviving correspondence provides a remarkable window into not only trade and migration, but also the political events unfolding in America in the years surrounding the Revolution.
DMC Consultancy bringing the archive into the digital age
Working alongside Donaghmore Historical Society and the project team, DMC Consultancy developed the digital experience and interactive heritage map, transforming extensive historical research and archival material into an accessible online resource that can be explored by audiences in Northern Ireland, America and around the world.
The interactive map brings the Greer correspondence to life geographically, plotting places stretching from Tyrone and Armagh across the Atlantic to American ports and the Caribbean.
Visitors can select individual locations to discover who Thomas Greer corresponded with there, whether the connection involved trade, family, the Quaker network or migration, as well as the relevant dates and archival letter references.
The wider digital resource brings together six chapters of research, original letters from the Greer Papers, the interactive map and the project booklet, creating a permanent research and educational resource designed to remain available beyond the launch.
For DMC Consultancy, the project demonstrates how modern digital technology can be used not simply to display history, but to make complex archives interactive, visual and accessible to a new generation.
Danielle McSorley, Founder & CEO of DMC Consultancy, said:
“It has been a real privilege for DMC Consultancy to be involved in bringing such an important piece of local and international history to life digitally.
“What makes this project so special is that it takes a story rooted here in Tyrone and shows just how far those connections reached. Through the interactive map, people can visually follow Thomas Greer’s extraordinary network across Ireland, Britain, America and beyond and then explore the correspondence and history behind those connections.
“It was also a pleasure to attend the launch night in Dungannon and see such an excellent turnout. Seeing people engaging with the research, the exhibition and the digital elements made all the work behind the project incredibly worthwhile.”
A remarkable research achievement
DMC Consultancy also paid particular tribute to the extensive research which helped uncover and interpret the remarkable story contained within the Greer Papers.
Approximately 1,000 documents relating to Thomas Greer survive within the collection at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, providing an exceptional record of his life, commercial relationships and connections with America. The online project presents a selection of 13 letters that illuminate the period surrounding the American War of Independence.
Danielle McSorley added:
“A huge amount of credit must go to Dr Ciarán Reilly for the depth of research and dedication he has brought to this programme. Taking centuries-old correspondence and building a coherent story around the people, places, trade and events contained within it is an enormous undertaking.
“I would also like to give a huge congratulations to Mary Mac Ginty, Project Lead, whose commitment and vision have been instrumental in bringing the entire project to life.
“Mary and everyone involved in Donaghmore Historical Society should be extremely proud of what has been created. All of us at DMC Consultancy were delighted to play our part in such a worthwhile project.”
The launch took place at the Hill of The O’Neill and Ranfurly House in Dungannon, with the programme including historical letter readings, a presentation by Dr Ciarán Reilly and the unveiling of a six-panel travelling exhibition. The wider project also incorporates an illustrated booklet, educational resource and digital heritage map.
The project website itself represents another lasting element of the initiative. Developed by DMC Consultancy, it provides a permanent home for the research and allows the story to travel far beyond Tyrone – particularly to communities throughout the United States whose histories remain intertwined with Ulster migration and trade. The project site also formally credits DMC Consultancy for its design.
From Tyrone to the New World
The surviving correspondence paints an extraordinary picture of how closely connected eighteenth-century Tyrone was to events thousands of miles away.
Letters reaching Thomas Greer discussed linen orders and shipping alongside the growing political tensions in the colonies – including the duties on tea, colonial non-importation agreements, the closure of Boston’s port and the developing conflict with Britain.
It is a powerful reminder that the story of American independence was not confined to America.
From a merchant’s desk in Dungannon, the events that would reshape the New World were arriving in Tyrone by letter.
DMC Consultancy is proud to have helped transform those letters, locations and connections into a modern digital experience – ensuring a story spanning more than 250 years can now be explored by audiences around the world.
Explore the project:
Tyrone to the New World – USA–NI 250 Programme
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