# List of ambassadors of the United States to Ireland

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 role is currently vacant, as nominee Edward Walsh awaits confirmation from the Senate.
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 | Presentation of credentials | Termination of mission | Days in office |
| 1 | Frederick A. Sterling | February 19, 1927 | July 27, 1927 | March 7, 1934 | 2415 |
| 2 | W. W. McDowell | January 15, 1934 | March 27, 1934 | April 9, 1934 | 13 |
| 3 | Alvin Mansfield Owsley | May 15, 1935 | June 27, 1935 | July 7, 1937 | 741 |
| 4 | John Cudahy | May 28, 1937 | August 23, 1937 | January 15, 1940 | 875 |
| 5 | David Gray | February 16, 1940 | April 15, 1940 | June 28, 1947 | 2630 |
| 6 | George A. Garrett | April 10, 1947 | July 28, 1947 | April 18, 1950 | 995 |
    ^E1 Commissioned to the Irish Free State
    ^E2 Died in office (while in Ireland)
    ^E3 Promoted to Ambassador

### Ambassadors

Since 1950, the official title has been Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
| No. | Name | Appointed | Presentation of credentials | Termination of mission | Days in office |
| 1 | George A. Garrett | March 17, 1950 | April 18, 1950 | May 27, 1951 | 404 |
| 2 | Francis P. Matthews | July 6, 1951 | October 22, 1951 | September 7, 1952 | 321 |
| 3 | William Howard Taft III | April 2, 1953 | May 13, 1953 | June 25, 1957 | 1504 |
| 4 | R. W. Scott McLeod | May 9, 1957 | July 17, 1957 | March 15, 1961 | 1337 |
| 5 | Grant Stockdale | March 29, 1961 | May 17, 1961 | July 7, 1962 | 416 |
| 6 | Matthew McCloskey | July 12, 1962 | July 19, 1962 | June 7, 1964 | 689 |
| 7 | Raymond R. Guest | March 11, 1965 | April 28, 1965 | June 7, 1968 | 1136 |
| 8 | Leo J. Sheridan | September 26, 1968 | November 1, 1968 | June 1, 1969 | 212 |
| 9 | John D. J. Moore | April 19, 1969 | June 23, 1969 | June 30, 1975 | 2198 |
| 10 | Walter Curley | July 23, 1975 | September 18, 1975 | May 2, 1977 | 592 |
| 11 | William V. Shannon | June 22, 1977 | July 20, 1977 | June 7, 1981 | 1418 |
| 12 | Peter H. Dailey | March 15, 1982 | April 30, 1982 | January 15, 1984 | 625 |
| 13 | Robert F. Kane | February 28, 1984 | March 6, 1984 | May 29, 1985 | 449 |
| 14 | Margaret Heckler | December 17, 1985 | January 30, 1986 | August 20, 1989 | 1298 |
| 15 | Richard A. Moore | August 7, 1989 | September 19, 1989 | June 15, 1992 | 1000 |
| 16 | William H. G. FitzGerald | June 15, 1992 | June 26, 1992 | June 5, 1993 | 344 |
| 17 | Jean Kennedy Smith | June 17, 1993 | June 24, 1993 | September 17, 1998 | 1911 |
| 18 | Mike Sullivan | October 22, 1998 | January 21, 1999 | June 20, 2001 | 881 |
| 19 | Richard Egan | August 29, 2001 | September 10, 2001 | January 31, 2003 | 508 |
| 20 | James C. Kenny | October 6, 2003 | October 31, 2003 | August 13, 2006 | 1017 |
| 21 | Thomas C. Foley | August 28, 2006 | October 18, 2006 | January 22, 2009 | 827 |
| 22 | Dan Rooney | July 1, 2009 | July 3, 2009 | December 14, 2012 | 1260 |
| 23 | Kevin O'Malley | September 18, 2014 | October 8, 2014 | January 20, 2017 | 835 |
| 24 | Edward F. Crawford | June 13, 2019 | July 1, 2019 | January 19, 2021 | 568 |
| 25 | Claire D. Cronin | December 18, 2021 | February 10, 2022 | January 20, 2025 | 1075 |
    ^A1 Died in office (while in the United States)
    ^A2 Interred in Ireland
    ^A3 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