WATCH: Newsreel of William T. Cosgrave's 1928 visit to the US and Canada

A striking piece of archival film has resurfaced, showing William T. Cosgrave, the first head of the Irish Free State, arriving in New York in January 1928 to promote Ireland's young independence across American and Canadian stages. The visit proved a diplomatic success, though Cosgrave came remarkably close to disaster when the train carrying him to Ottawa was involved in a crash.

In January 1928, William T. Cosgrave, Ireland’s first President, visited the USA and Canada to showcase Ireland’s achievements on many radio broadcasts and events.

William Thomas Cosgrave succeeded Michael Collins as Chairman of the Irish Provisional Government from August to December 1922 and then served as President of the Irish Free State from 1922 to 1932.

This historic 1928 newsreel from British Pathé features then-President Cosgrave arriving in New York on a boat and being greeted by bodyguards and US Dignitaries. 

His visit was a productive one politically, but while en route to Ottawa from New York, he narrowly survived a train crash.

You can watch footage of President Cosgrave’s visit to the US and Canada, courtesy of British Pathé and The Irish Film Institute, below.

The video below is published with thanks to the Irish Film Institute (IFI), with whom IrishCentral has partnered to bring you a taste of what their remarkable collection entails. You can find all IrishCentral articles and videos from the IFI here.

To watch more historic Irish footage, visit the IFI Player, the Irish Film Institute’s virtual viewing room that provides audiences around the globe with free, instant access to Irish heritage preserved in the IFI Irish Film Archive. Irish Culture from the last century is reflected through documentaries, animation, adverts, amateur footage, feature films, and much more. You can also download the IFI Player Apps for free on iPhone, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku.

IrishCentral has partnered up to bring you a taste of what their remarkable collections entail. You can find all IrishCentral articles and videos from the IFI here.

* Originally published in 2020, updated in 2026.