Minister of State Thomas Byrne visits the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma to unveil the Eternal Heart sculpture.
The second stop of Minister Byrne’s trip in the US was to Durant, Oklahoma. The Minister had an opportunity to meet with Chief Batton of the Choctaw Nation where he spoke about the importance of Ireland’s historical connections with the Choctaw Nation and the desire to continue to celebrate the contemporary relationship.
While in Durant, the Minister also enjoyed a concert supported by both the Choctaw Cultural Center and the Department of Foreign Affairs. The cultural collaboration involved performances by Choctaw musicians and Irish music group, RUNA.
The unveiling of a new sculpture honouring the Choctaw-Irish connection took place at a ceremony on the Choctaw Capitol Grounds in Tuskahoma. Choctaw tribal members, tribal leaders, and dignitaries from Oklahoma and Ireland gathered at the event.
Built by Choctaw Nation tribal member Samuel Stitt, the 8-foot-tall Eternal Heart sculpture combines a Celtic trinity shape intertwined with a heart and is specifically placed facing toward Ireland.
This project was a joint commission announced in 2022 by then Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Chief Gary Batton of the Choctaw Nation, on the 175th anniversary of the Choctaw Gift to the people of Ireland during the Great Famine.
Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton said, "We are grateful for the giving hearts of our Choctaw ancestors that brought us here today. We are excited to see what this eternal bond will bring to future generations of Choctaw and Irish, and we are extremely proud to call the people of Ireland our friends and kindred spirits."
During his address, Minster Byrne said “It is my hope that this sculpture serve not only as a memorial to our history, and the kindness and generosity of the Choctaw Nation to Ireland, but also be a permanent symbol of the enduring and meaningful friendship between our two nations.”
He also spoke about the future opportunities to deepen the bilateral relationships and the shared priorities around promoting continued use of our respective national languages and sports.