From Here to the White House: Presidential Portraits Exhibition

What to Expect

A unique exhibition featuring original drawings created around 1930 by Frank McKelvey, showcasing 11 American presidents who claimed ancestral links to Ulster. Discover the ancestral journeys of families who departed from Ulster and went on to shape American history at the highest level. McKelvey was a landscape and portrait painter from Belfast (1895-1974) recognised as one of the best Irish painters of his time. His drawings, based on oil paintings and photographs of the presidents, capture the character and personality of the subjects and offer insight into growing awareness of Ulster’s contributions to early American politics during the early 20th century.

Good to Know

• Exhibition period: Early June to end of August 2026
• Displayed in the Emigrants exhibition section
• Included in general admission
• Part of the broader Stories of Us anniversary programme
• Shows growth of interest in Ulster-America connections during 1920s-1930s

Getting There

Ulster American Folk Park is located on the outskirts of Omagh on the A5. Free parking on site. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 10am-5pm.