David Gray (ambassador)
Encyclopedia
David Gray was best known as the United States Ambassador to Ireland
from 15 April 1940 until 28 June 1947. His official title was 'Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary' and his official residence was Florida
. In his own words, his appointment to the Ambassadorship was nepotic
, as he was First Lady's
Eleanor Roosevelt's
uncle
through marriage
. Gray was the Ambassador through most of the Second World War and the start of the Cold War
. He led American efforts to convince Ireland
to enter the war on the side of the Allies. His performance was such that Éamon de Valera
sought repeatedly to have Gray replaced by another ambassador, especially after the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
The character of David Gray was played in the RTÉ
television series Caught in a Free State
by the actor O. Z. Whitehead
.
family member, Gray wrote to President
Franklin Roosevelt, as well as Eleanor Roosevelt a number of dry verses and remarks to the President, sometimes humorous and sometimes scathing in his opinion's of De Valera and Irish policy towards the War.
Senior lecturer in U.S. Foreign Policy, Timothy J. Lynch, has observed that 'his animus towards his host nation made Gray atypical of American ambassadors in Dublin'.
Gray donated many of his personal papers to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library before his death, including extensive correspondence.
United States Ambassador to Ireland
There have been a total of 30 Ambassadors of the United States to Ireland meaning the Republic of Ireland. All except one, Frederick A. Sterling, have been non-career appointees, while there were three under President George W. Bush.-List of Ambassadors:...
from 15 April 1940 until 28 June 1947. His official title was 'Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary' and his official residence was Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In his own words, his appointment to the Ambassadorship was nepotic
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
, as he was First Lady's
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
Eleanor Roosevelt's
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
uncle
Uncle
An uncle is a type of familial relationship.Uncle may also refer to:* Uncle , by J. P. Martin* U.N.C.L.E., a fictional organization in the TV series The Man from U.N.C.L.E....
through marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
. Gray was the Ambassador through most of the Second World War and the start of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. He led American efforts to convince Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
to enter the war on the side of the Allies. His performance was such that Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
sought repeatedly to have Gray replaced by another ambassador, especially after the death of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
The character of David Gray was played in the RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
television series Caught in a Free State
Caught in a Free State
Caught in a Free State was a dramatised television series made by RTÉ in 1983. This four-part series was about German spies in neutral Ireland during World War II, known in Ireland as "The Emergency".-Production:...
by the actor O. Z. Whitehead
O.Z. Whitehead
Oothout Zabriskie Whitehead was born in New York City and attended Harvard University. Called "O.Z." or "Zebby", he was a stage star and a prominent character actor who also authored several volumes of biographical sketches of early members of the Bahá'í Faith especially in the West after he...
.
Gray's relationship with President Franklin Roosevelt
As a RooseveltRoosevelt family
In heraldry, canting arms are a visual or pictorial play on a surname, and were and still are a popular practice. It would be common to find roses, then, in arms of many Roosevelt families, even unrelated ones...
family member, Gray wrote to President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Franklin Roosevelt, as well as Eleanor Roosevelt a number of dry verses and remarks to the President, sometimes humorous and sometimes scathing in his opinion's of De Valera and Irish policy towards the War.
Irish neutrality during World War II
The policy of Irish neutrality during World War II was adopted by Dáil Éireann at the instigation of Éamon de Valera, its Taoiseach upon the outbreak of hostilities in Europe and maintained throughout the conflict. De Valera refrained from joining either the Allies or Axis powers...
Senior lecturer in U.S. Foreign Policy, Timothy J. Lynch, has observed that 'his animus towards his host nation made Gray atypical of American ambassadors in Dublin'.
Gray donated many of his personal papers to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library before his death, including extensive correspondence.
External links
- David Gray papers at the University of WyomingUniversity of WyomingThe University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
- American Heritage CenterAmerican Heritage CenterThe American Heritage Center is the University of Wyoming's repository of manuscripts, rare books, and the university archives. Its collections focus on Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain West and a select handful of national topics: environment and conservation, the mining and petroleum industries,...