A blue plaque has been unveiled in Strabane to honour John Dunlap, the printer who produced the first copies of the United States Declaration of Independence.

Dunlap was born in the County Tyrone town in 1746 and left for Philadelphia at age 10 to work for his uncle William, a printer and bookseller. He later took over the business.

On 4 July 1776, after the Continental Congress approved the text, its president John Hancock directed Dunlap to print the Declaration. Working overnight, he set the handwritten document in type and produced around 200 copies. These became known as the Dunlap Broadsides.

General George Washington had the Declaration read to his troops on 9 July. Only 26 of the original broadsides are known to survive today.

Dunlap also founded the first successful daily newspaper in the United States, the Pennsylvania Packet, and later printed the US Constitution. He served in the American War of Independence as a member of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry and acted as a bodyguard to Washington, fighting at battles including Trenton and Princeton.

The plaque was unveiled at Gray's Printshop, the last surviving historic printshop in Strabane and now a National Trust property. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons attended, along with a representative of the US Consulate in Belfast.

Chris Spurr, chairman of the Ulster History Circle, which erected the plaque, said it recognized the extraordinary achievements of a young emigrant who helped shape world history.

Dr William Roulston of the Ulster Historical Foundation noted that Dunlap's formative years in Ireland were followed by remarkable contributions in America, reflecting the island's broad impact.

Paul Roelle from the US Consulate said Dunlap's story highlights the deep historical connections between Northern Ireland and the United States.

The commemoration follows the issue of a stamp by An Post earlier this year to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration's signing.