The passionate commitment which Bill Clinton as President showed in supporting the push for peace on our island has been well documented. Unlike many stories which can become exaggerated through retelling over the years, I think we actually under-appreciate the depth and breadth of the Washington-Ireland connections which were built during that time. The high-profile summits and the long hours spent encouraging parties to commit to democratic politics are rightly remembered as vital to achieving the end of the violence. However, President Clinton and his administration went much further than this. They supported the idea of peace as a great opportunity to fight sectarianism and support development. That's the biggest reason why it was important for him to visit Dundalk and to speak about communities on both sides of the border.