The American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in November 1920 by Éamon De Valera, with the primary goal of bringing about United States recognition as well as diplomatic relations with the Irish Republic. This organization was active across American cities including Boston, New York, Chicago (where it was headquartered), Philadelphia, Cleveland, San Francisco as well as other American cities with large Irish populations in the period between 1916 and 1921, when British Prime Minister, Lloyd George, signed the Irish Peace Treaty. The A.A.R.I.R. was founded with the goal of helping Irish-Americans support the establishment of an Irish Republic independent of British rule, both financially as well as by giving them a forum to write members of Congress regarding their goals. This organization was supported by many labor unions as well as by the Ben Franklin Institute, an organization (also based in Chicago) with the mandate to make literature available to the public about the Irish situation

During 1919 to 1921 the Irish Republican Army (IRA) was formed, led by Michael Collins, and this organization became of the focus of Irish Republicans throughout the world; most Irish-American Republican financial support from that point on went to this organization.