Joseph Crowley was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 1986, and he was reelected in 1996 to a sixth term. Born in New York City, he has been a life-long resident of Queens County.

He is the Treasurer of the American-Irish Legislators Society of New York State, which supported and was instrumental in obtaining a visa for Gerry Adams, President of Sinn Féin. Crowley is also a member of the Cavan and Armagh Associations, Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Americans for a New Irish Agenda, as well as being an officer of the Queens County St. Patrick’s Society.

Crowley has long been a staunch advocate for the Emerald Isle Immigration Center, and he was appointed the New York State Chair for the Irish-American Victory ’96. In 1993, Crowley sponsored a legislative resolution urging President Clinton to implement five recommendations on Irish issues which would set in motion a constructive United States policy with regard to the North of Ireland.

In 1994, he introduced legislation which would amend the New York State Education Law to include instruction on the subject of the mass starvation in Ireland from 1845 to 1850. This legislation was adopted in 1996, the first of its kind in the country.

Crowley’s mother was born in Killeen, County Armagh. On his father’s side, his grandfather was from Stabbanon, County Louth, and his grandmother was from Mullaghorn, County Cavan.