Washington - US President Barack Obama nominated Daniel Rooney, the owner of American football champion Pittsburgh Steelers, as the next ambassador to Ireland on Tuesday, Saint Patrick's Day.

Rooney, 76, has played an important role in the Irish-American community.

Rooney, through charitable groups, supported the Irish peace process and co-founded the American Ireland Fund in 1976, which has raised more than 300 million dollars for peace and education programmes in Ireland.

Rooney, a lifelong Republican, endorsed Obama during the campaign, a move that got big coverage in the hard-fought state of Pennsylvania, which tipped for Obama in the November elections.

His Steelers have won six Super Bowl titles, more than any other team in the National Football League.

Earlier this year, Obama took the unusual move of endorsing the Steelers as his favourite in the Super Bowl contest over the Arizona Cardinals, the team from the home state of Senator John McCain, his opponent in the presidential elections.

Obama got other support from the Steelers' camp, including head coach Mike Tomlin and retired Franco Harris, the celebrated Steelers' running back who helped the team win four Super Bowls in the 1970s.