Assembly Resolution No. 229
BY: M. of A. Fitzpatrick
MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim
March 2025, as Irish American Heritage Month in the
State of New York
WHEREAS, From America's earliest days, Irish immigrants and their
descendants have contributed leadership, public service, wisdom, and
vitality to America, with nine signers of the Declaration of
Independence and twenty-three Presidents of the United States having
Irish roots and countless Irish Americans having made an indelible mark
on the great State of New York through service as public officials and
civil servants, legislators, mayors, and Governors, including Governor
Kathy Hochul, the 57th Governor of the State New York; and
WHEREAS, Throughout their long history, the Irish have been ardent
in their passion for liberty and their hatred of oppression, and
renowned for their loyalty, and thus, the Irish have, from the
beginning, been prominent in the defense of American ideals and the
American nation, with 20 of George Washington's generals and an
estimated quarter of his Army being composed of Irish Americans, among
them Timothy Murphy, a hero of the pivotal battle of Saratoga, New York;
and
WHEREAS, Irish Americans have distinguished themselves ever since,
whenever their country has called on them, as typified in the storied
"Fighting 69th," headquartered at the 69th Regiment Armory in Manhattan,
who fought with courage and distinction on the battlefields of the
American Civil War, World War I, World War II, the war in Iraq, and the
conflict in Afghanistan, in which the first Congressional Medal of Honor
was awarded to Navy Seal Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy of Smithtown, New
York, who made the supreme sacrifice for his country; and
WHEREAS, In the mid-19th Century, millions of Irish immigrants
arrived in New York City, seeking refuge from famine and injustice in
their homeland, and as a longstanding gateway for immigrants, New York
has served as a beacon of hope and opportunity, symbolized by the Statue
of Liberty and the "golden door" of Ellis Island, where the very first
immigrant to arrive in pursuit of a new life in America was 15-year-old
Annie Moore of Cork, Ireland; and
WHEREAS, Irish immigrants and their descendants have played a vital
role in shaping of great State - not only through the construction of
the Erie Canal, railroads, buildings, and physical bridges, but also by
forging bridges of knowledge and understanding among all people through
the establishment of numerous schools, colleges, and universities, that
have enriched every facet of the life of our State, leaving a lasting
impact on generations of New Yorkers; and
WHEREAS, Irish American women have a long and proud tradition of
being visionaries and trailblazers, whether it be Annie Sullivan, the
teacher of Helen Keller, crusading journalist Nelly Bly, or New York's
own Colonel Eileen Collins, the first woman to command a Space Shuttle;
and
WHEREAS, Since 1762, Irish New Yorkers have been faithfully
celebrating the feast of St. Patrick every March 17th, when they renew
their connections to the land of their ancestry, pass on their
traditions to the next generation, and share their pride through joyous
festivities enjoyed by all New Yorkers irrespective of ethnicity; and
WHEREAS, Irish Americans have made an enduring impression upon every
human endeavor in art, music, literature, science, film, dance, theatre,
sports, education, law, finance, and politics and shall continue to
embellish New York's shining future, with all the strength, resilience,
humor, and hospitality of the Irish character; it is most fitting to set
aside this month to highlight and honor the history and heritage of the
Irish Americans and to remember and pay tribute to the contributions
they have made to our State and our nation; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 2025, as Irish
American Heritage Month in the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York.
