H.R. No. 786

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Each year, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March
	17, and this occasion provides an opportunity to honor the origins
	of the event and to highlight the many contributions that
	individuals of Irish descent have made to the Lone Star State; and
	WHEREAS, Born into a wealthy Romano-British family in the 4th
	century, St. Patrick was kidnapped at the age of 16 by Irish raiders
	and taken captive to the Emerald Isle; according to his writings,
	divine intervention allowed him to escape, and he entered the
	priesthood soon after; he later returned to Ireland and spent
	nearly 30 years teaching the island's residents about his faith,
	thereby becoming the principal champion of Irish Christianity in
	legend and folklore; St. Patrick's Day, which commemorates the day
	of his death in 461, has become a celebration of Irish heritage
	around the world, and in recent decades the government of Ireland
	has made the observance a centerpiece of its efforts to showcase the
	country and its culture; and
	WHEREAS, One of the earliest Irish residents of Texas was
	Hugh O'Connor, who served as governor of the Spanish territory from
	1767 to 1770; natives of Ireland also played a central role in the
	settlement of Texas in the early 1800s, including empresarios James
	McGloin, John McMullen, and James Power, who brought dozens of
	Irish families to South Texas and the Gulf Coast; and
	WHEREAS, All three of these men participated in the Texas
	Revolution, as did Irishmen such as John Joseph Linn, Francis
	Moore, Jr., and Thomas William Ward; a dozen individuals from the
	Emerald Isle died defending the Alamo, and 100 Irish-born troops
	helped win the independence of Texas in the decisive Battle of San
	Jacinto; and
	WHEREAS, The number of immigrants from Ireland grew
	dramatically in the mid-1800s, and several prominent Irish natives
	made their mark during that period; Samuel McKinney was an early
	president of Austin College, Father Michael Sheehan established the
	first Catholic church in Austin and became one of the first
	full-time Catholic chaplains in the U.S. Army, and Peter Gallagher
	served as a Texas Ranger and helped organize Pecos County; later in
	the 19th century, Irishman John William Mallet served as the first
	faculty chairman at The University of Texas at Austin, and artist
	Henry Arthur McArdle produced many famous paintings inspired by
	Texas history, some of which now hang in the State Capitol; and
	WHEREAS, With the passing decades, additional people from
	Ireland found a new home in Texas, and they and the descendents of
	previous immigrants have had an enduring influence on the state's
	lifestyle and development; today, Irish culture is celebrated in
	formal programs such as the Center for Irish Studies at the
	University of St. Thomas in Houston, as well as in statewide St.
	Patrick's Day celebrations, and it is appropriate to join with
	thousands of other residents in recognizing the significant role
	that Irish Americans have played in the story of the Lone Star
	State; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
	Legislature hereby pay tribute to the state's vital Irish heritage
	and extend Happy St. Patrick's Day wishes to all Irish Americans.
	Murphy
	Patrick
	Turner
	Vo
	Lucio III
	Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
	Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
	Allen Gooden Murphy
	Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
	Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
	Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
	Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
	Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
	Aycock Harless Parker
	Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
	Berman Hartnett Paxton
	Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
	Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
	Branch Hochberg Phillips
	Brown Hopson Pickett
	Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
	Burnam Howard of Travis Price
	Button Huberty Quintanilla
	Cain Hughes Raymond
	Callegari Hunter Reynolds
	Carter Isaac Riddle
	Castro Jackson Ritter
	Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
	Christian Keffer Schwertner
	Coleman King of Parker Scott
	Cook King of Taylor Sheets
	Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
	Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
	Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
	Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
	Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
	J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
	S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
	Deshotel Lavender Strama
	Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
	Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
	Dutton Lozano Thompson
	Eiland Lucio III Torres
	Eissler Lyne Truitt
	Elkins Madden Turner
	Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
	Farrar Margo Villarreal
	Fletcher Marquez Vo
	Flynn Martinez Walle
	Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
	Gallego McClendon White
	Garza Menendez Woolley
	Geren Miles Workman
	Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
	Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 786 was adopted by the House on March
	17, 2011, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House