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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Each year, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March |
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17, and this occasion provides a welcome opportunity to honor the |
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origins of the event and to highlight the many contributions that |
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individuals of Irish descent have made to the Lone Star State; and |
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WHEREAS, Born into a wealthy Romano-British family in the 4th |
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century, St. Patrick was kidnapped at the age of 16 by Irish raiders |
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and taken captive to the Emerald Isle; according to his writings, |
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divine intervention allowed him to escape, and he entered the |
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priesthood soon after; he later returned to Ireland and spent |
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nearly 30 years teaching the island's residents about his faith, |
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thereby becoming the principal champion of Irish Christianity in |
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legend and folklore; St. Patrick's Day, which commemorates the day |
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of his death in 461, has become a celebration of Irish heritage |
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around the world, and in recent decades the government of Ireland |
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has made the observance a centerpiece of its efforts to showcase the |
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country and its culture; and |
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WHEREAS, One of the earliest Irish residents of Texas was |
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Hugh O'Connor, who served as governor of the Spanish territory from |
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1767 to 1770; natives of Ireland also played a central role in the |
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settlement of Texas in the early 1800s, including empresarios James |
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McGloin, John McMullen, and James Power, who brought dozens of |
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Irish families to South Texas and the Gulf Coast; and |
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WHEREAS, All three of these men participated in the Texas |
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Revolution, as did Irishmen such as John Joseph Linn, Francis Moore |
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Jr., and Thomas William Ward; a dozen individuals from the Emerald |
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Isle died defending the Alamo, and 100 Irish-born troops helped win |
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the independence of Texas in the decisive Battle of San Jacinto; and |
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WHEREAS, The number of immigrants from Ireland grew |
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dramatically in the mid-1800s, and several prominent Irish natives |
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made their mark during that period; Samuel McKinney was an early |
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president of Austin College, Father Michael Sheehan established the |
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first Catholic church in Austin and became one of the first |
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full-time Catholic chaplains in the U.S. Army, and Peter Gallagher |
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served as a Texas Ranger and helped organize Pecos County; later in |
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the 19th century, Irishman John William Mallet served as the first |
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faculty chair at The University of Texas at Austin, and artist Henry |
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Arthur McArdle produced many famous paintings inspired by Texas |
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history, some of which now hang in the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, With the passing decades, additional people from |
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Ireland found a new home in Texas, and they and the descendents of |
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previous immigrants have had an enduring influence on the state's |
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lifestyle and development; today, Irish culture is celebrated in |
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formal programs such as the Center for Irish Studies at the |
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University of St. Thomas in Houston, as well as in statewide |
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St. Patrick's Day celebrations, and it is appropriate to join in |
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recognizing the significant role that Irish Americans have played |
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in the story of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the state's vital Irish heritage |
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and extend Happy St. Patrick's Day wishes to all Irish Americans. |
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Murphy |
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Anderson of Dallas |
Hernandez |
Phillips |
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Anderson of McLennan |
Herrero |
Pickett |
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Bonnen of Brazoria |
Johnson |
Rodriguez of Bexar |
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Bonnen of Galveston |
Kacal |
Rodriguez of Travis |
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Burkett |
Keffer |
Romero, Jr. |
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Burrows |
King of Hemphill |
Sanford |
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Button |
King of Parker |
Schaefer |
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Canales |
King of Taylor |
Schofield |
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Capriglione |
King of Uvalde |
Schubert |
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Craddick |
Landgraf |
Simpson |
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Cyrier |
Laubenberg |
Smithee |
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Davis of Dallas |
Lozano |
Stephenson |
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Davis of Harris |
Lucio III |
Stickland |
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Deshotel |
Márquez |
Thompson of Brazoria |
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Dukes |
Martinez |
Thompson of Harris |
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Dutton |
Martinez Fischer |
Tinderholt |
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Elkins |
McClendon |
Turner of Collin |
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Faircloth |
Metcalf |
Turner of Harris |
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Fallon |
Meyer |
Turner of Tarrant |
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Farney |
Miller of Comal |
Villalba |
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Farrar |
Miller of Fort Bend |
Vo |
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Flynn |
Morrison |
White of Bell |
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Frank |
Muñoz, Jr. |
White of Tyler |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 820 was adopted by the House on March |
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12, 2015, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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