Senate Resolution No. 1753
BY: Senator KAVANAGH
HONORING Saint Patrick and all persons of Irish
descent upon the occasion of the celebration of
Saint Patrick's Day on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, and
memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim
March 2026, as Irish American Heritage Month in the
State of New York
WHEREAS, From America's earliest days, Irish immigrants and their
descendants have contributed exemplary public service and political
leadership, 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, 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 have,
from the beginning, been prominent in the defense of American ideals and
the American nation, with twenty of George Washington's generals and an
estimated quarter of the Continental 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 in military
service ever since, 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 Iraq War, 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
lost his life serving his country; and
WHEREAS, In the mid-19th Century, millions of Irish immigrants
arrived in New York, 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 this great State, through the construction of the Erie
Canal, railroads, buildings, and physical bridges - and 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, making 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 celebrated the feast of
Saint 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 welcoming all New
Yorkers irrespective of ethnicity or national origin; and
WHEREAS, Such celebration includes numerous parades and other events
throughout the month of March in localities all over the State of New
York - and most significantly the New York City Saint Patrick's Day
Parade, the oldest and largest Saint Patrick's Day parade in the world
with some 2 million people cheering on about 150,000 marchers, which
will take place for the 265th year on March 17, 2026; and
WHEREAS, Tradition has it that at age sixteen, Patrick, native of
Roman Britain, was captured by Irish marauders, sold to a Druid chief,
and taken to what is now known as County Antrim, in the Province of
Ulster, in Ireland; and
WHEREAS, Patrick wrote in his Confessions of learning the language
and customs of the Irish and experiencing a Christian religious
awakening, before he escaped his captors and embarked on a perilous
journey to return home, where he dedicated his life to religion, was
ordained a priest, and was later consecrated a Bishop; and
WHEREAS, Pope Celestine I sent Patrick back to Ireland where Patrick
converted Irish people to the Catholic faith and built many churches and
monasteries, which served as centers of intellectual activity and
repositories for the great works of literature in the Greco-Roman canon
and have been credited with helping to rekindle the lamp of learning in
Ireland and across Europe as the continent emerged from the Dark Ages;
and
WHEREAS, As we honor Saint Patrick, who stood against intolerance
and discrimination suffered by the Irish people, we are mindful of the
continuing need to stand for justice, inclusion, and mutual
understanding, and against intolerance, bigotry, and political, social,
and economic barriers that diminish the wellbeing of people in the
United States, in Ireland, and throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, The 1998 Belfast Agreement, known as the Good Friday
Agreement, has provided an historic opportunity for lasting peace and
reconciliation among the residents of the North of Ireland and for
enhancing the wellbeing of all Irish citizens, and Irish Americans
continue to play an important role in supporting the terms and
aspirations enshrined in the Agreement; and
WHEREAS, Irish Americans have made an enduring impression upon every
sphere of human endeavor in New York - in art, music, literature,
science, film, dance, theater, sports, labor, construction,
transportation, public safety, education, law, finance, politics, and
government - with all the strength, resilience, humor, and hospitality
of the Irish character, and it is most fitting to set aside the month of
March to highlight and honor the history and heritage of 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 pauses in its deliberations to
most joyously commemorate and honor the life and good works of Saint
Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland and of the Archdiocese of New York, and
to honor all persons of Irish descent on the occasion of the celebration
of Saint Patrick's Day on Tuesday, March 17, 2026; and be it further
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body memorializes Governor Kathy
Hochul to proclaim March 2026 as Irish American Heritage Month in the
State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York; The Most Reverend Ronald Hicks, Archbishop of New York; Robert J.
McCann, 265th Grand Marshal of the New York City Saint Patrick's Day
Parade; and Sean Lane, Chairman of the New York City Saint Patrick's Day
Parade Board of Directors.
