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 Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Allen Gooden Murphy Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Aycock Harless Parker Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Berman Hartnett Paxton Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Branch Hochberg Phillips Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Brown Hopson Pickett Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Burnam Howard of Travis Price Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Button Huberty Quintanilla Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Cain Hughes Raymond Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Callegari Hunter Reynolds Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Carter Isaac Riddle Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Castro Jackson Ritter Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Christian Keffer Schwertner Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Coleman King of Parker Scott Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Cook King of Taylor Sheets Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Deshotel Lavender Strama Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Dutton Lozano Thompson Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eiland Lucio III Torres Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Eissler Lyne Truitt Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Elkins Madden Turner Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Farrar Margo Villarreal Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Fletcher Marquez Vo Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Flynn Martinez Walle Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Gallego McClendon White Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Garza Menendez Woolley Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Geren Miles Workman Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas 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 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