85R15022 KSM-D
By: Murphy H.R. No. 802
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 a welcome 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 chair 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, 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 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 85th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the state's vital Irish heritage
and extend Happy St. Patrick's Day wishes to all Irish Americans.