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. Murphy Fallon Miller Straus Goldman Oliverson Straus Goldman Oliverson Straus Goldman Oliverson Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alvarado Gooden Parker Alvarado Gooden Parker Alvarado Gooden Parker Anchia Guerra Paul Anchia Guerra Paul Anchia Guerra Paul Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Arévalo Hefner Phillips Arévalo Hefner Phillips Arévalo Hefner Phillips Ashby Hernandez Pickett Ashby Hernandez Pickett Ashby Hernandez Pickett Bailes Herrero Price Bailes Herrero Price Bailes Herrero Price Bell Hinojosa Raney Bell Hinojosa Raney Bell Hinojosa Raney Bernal Holland Raymond Bernal Holland Raymond Bernal Holland Raymond Biedermann Howard Reynolds Biedermann Howard Reynolds Biedermann Howard Reynolds Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Bohac Hunter Roberts Bohac Hunter Roberts Bohac Hunter Roberts Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burrows Kacal Sanford Burrows Kacal Sanford Burrows Kacal Sanford Button Keough Schaefer Button Keough Schaefer Button Keough Schaefer Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Canales King of Parker Schubert Canales King of Parker Schubert Canales King of Parker Schubert Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Clardy Klick Sheffield Clardy Klick Sheffield Clardy Klick Sheffield Coleman Koop Shine Coleman Koop Shine Coleman Koop Shine Collier Krause Simmons Collier Krause Simmons Collier Krause Simmons Cook Kuempel Smithee Cook Kuempel Smithee Cook Kuempel Smithee Cortez Lambert Springer Cortez Lambert Springer Cortez Lambert Springer Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Craddick Lang Stickland Craddick Lang Stickland Craddick Lang Stickland Cyrier Larson Stucky Cyrier Larson Stucky Cyrier Larson Stucky Dale Laubenberg Swanson Dale Laubenberg Swanson Dale Laubenberg Swanson Darby Leach Thierry Darby Leach Thierry Darby Leach Thierry Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Deshotel Martinez Turner Deshotel Martinez Turner Deshotel Martinez Turner Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Elkins Miller Villalba Elkins Miller Villalba Elkins Miller Villalba Faircloth Minjarez Vo Faircloth Minjarez Vo Faircloth Minjarez Vo Fallon Moody Walle Fallon Moody Walle Fallon Moody Walle Farrar Morrison White Farrar Morrison White Farrar Morrison White Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Frank Murphy Workman Frank Murphy Workman Frank Murphy Workman Frullo Murr Wray Frullo Murr Wray Frullo Murr Wray Geren Neave Wu Geren Neave Wu Geren Neave Wu Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Giddings Oliveira Zerwas Giddings Oliveira Zerwas Giddings Oliveira Zerwas ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 802 was adopted by the House on March 16, 2017, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Straus Goldman Oliverson Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Alonzo González of El Paso Paddie Alvarado Gooden Parker Anchia Guerra Paul Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Arévalo Hefner Phillips Ashby Hernandez Pickett Bailes Herrero Price Bell Hinojosa Raney Bernal Holland Raymond Biedermann Howard Reynolds Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Bohac Hunter Roberts Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burrows Kacal Sanford Button Keough Schaefer Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Canales King of Parker Schubert Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Clardy Klick Sheffield Coleman Koop Shine Collier Krause Simmons Cook Kuempel Smithee Cortez Lambert Springer Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Craddick Lang Stickland Cyrier Larson Stucky Dale Laubenberg Swanson Darby Leach Thierry Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Deshotel Martinez Turner Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Elkins Miller Villalba Faircloth Minjarez Vo Fallon Moody Walle Farrar Morrison White Flynn Muñoz, Jr. Wilson Frank Murphy Workman Frullo Murr Wray Geren Neave Wu Gervin-Hawkins Nevárez Zedler Giddings Oliveira Zerwas