Amended in Assembly March 12, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent ResolutionNo. 28


Introduced by Assembly Member Mullin

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Daly, Gallagher,begin delete and O'Donnell)end deletebegin insert O’Donnell, Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Atkins, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Calderon, Campos, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein,end insertbegin insert Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Nazarian, Obernolte, Olsen, Patterson, Perea, Quirk, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth,end insertbegin insert Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, and Wood)end insert

(Coauthor: Senator McGuire)

February 23, 2015


Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 28—Relative to Irish American Heritage Month.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 28, as amended, Mullin. Irish American Heritage Month.

This measure would designate March 2015 as Irish American Heritage Month in honor of the multitude of contributions that Irish Americans have made to the country and state.

Fiscal committee: no.

P2    1WHEREAS, Millions of Irish people, faced with severe hardship
2due to famine and poverty in their nation, immigrated to the United
3States over the last several centuries in search of a more promising
4future for themselves and their families; and

5WHEREAS, The journey to America from the Emerald Isle was
6 not paved with gold. The Irish spirit of determination, perseverance,
7and grit prevailed against dangerous seas and deadly conditions
8with their hearts set on the horizon; and

9WHEREAS, Irish Americans initially suffered prejudice and
10discrimination upon first arriving in the United States. As the years
11went on, Irish Americans became deeply integrated in their
12communities and made numerous contributions in all aspects of
13American society and culture; and

14WHEREAS, Irish Americans played vital roles in the
15development of the United States. Nine Irish Americans were
16signers of the Declaration of Independence, and 22 Presidents of
17the United States have been of Irish heritage, including John F.
18Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama; and

19WHEREAS, Many people of Irish descent have contributed to
20great movements that have helped to shape our country and its
21role in the world, including Mother Jones, labor activist; Lucy
22Burns, activist in the Women’s Movement; and Senator George
23Mitchell, negotiator of the Irish Peace Accord; and

24WHEREAS, Irish Americans have also played a major role in
25California politics as governors, legislative leaders, city mayors,
26and other public officials, who have worked tirelessly to build
27California to the state that it is today; and

28WHEREAS, Irish Americans were significantly involved in the
29development of infrastructure throughout the United States,
30especially in California. This included work on railroads and
31bridges that connected the West to the East. The Irish were also
32instrumental in the building of dams, roads, canals, and buildings
33that expanded greatly in the late 1800s; and

34WHEREAS, Many Irish Americans have made their mark as
35peace officers and firefighters, and have risked or lost their lives
36on countless occasions in carrying out their duties; and

37WHEREAS, Many outstanding soldiers, never to be forgotten,
38who fought for American freedom in the Revolutionary War were
39of Irish descent. Irish Americans have proudly served with
P3    1distinction in every war that this nation has fought and continue
2to do so today; and

3WHEREAS, Many Irish Americans have contributed greatly to
4the United States economy in business, including: Alexander
5Stewart, the inventor of the American department store; Cathleen
6Black, president of Hearst Publishing; Jack Welch, former president
7and chief executive officer of General Electric; Herb Kelleher,
8cofounder of Southwest Airlines; Paul Adams of Facebook; John
9Donahoe, chief executive officer of eBay, Inc.; Conrad Burke,
10founder of Innovalight; and Maggie Sullivan Wilderotter, chief
11executive officer of Frontier Communications; and

12WHEREAS, Irish Americans have contributed to the field of
13science, including: astronaut, Michael Collins; first female
14commander of a space shuttle, Eileen Collins; physicist and Nobel
15Laureate, Charles Townes; and bioengineer and MacArthur
16“Genius grant” recipient, James Collins; and

17WHEREAS, Irish Americans have contributed to the American
18literary tradition through great authors, including Flannery
19O’Connor, Eugene O’Neill, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Mary McCarthy,
20Tom Clancy, and Frank McCourt; and

21WHEREAS, Irish Americans have contributed to American
22entertainment with such stars as actors Jack Nicholson, John
23Wayne, and George Clooney; actor and comedian Bill Murray;
24actress Grace Kelly; actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell; actor
25and singer Bing Crosby; actress and singer Rosemary Clooney;
26actress and singer Judy Garland; comedian Conan O’Brien; and
27actor and director Edward Burns, all being of Irish heritage; and

28WHEREAS, Today, over 34 million Americans claim Irish
29heritage, and they continue to contribute to the American and
30California politics, economy, and culture; now, therefore, be it

31Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
32thereof concurring,
That the Legislature, in honor of the multitude
33of contributions that Irish Americans have made to make this a
34better country and state for all people, designates March 2015 to
35be Irish American Heritage Month in California, and calls upon
36the people of the state to observe the month of March with
37appropriate ceremonies, programs, and activities, especially on
38March 17, since everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day; and be it
39further

P4    1Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
2of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.



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