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JOINT RESOLUTION OF GREETING TO THE DAIL EIREANN, THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND, AND IN RECOGNITION OF THE IRISH CONTRIBUTION TO THE STATE OF MAINE AND TO THE UNITED STATES
WHEREAS, Ireland has a long history of democratic practices, going back to its first elected Parliament in the 1200s; and
WHEREAS,  the Dail Eireann is the democratically elected body representing the people of the Republic of Ireland; and
WHEREAS,  millions of Irish people emigrated from Ireland in the 1800s to escape brutal poverty and starvation due to the Irish potato famine, and most of those people came to America to start new lives and to embrace and contribute to a new land; and
WHEREAS,  tens of thousands of Irish immigrants arrived in New England and many came to Maine, and the Irish have been and remain an important part of Maine's culture, history and society; and
WHEREAS,  within a few years of their arrival in the United States and in Maine, these Irish immigrants became part of the American cultural landscape while preserving the best of their native culture, and they dedicated themselves to helping build this State and Nation; and
WHEREAS,  4 signers of the Declaration of Independence were Irish-born and 9 signers were of Irish ancestry and 19 Presidents of the United States have proudly claimed Irish heritage, including George Washington, the father of our country; John Fitzgerald Kennedy; Ronald Reagan; and Barack H. Obama; and
WHEREAS,  the 44,000,000 Americans of Irish ancestry, like their forebears, continue to enrich all aspects of life in the United States, in science, education, art, agriculture, business, industry, literature, music, athletics, entertainment, and military and government service; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Legislature now assembled in the First Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this opportunity to send greetings to the Parliament of the Republic of Ireland, recognizing the valuable contribution to our State and to our Nation of all Irish-American citizens; and be it further
RESOLVED: That We join the citizens of the State of Maine in celebrating the integrity and richness of the Irish culture and in expressing our appreciation to the Republic of Ireland for our close state and national ties; and be it further
RESOLVED: That suitable copies of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to the Dail Eireann, the Parliament of the Republic of Ireland, with our best wishes.