LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending the Brooklyn Irish American Parade
Committee upon the occasion of its 35th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade
to be held March 21, 2010

WHEREAS, "FAITH, HISTORY, TRIBUTE & REMEMBRANCE" is the core of the
Annual Brooklyn St. Patrick's Day Parade held on the 3rd Sunday in
March; and
WHEREAS, The Brooklyn Irish American Parade Committee celebrates the
Faith of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland; despite religious
persecution, famine, colonial occupation and political oppression, their
ancestors kept the Faith alive by their indomitable spirit against the
British occupier, who banned the celebration of mass in their churches,
arrested and harassed the priests and during the Penal Days, the faith-
ful had to gather at "Mass Rocks" in the glens; and
WHEREAS, The Faith of St. Patrick was transmitted and transplanted by
the millions of Irish immigrants who came to America and the first Bish-
op of Brooklyn was Bishop John Loughlin from County Down, Ireland; they
join the Faith, with their present Bishop of Brooklyn, The Most Reverend
Nicholas DiMarzio in preserving that Faith and Catholic education with
its Irish roots in the Diocese of Brooklyn; and
WHEREAS, The Parade was founded in 1975 in preparation for their
Nation's Bicentennial and its on-going theme has been The Battle of
Brooklyn, the 1st battle of the American Revolutionary War and the hero-
ic role the "Maryland 400" Brigade played at The Old Stone House, hold-
ing off the British long enough for Washington's Army to cross the East
River to Manhattan, saving his army and their fledgling Republic; and
WHEREAS, The intertwined histories of Ireland and America, a rich and
unique history which spans the contributions of Erin's sons and daugh-
ters to the independence, formation and development of the United
States; Irish Americans served with great distinction, honor and heroism
in all of the wars, from Washington's Irish generals in the American
Revolutionary War, to Thomas Francis Meagher's Irish Brigade in the
Civil War, to the famed fighting Irish 69th Regiment; and
WHEREAS, The Parade pays tribute to Erin's sons and daughters, both
past and present, for their vast contributions to the church, to their
military and uniformed services, to public and civic life, to labor and
the law, to education and healthcare, and to their Borough, City, State
and Nation; and
WHEREAS, This year's theme is: The Irish Contribution to College, High
School and Community Sports and "Cluichi na nGael"/Games of the Gael-
Camogie, saluting the Parade's Grand Marshal Vincent O'Connor for his
dedication to young athletes and having a positive impact on young lives
and "Cluichi na nGael"/Games of the Gael in conjunction with the 50th
Anniversary of N.Y. Young Ireland's Camogie Team, founded in 1960, in
New York providing Irish immigrant girls and women at this side of the
Atlantic with a social athletic club and a "home away from home" atmos-
phere; and
WHEREAS, The 2010 Parade is dedicated to the memories of Gaelic sports
legends: Michael O'Hehir, renowned Gaelic Sports Broadcaster and Helen
and John Kerry O'Donnell, Gaelic Park, Bronx, New York; and
WHEREAS, The Parade will forever be "IN REMEMBRANCE OF" the heroes and
victims of 9/11-WTC, those whose spirit shines in the darkness on the
9th Anniversary of the attack: 43 FDNY Fire Fighters; 23 NYDP Police
Officers; 2 EMPS Officers; 3 NYC Court Officers; 37 PA Police, and 37 PA
Personnel; and
WHEREAS, The Committee would like to congratulate those parade partic-
ipants who are celebrating anniversaries this year: Holy Name School,

Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, their 125th Anniversary; The Friendly Sons of
St. Patrick, their 150th Anniversary and the Boy Scouts of America,
their 100th Anniversary; and
WHEREAS, This year's Grand Marshal is Vincent O'Connor, Head Football
Coach of St. Francis Preparatory High School; Coach O'Connor has been
Varsity Head Football Coach for over 50 years; he was appointed Football
Coach in 1955 and got off to an early success with St. Francis Prep.
Terriers winning the Catholic High School Championship his first year as
Varsity Coach; and
WHEREAS, Under his coaching, St. Francis Prep. Terriers has recorded
over 285 victories; Coach O'Connor was honored as National Coach of the
year in 1992 and has been named New York's Catholic High School Coach of
the Year on more than 20 different occasions; and
WHEREAS, In 2000, Coach O'Connor was the recipient of the Frank
McGuire Foundation Award, which recognizes high school coaches whose
dedication and skill have a positive impact on young lives; and
WHEREAS, Vincent O'Connor, son of Irish Immigrants from Kerry and
Donegal, is proud of his Irish ancestry and he wears the label of
"Devoted Husband, Father, and Grandfather" as well as the title of
"Coach"; and
WHEREAS, The St. Patrick's Day Parade celebrates the spirit, purity
and strength of Irish culture and its fine traditions; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend the Brooklyn Irish American Parade Committee upon the occasion
of its 35th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade to be held on Sunday, March
21, 2010, and to pay just tribute to this year's Grand Marshal, Vincent
O'Connor, Head Football Coach of St. Francis Prepatory High School, and
the Aides to the Grand Marshal: Eileen Cush-Byrnes (Education/St. Savi-
ours High School); P.O. John McNamara, NYPD (Uniformed Services/78th
Pct); Edward Duffy (Aide-At-Large/Brooklyn & Mayo); Michael Prunty
(United Irish Counties/Longford); Larry Vinson (Irish Culture/Brooklyn
Clann Eireann Pipe Band); Brendan Lally (Gaelic Sports/Brooklyn Sham-
rocks Football Club); Mary Hogan (Ladies Ancient Order of
Hibernians/Kings County); Raymond Layden (Ancient Order of
Hibernians/Kings County Board); and Parade Chairperson, Kathleen McDo-
nagh; Parade Co-Chairpersons; Michelle Brennan and James McDonough, and
all the citizens of Brooklyn, participating in this important memorable,
cultural and civic event; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Grand Marshal Vincent O'Connor, and his Aides and the Brook-
lyn Irish American Parade Committee.