LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending The Brooklyn Irish American Parade
Committee upon the occasion of its 38th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade
on March 17, 2013

WHEREAS, "Faith, History, Tribute & Remembrance" are the core of the
Annual Brooklyn St. Patrick's Day Parade held on the 3rd Sunday in
March; and
WHEREAS, We celebrate the Faith of St. Patrick, the patron saint of
Ireland, despite religious persecution, famine, colonial occupation and
political oppression; our ancestors kept the Faith alive by their indom-
itable spirit against the British occupier who banned the celebration of
Mass in their Churches, arrested and harassed the priests; during the
Penal Days, the faithful 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; we
join in faith, with our 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 our
Nation's Bicentennial; its ongoing theme has been The Battle of Brook-
lyn, the first battle of the American Revolutionary War, in which
Washington's Irish generals, John Sullivan and Edward Hand, played
significant roles and the heroics of the "Maryland 400" Brigade at The
Old Stone House, holding off the British long enough for Washington's
Army to cross the East River to Manhattan, saving his army and our fled-
gling Republic; and
WHEREAS, The intertwined histories of Ireland and America are rich and
unique histories which span 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 our
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, The Parade Theme this year is "The Gathering-Ireland 2013"
and "The Year of Faith"; and
WHEREAS, The 2013 Parade is dedicated to the memories of the Irish
Korean War veterans and the 341 Brooklyn men who gave their lives in the
Korean War; we are remembering John McDonagh, Parade Committee Member,
Flag Bearer, Gaelic Sports Hurler and Traditional Irish Musician; and
WHEREAS, Also, the 29 Irishmen who gave their lives in the Korean War
and after 50 years, became United States citizens on October 30, 2003,
by a special Act of Congress; and
WHEREAS, These Irish men were from the Counties of Ireland: Antrim:
William J. Mills; Cork: Maurice Angland, John Corcoran, Daniel C.
Harrington, and William F. Murphy; Down: William Sherman Douglas;
Galway: Philip C. Lynch; Kerry: John Canty, Bartholomew Galvin, Michael
Herlihy, Patrick Sheahan, and John P. White; Leitrim: Patrick J. Lavin
and Owen Prior; Limerick: William Collins, Patrick McEnery, Alphonsus
O'Connell and William Scully; Longford: Daniel J. Keogh; Louth: Patrick
A. White; Mayo: Mark J. Brennan, Michael Fitzpatrick and Michael Gannon;
Monaghan: Thomas J. Ward; Roscommon: Michael P. Hardiman, Michael T.

King, Michael A. McCormack and Thomas S. Quinn; Tipperary: Thomas J.
O'Brien; 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: 343 FDNY
Fire Fighters; 23 NYPD Police Officers; 2 EMPS Officers; 3 NYC court
Officers; 37 PA Police; 37 PA Personnel, we pause to remember the 12th
Anniversary of the attack; and
WHEREAS, Congratulations go out to Parade participants who are cele-
brating their own Anniversary this year: 175th Anniversary Green-Wood
Cemetery - Richard Moylan, President; and
WHEREAS, This year's Grand Marshal is Robert O'Hare, Pipe Major, Clann
Eireann Pipers and his aides are: Michael Carolan (Grand Council, Emer-
ald Societies - DSNY), Rose Marie Coulson (LAOH-Division 22, Kings Coun-
ty), John Houlihan (Aide-At-Large), Mary Lennon (Gaelic Sports - Camo-
gie), Michael McMahon (Business), Noreen O'Donnell-Mills (Education),
Frank Thompson (AOH - Division 12, Kings County), Bridie Tully (Irish
Culture); now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend the Brooklyn Irish American Parade Committee on its 38th Annual
St. Patrick's Day Parade to be held on Sunday March 17, 2013, Parade
Chairperson James McDonagh and Parade Co-Chairperson Michelle Brennan,
and all the citizens of Brooklyn, participating in this important memo-
rable, religious, cultural and civic event; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of the Resolution, suitably engrossed be trans-
mitted to Robert O'Hare and his aides: Michael Carolan, Rose Marie Coul-
son, John Houlihan, Mary Lennon, Michael McMahon, Noreen
O'Donnell-Mills, Frank Thompson, Bridie Tully, John Leahy (Irish Korean
War Veterans Remembrance Organizer), Richard Moylan (President of Green-
Wood Cemetery), Ray O'Hanlon (Irish Echo Editor) and the Brooklyn Irish
American Parade Committee.