LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring the Sullivan-O'Connor family upon the
occasion of their selection as Irish Family of the Year by the St.
Patrick's Day Parade Committee on March 20, 2016

WHEREAS, St. Patrick's Day is a time for people of all nationalities and
generations to assemble and celebrate the rich culture and heritage of
the Irish people throughout the United States; and
WHEREAS, A St. Patrick's Day parade reflects and records the ongoing
history of the United States and Ireland, and provides opportunity for
people of all generations to assemble in ethnic pride and pageantry; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor the
Sullivan-O'Connor family upon the occasion of their selection as Irish
Family of the Year by the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee to be cele-
brated at its Annual Parade on Sunday, March 20, 2016; and
WHEREAS, In 1961, Jack and Joan Sullivan-O'Connor moved to 28 - 94th
St., Bay Ridge, New York, and began a family history that will continue
for many generations to come; the home was a place for brothers,
sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends and friends of friends to gath-
er and spend time together; and
WHEREAS, The halls of the home are filled with countless stories which
have been told and retold to three generations that have been born since
their grandparents decided to call Bay Ridge home; some of the visitors
stayed and some returned back to the beautiful Emerald Isle; having both
large families here and across the pond the members of the
Sullivan-O'Connor family have grown to be proud Irish Americans grateful
to be able to go back "home"; and
WHEREAS, Through the years, family traditions such as shearing sheep
and herding cattle or keeping grandmother's Irish soda bread recipe in
the family have endured, passed down through the generations to the
youngest members of the clan; and
WHEREAS, The Sullivan-O'Connor-Harrington Clan have celebrated numer-
ous baptisms, communions, confirmations, and marriages at St. Patrick's
Parish; in addition, the church has been a place of sanctuary when the
family has to say good-bye to a beloved member; and
WHEREAS, The elders of the Sullivan-O'Connor family taught their chil-
dren and many other generations that their faith will be the one thing
that will never leave them; members of this dynamic family served as
Eucharistic Ministers, altar attendants, volunteers, World Youth Day
participants, and coaches, as well as teachers; and
WHEREAS, St. Patrick's Parish has always been and continues to be an
important part of the Sullivan-O'Connor family dynamic; the church has
given them the gift of many friendships which have grown the clan larger
and stronger; and
WHEREAS, The close-knit congregation has taught children to read and
write, dance the ceili, to be winners and sportsmanlike losers, to
strive for excellence, and instilled the value of a Catholic education;
the members of the family continued onto Catholic high schools and
colleges such as Notre Dame Academy, Xavier, Bishop Kearney, Manhattan
College and Sacred Heart University; and
WHEREAS, While attending these schools, they continued to take pride
in their history, upbringing and religion; everyone participated in
their schools' campus ministries and Gaelic Societies, and studied
abroad in Ireland for short semesters; and
WHEREAS, Ireland will always hold special places in the families'
hearts and is always one of the hardest places to say good-bye to, but

that's what continues to make it so important to teach future gener-
ations the pride of family and how they began in Bay Ridge; and
WHEREAS, They have grown up in a community where there are an abundant
amount of cultures and nationalities present but there is still a sense
of Irish Camaraderie; most importantly, they will not forget the most
important lesson St. Patrick's has taught and that is to march with
pride down the beautiful 3rd Avenue every March; and
WHEREAS, As a large proud Irish American family, the
Sullivan-O'Connors are honored to represent Bay Ridge in the St.
Patrick's Day Parade with four generations still alive and kicking; it
is an amazing opportunity to share our Irish pride with the entire Bay
Ridge community, a blessed pride that has been ingrained in family
members from birth; and
WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by individuals
for the benefit of others which the members of the Sullivan-O'Connor
family have displayed throughout their lives; and
WHEREAS, A fitting choice for Irish Family of the Year, the
Sullivan-O'Connor family embodies the spirit and the cherished ideals
and values of Irish-Americans of this great State and Nation; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor the Sullivan-O'Connor family upon the occasion of their selection
as Irish Family of the Year by the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee on
March 20, 2016; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Sullivan-O'Connor family.