LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending the Brooklyn Irish American Parade
Committee upon the occasion of its 41st Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade
to be held March 20, 2016

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 ongoing 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 are a rich
and unique history which spans the contributions of Erin's sons and
daughters 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 100th Anniversary of The Irish
Rebellion-the Easter Rising of 1916; the 2016 Parade is dedicated to the
memories of 1997 Grand Marshal, Father Colm Campbell; 2007 Grand
Marshal, Father Dennis Farrell; 2010 Grand Marshal, Vincent O'Connor,
and Parade Founding Member, Peter Heaney; and
WHEREAS, This year's Grand Marshal is Mary Hogan, National President
of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians; 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 41st Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade to be held on Sunday, March
20, 2016, and to pay just tribute to this year's Grand Marshal, Mary
Hogan, National President of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, and
the Aides to the Grand Marshal: Agnes Neuglinger, United Irish Counties
of New York; Frank Jordan, Grand Council/United Emerald Societies; Brian
Dilberian, Uniformed Services-FDNY and Retired Military Sergeant Wounded
Warrior; Thomas Callahan, Education-Saint Joseph the Worker, Catholic

Academy; Michael Coyne, Aide-at-Large/Holy Name Parish; Lisa Murphy,
Irish Culture/O'Malley Dance Academy; J. J. Devaney, Gaelic
Sports/Brooklyn Shamrocks Football Club; and Margaret McEneaney, Ladies
A. O. H. Kings County Board; as well as Daniel Chiarantano, A. O. H.
Kings County Board; 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 Mary Hogan, and her Aides and the Brooklyn
Irish American Parade Committee.