LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending the Brooklyn Irish American Parade
Committee upon the occasion of its 40th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade
to be held March 15, 2015

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, 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: Celebrating our Past, Present and
Future; the 2015 Parade is dedicated to all of our past Parade Honorees,
both living and deceased; 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
13th Anniversary of the attack: 43 FDNY Fire Fighters; 23 NYPD Police
Officers; 2 EMS Officers; 3 NYC Court Officers; 37 Port Authority
Police, and 37 Port Authority Personnel; and
WHEREAS, This year's Grand Marshal is John Dunleavy, Chairman of the
New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade; 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 40th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade to be held on Sunday, March
15, 2015, and to pay just tribute to this year's Grand Marshal, John
Dunleavy, Chairman of the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade, and
the Aides to the Grand Marshal: Bridget Maguire (United Irish Counties

of New York), Patrick Coughlin (Irish Culture/Clann Eireann Pipe Band),
Patrick Doherty (Grand Council/United Emerald Societies), Noreen Stef-
fens-Alvarez (Education-AP PS 207), Peter DeAngelis (Aide At Large-Kings
County Veterans), Peggy Casey (Gaelic Sports/NY Young Irelands Camogie
Club), Thomas Layden (Uniformed Services), Noreen Adair (Ladies Ancient
Order of Hibernians Kings County Board), Steven Kiernan (Ancient Order
of Hibernians 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 John Dunleavy, and his Aides and the Brooklyn
Irish American Parade Committee.