    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [March 17, 2000]
    [Pages 485-486]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message on the Observance of Saint Patrick's Day, 2000
    March 17, 2000

        Warm greetings to everyone observing Saint Patrick's Day.
        It is most fitting that the feast day of the Patron Saint of Ireland
    should be held on the threshold of spring, the season of promise, for
    the Irish have always been a people of promise. With warm hearts and a
    deep spirituality, they embraced the promise of salvation that Saint
    Patrick brought to their beautiful island 16 centuries ago and preserved
    their faith through the tumult and chaos of the Dark Ages.
        In the 19th century, suffering from famine and oppression in their
    own land, millions of Irish men and women recognized the promise of
    freedom and opportunity in America. Often enduring great hardship, they
    journeyed west to begin a new life in a new land. With strength and
    humor, courage and determination, they made America's promise a reality
    for themselves and their children and enriched our history and heritage
    with their achievements. In business, labor, education, the arts, public
    life, and so

    [[Page 486]]

    much more, Irish Americans have made lasting contributions to the life
    of our nation.
        Today Irish Americans and the people of their ancestral homeland
    share a strong commitment to the promise of peace. In the spring of
    1998, the people of Ireland and Northern Ireland sought to fulfill that
    promise when they voted overwhelmingly in support of the Good Friday
    Accord. America remains committed to the Irish people as they continue
    working to forge a brighter future, for, while the road ahead is long,
    the promise of peace is still within reach and its rewards are great.
        As Irish Americans gather once again to honor Saint Patrick and to
    reaffirm their pride in their Irish heritage, Hillary and I extend
    warmest wishes to all for a wonderful celebration.

                                                                Bill Clinton