[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 119, 109th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 7873--MAR. 4, 2005
Proclamation 7873 of March 4, 2005
Irish-American Heritage Month, 2005
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
The story of the Irish in America is an important part of the history of
our country. This month, we pay tribute to Americans of Irish descent
who have shaped our Nation and influenced American life.
Long before the great wave of Irish immigration in the 1840s, people of
Irish ancestry were defining and defending our Nation. Charles Thomson,
an Irishman by birth, served as Secretary of the Continental

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Congress and helped design the Great Seal of the United States. Irish-
born Commodore John Barry fought for our country's independence and
later helped found the United States Navy.
Irish Americans have been leaders in our public life, and they have
retained a proud reverence for their heritage. In June 1963, President
John F. Kennedy spoke to the Parliament in Dublin and told the story of
the Irish Brigade, a regiment that fought valiantly for the Union and
suffered terrible losses during the Civil War. Two decades after
President Kennedy's visit, President Ronald Reagan returned to his
great-grandfather's hometown in County Tipperary, Ireland, and greeted
the crowd in their own Irish language.
The industry, talent, and imagination of Irish Americans have enriched
our commerce and our culture. Their strong record of public service has
fortified our democracy. Their strong ties to family, faith, and
community have strengthened our Nation's character. The Irish are a
significant reason why Americans will always be proud to call ourselves
a Nation of immigrants.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2005 as Irish-
American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this month
by celebrating the contributions of Irish Americans to our Nation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of
March, in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
ninth.
GEORGE W. BUSH