Irish-American Heritage Month, 2005

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Title 3--
The President

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 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.

(Presidential Sig.)B