PRINTER'S NO. 2733
No. 337 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY McGEEHAN, CORRIGAN, PERZEL, DeWEESE, HENNESSEY,
ADOLPH, ARGALL, ARMSTRONG, M. BAKER, BARD, BARRAR, BEBKO-
JONES, BELARDI, BROWNE, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CAWLEY, CLARK,
CLYMER, L. I. COHEN, M. COHEN, COY, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, CURRY,
DALEY, DeLUCA, DERMODY, DiGIROLAMO, DONATUCCI, D. EVANS,
J. EVANS, FAIRCHILD, FICHTER, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GABIG, GEIST,
GEORGE, GRUCELA, HALUSKA, HARHAI, HARHART, HERMAN, HERSHEY,
HESS, HORSEY, JAMES, JOSEPHS, KAISER, KELLER, KENNEY,
KIRKLAND, LAUGHLIN, LEDERER, LEWIS, LYNCH, STABACK,
MANDERINO, MANN, MARKOSEK, McCALL, MELIO, MUNDY, O'BRIEN,
PIPPY, PISTELLA, READSHAW, ROBERTS, ROEBUCK, ROONEY, ROSS,
RUBLEY, SANTONI, SATHER, SCHRODER, SCHULER, SHANER, B. SMITH,
SOLOBAY, STEELMAN, STERN, TANGRETTI, E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS,
TIGUE, TRICH, TURZAI, WALKO, WASHINGTON, WATSON, C. WILLIAMS,
WOGAN, WOJNAROSKI, M. WRIGHT, YOUNGBLOOD AND RYAN,
OCTOBER 23, 2001
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
OCTOBER 23, 2001
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing October 2001 as "The Great Hunger Remembrance Month"
2 in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, The Irish population exploded in the first half of
4 the 19th century, reaching about 8.5 million by 1845; and
5 WHEREAS, More than half the population of Ireland was
6 dependent on the potato as a source of food because this crop
7 produced more food per acre than wheat and could also be sold as
8 a source of income; and
9 WHEREAS, The type of potato most favored among the Irish was
10 the Arran Banner; and
1 WHEREAS, The Arran Banner was highly susceptive to the fungus
2 Phytophthora infestans, commonly known as blight, which had
3 spread from North America to Europe; and
4 WHEREAS, The blight destroyed the potato crop starting in the
5 autumn of 1845 and continuing through 1850; and
6 WHEREAS, The British Government's decision to continue to
7 export food from Ireland which could have been fed to starving
8 people several times over contributed to the Great Hunger; and
9 WHEREAS, The Great Hunger that plagued Ireland from 1845 to
10 1850 caused Ireland to lose 2 million people due to starvation,
11 disease and forced emigration; and
12 WHEREAS, Of those Irish who were forced to emigrate, nearly a
13 third died aboard crowded and rickety vessels known as "coffin
14 ships"; and
15 WHEREAS, The Irish who survived the journey to the United
16 States helped foster the growth of our cities, Commonwealth and
17 nation, digging canals, mining coal, building the railroads,
18 founding steel companies and making significant contributions in
19 the fields of business, education, government, industry,
20 medicine, religion, science and philanthropy; and
21 WHEREAS, Today the spirit of the Irish who were affected by
22 the Great Hunger lives on in the 44 million Americans of Irish
23 descent; therefore be it
24 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize October
25 2001 as "The Great Hunger Remembrance Month" in Pennsylvania;
26 and be it further
27 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be forwarded to the
28 Taoiseach, John Bruton T.D., Upper Merrion Street, Dublin,
29 Ireland and Robert Gessler, Pennsylvania Ancient Order of
30 Hibernians, 1341 N. Delaware Avenue, Suite 404A, Philadelphia,
20010H0337R2733 - 2 -
1 Pennsylvania 19125.
I28L82MRD/20010H0337R2733 - 3 -