PRINTER'S NO. 2275
No. 282 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY STACK, BODACK, FUMO, HUGHES, LOGAN, COSTA, EARLL,
WAGNER, TOMLINSON, KUKOVICH, TARTAGLIONE, MURPHY, SCHWARTZ,
LEMMOND, BRIGHTBILL, KITCHEN, O'PAKE, C. WILLIAMS AND
RHOADES, OCTOBER 1, 2002
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, OCTOBER 1, 2002
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing October 2002 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
11 WHEREAS, The Arran Banner was highly susceptive to the fungus
12 Phytophthora infestans, commonly known as blight, which had
13 spread from North America to Europe; and
14 WHEREAS, The blight destroyed the potato crop starting in the
15 autumn of 1845 and continuing through 1850; and
16 WHEREAS, The British Government's decision to continue to
17 export food from Ireland which could have been fed to starving
1 people several times over contributed to the Great Hunger; and
2 WHEREAS, The Great Hunger that plagued Ireland from 1845 to
3 1850 caused Ireland to lose 2 million people due to starvation,
4 disease and forced emigration; and
5 WHEREAS, Of those Irish who were forced to emigrate, nearly a
6 third died aboard crowded and rickety vessels known as "coffin
7 ships"; and
8 WHEREAS, The Irish who survived the journey to the United
9 States helped foster the growth of our cities, Commonwealth and
10 nation, digging canals, mining coal, building the railroads,
11 founding steel companies and making significant contributions in
12 the fields of business, education, government, industry,
13 medicine, religion, science and philanthropy; and
14 WHEREAS, Today the spirit of the Irish who were affected by
15 the Great Hunger lives on in the 44 million Americans of Irish
16 descent; therefore be it
17 RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize October 2002 as "The
18 Great Hunger Remembrance Month" in Pennsylvania; and be it
19 further
20 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be forwarded to the
21 Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern T.D., Upper Merrion Street, Dublin,
22 Ireland and Robert Gessler, Pennsylvania Ancient Order of
23 Hibernians, 1341 N. Delaware Avenue, Suite 404A, Philadelphia,
24 Pennsylvania 19125.
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