HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 99-4655, by Representatives Murray, Delvin, McMorris, Schindler, Constantine, Cody, Buck, O'Brien, Wolfe, Dickerson, Mastin, Gombosky, Miloscia, Kenney, Kagi, Schual‑Berke, Ogden, Romero, Dunn, Dunshee, Lovick, Morris, Veloria, Wood, Sullivan, Edmonds, Fisher, Mulliken, Van Luven, Clements, G. Chandler, D. Schmidt, Parlette, Benson, Mitchell, K. Schmidt, Campbell, Pflug and Skinner

      WHEREAS, The celebration of our Irish heritage and spiritual roots occurs annually on Saint Patrick's Day when we enjoy songs, pipe music, limericks and tales, watch for leprechauns, search for four-leaf clovers, march in parades, and pinch people who fail to wear green; and

      WHEREAS, The first Saint Patrick's Day parade was held by General George Washington and his troops during the Revolutionary War; and

      WHEREAS, A sixteen year old British youth named Patricius was kidnapped by roving Irish brigands at the beginning of the fifth century A.D., torn from the Roman civitas, and transported to the bleak ards of Antrim where he was enslaved as a sheepherder by a local chieftain known as Miliucc; and

      WHEREAS, During six years of dreary captivity, starvation, and depravation, the youth Patricius tended flocks and began to follow the Christian religion of his parents with constant prayer; and

      WHEREAS, Upon hearing a voice telling him that his hungers as a slave would be rewarded and he would return home, Patricius began a journey that would lead him from Ireland, back to his parent's home in Britain, to study for the priesthood in Gaul, and finally to return to his true home in Ireland as an ordained priest and bishop where his spiritual life had begun; and

      WHEREAS, Patricius brought Christianity to Ireland with a message of love, spoke out fervently against slavery and violence, and became the beloved Saint Patrick;

      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor Saint Patrick, his rich message of love, the Irish people, and all the smiling Irish eyes.

      I hereby certify this to be a true and correct copy of

      Resolution 4655 adopted by the House of Representatives

                          March 17, 1999.

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Timothy A. Martin, Co-Chief Clerk    Dean R. Foster Co-Chief Clerk