Danny Davis: “March is a significant month for Irish Americans. March 17 honors Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Saint…”

“March is a significant month for Irish Americans. March 17 honors Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick is commemorated for introducing Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century. March also commemorates Irish American Heritage Month, which was first proclaimed by the United States Congress in 1995. Irish immigrants contributed a great deal to the creation of this great Nation, both during the struggle for independence and in the founding of the Republic. Nine of the people who signed our Declaration of Independence and 19 Presidents of the United States claim Irish heritage, including our first President, George Washington. The largest wave of Irish immigrants came in the late 1840s when the great potato famine ravaged Ireland, caused 2 million people to emigrate, mostly to America. These immigrants transformed our cities and rural communities into centers of commerce and cultural diversity. Though they faced terrible discrimination and prejudice, they persevered and took jobs as laborers and built railroads to build a better life for themselves and their families. Irish Americans have contributed significantly to the enrichment of all aspects of life in this Nation, including military and public service, science, education, dance, literature and much more.”