House Bill 9063

    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HR 9063

        By Representative Cosgrove






  1                         House Resolution

  2         A resolution designating the month of March in

  3         perpetuity as Celtic-American Heritage Month in

  4         Florida.

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  6         WHEREAS, the descendants of immigrants from Ireland,

  7  Scotland, and Wales and others of Celtic ancestry, including

  8  Galicia in Spain, have contributed significantly to the

  9  economic, cultural, and spiritual development of the State of

10  Florida, and

11         WHEREAS, second and third generation Irish-Americans,

12  Scottish-Americans, Welsh-Americans, and Gallego-Americans

13  continue to move permanently to Florida in significant

14  numbers, thus contributing to Florida's growth, and

15         WHEREAS, the early history of Florida is replete with

16  examples of the civic exploits of those of Celtic ancestry,

17  including the first mayor of Miami, John B. Reilly, and the

18  distinguished United States Congressman Claude Pepper, and

19         WHEREAS, the continuing history of Florida demonstrates

20  the patriotic and civic contributions of countless Florida

21  citizens of Celtic-American heritage who serve even to this

22  very day in the Florida Cabinet, the Florida Legislature, and

23  the Florida Supreme Court and in elected offices in almost

24  every Florida municipality, and

25         WHEREAS, the example of the multiple groups of Celtic

26  descendants who live in harmony one with the other in this

27  blessed nation of the United States of America is held up as a

28  model to their cousins overseas, and

29         WHEREAS, the Emerald Society of Florida, a benevolent

30  group of men and women of Irish lineage, and the

31  Scottish-American Society of Florida, a similar association of

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2000                HR 9063

    141-497A-00






  1  descendants of emigres from Scotland and Ireland, joined in

  2  concert to propose this historic resolution, and

  3         WHEREAS, the State of Florida wishes to take note of

  4  and memorialize the significant positive impact upon the State

  5  of Florida of people of Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Gallego, and

  6  other Celtic origin, NOW, THEREFORE,

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  8  Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of

  9  Florida:

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11         That the month of March be designated henceforth in

12  perpetuity as Celtic-American Heritage Month in Florida and,

13  as such, be duly observed throughout the state.

14         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the Emerald

15  Society of Florida and the Scottish-American Society of

16  Florida be commended, as representative of all Floridians of

17  Celtic-American heritage, for their ongoing, distinguished

18  accomplishments and their contributions to the civic,

19  cultural, and economic vitality of their respective Florida

20  municipalities.

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