WHEREAS, St. Patrick, the apostle to Ireland, returned to the scene of his former enslavement and single-handedly assaulted that stronghold of Druidism and, assimilating the ancient, pagan, Irish myths into a Christian message, converted all Ireland to Christianity during his lifetime; and

WHEREAS, On this his feast, more than fifteen and one-quarter centuries after his death, Irish-Americans - transplanted or descendent from those transplanted from the "old sod" - pay tribute to Patrick and his love for Ireland; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Islanders of Irish lineage sing of their roots in Ballinamore and Ballinasloe, in Ennistymon and Enniscorthy, in Cahirciveen and Castlebar and Skibbereen and Skerries; they sing the sad songs of love and the joyous songs of battle in nostalgic reveries of the sorrows and the glories of the Emerald Isle, living for a day in the spirit of Saints Patrick, Bridget and Columcille and the mythical wonders of Cuchullain, Finn, Osian and Deirdre of the Sorrows; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby commemorates the celebration of the feast of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.