HOUSE MEMORIAL 26

A MEMORIAL

COMMENDING THE COMMON ANCESTRY OF THE SPANISH AND IRISH AMERICANS AND REQUESTING THEIR JOINT SUPPORT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY, IGNORANCE AND LACK OF CERTAIN PRIVILEGES; SHARING A BIT OF THE GREEN.

WHEREAS,

'Twould be nice to be in Ireland now that winter's on the wane,

And tread among the shamrocks growing near each country lane,

And smell the pungent fragrance of a fire made of peat.

Of all the olden memories, there is none that is so sweet.

'Cross the mighty western ocean and through forlorn mists of time,

Comes a message to us somehow from a far and distant clime,

That on each anniversary of Saint Patrick's holy birth,

We should think once more of Erin and folks long gone from earth

So we'll take a taste of Irish, and we'll sing an Irish song,

And we'll joke and tease each other, and we'll know we each belong

To that noble line of people who comprise the Irish stock,

For Spain and France and other lands sent people to that rock.

Now then let us remember long, and when all is said and done,

Like Irish folk, we'll hide our hurts with laughter and with fun,

And now 'tis time to clasp your hand and speak of friendship's way,

For knowing each of you has blessed me this Saint Patrick's day; and

WHEREAS, at a time in history, the country of England was an

enemy common to the peoples of Ireland and Spain and was one of the causes of the wrecking of the Spanish armada on the coasts of Ireland; and

WHEREAS, between the Irish, being a hospitable people, and the Spanish, being a prolific race, there arose a common bond resulting in a subsequent similarity of family trees and names, such as: DeValera, DeValle, Valerio, and Varela, Costello and Castillo, O'Quinn and Olguin, and the use of Gallagher for Gallegos and Murmudo for Murphy; and

WHEREAS, both of these stalwart peoples came from lines of kings

and poets; and

WHEREAS, certain refinements of both peoples are similar, in that they have endured poverty, hardship and famine and have survived war, pestilence and hard liquor;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the citizens of Irish and Spanish descent of our great state be petitioned to have compassion on the poor and downtrodden among their fellow citizens, on those who live in poverty and are without education and on those who are so unfortunate as to be without the great cultural benefits of Irish or Spanish heritage dating back to the earliest Dons and O'Donnels; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in this particular year's celebration we include special prayers that our brothers and sisters, both Orange and Green, refrain from violence and negotiate a lasting peace with their cousins across the Irish sea.