WHEREAS, 34.3 million United States Residents claim Irish Ancestry of which 144,512 are Idahoans; and

        WHEREAS, many of the pioneers and settlers of the western United States were of Irish descent; and

        WHEREAS, many of these Irish pioneers and settlers helped build and establish the great State of Idaho; and

        WHEREAS, each year during this month on March 17th, we celebrate the culture and heritage of Irish-Americans through music, dance, art, and literature; and

        WHEREAS, it is appropriate to recognize the Irish-American community of Idaho during their season of celebration;

        NOW, THEREFORE, I, DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Governor of the State of Idaho, do hereby proclaim the month of March 2006, to be

I R I S H – A M E R I C A N   H E R I T A G E   M O N T H

in Idaho, and I urge all of Idaho’s citizens to recognize and celebrate this occasion.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Idaho at the Capitol in Boise on this first day of March in the year of our Lord two-thousand and six and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred thirtieth and of the Statehood of Idaho the one hundred sixteenth.

BEN YSURSA
SECRETARY OF STATE