WHEREAS, 36 million United States residents claim Irish ancestry, including 170,796 Idaho residents; 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 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 its season of celebration;

        NOW, THEREFORE, I, C.L. “BUTCH” OTTER, Governor of the State of Idaho, do hereby proclaim the month of March 2009 to be

IRISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

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 in Boise, Idaho, on this 10th day of March in the year of our Lord two-thousand and nine and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred thirty-third and of the Statehood of Idaho the one hundred nineteenth.

BEN YSURSA
SECRETARY OF STATE