STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR
_____
JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE 100TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC
RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND IRELAND
WHEREAS, on October 7, 1924, Ireland formally opened diplomatic relations with the
United States when Ambassador Timothy Smiddy presented his credentials to President Calvin
Coolidge; and
WHEREAS, after the Irish people's long and painful struggle for independence, the United
States was one of the first nations to recognize the fledgling Irish state, and when Ambassador
Smiddy emerged from the White House, he became Ireland's first ambassador to any country
in the world; and
WHEREAS, while 1924 marked the beginning of formal diplomatic relations, the deep
Irish-American connection dates back centuries, and today nearly one in 10 Americans identify
as being of Irish ancestry; and
WHEREAS, Irish immigrants helped build the America we know today, from the
skyscrapers of Manhattan and the transcontinental railroad to our modern political system; and
WHEREAS, Irish-Americans have made an enormous contribution to public debate and
politics in America, from their local communities to the White House, and more than 20
American presidents have claimed some Irish ancestry; and
WHEREAS, the influence of Irish people in America extends well beyond the Oval Office
and the United States Capitol to every state of the nation, and there are a significant number of
state Legislators within the American Irish State Legislators Caucus; and
WHEREAS, since Timothy Smiddy's momentous audience in the Oval Office 100 years
ago, 18 Irish ambassadors have presented credentials to American presidents, and over this
time, Ireland's relations with the United States have evolved significantly; and
WHEREAS, from an impoverished and internationally isolated state, scarred by years of
conflict, Ireland has transformed over the past century into the economically prosperous and
culturally vibrant peaceful nation of today, and this transformation is due in part to the support
of friends in the United States, from the crucial role America played in brokering peace in
Northern Ireland, culminating with the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, to the substantial
American economic investment in Ireland; and
WHEREAS, there are almost 1,000 American companies in Ireland employing over
200,000 people, and approximately 100,000 people are employed in every state in the United
States by over 650 Irish-owned companies, and Ireland is now the 9th largest source of foreign
direct investment in the United States; and
WHEREAS, the diplomatic relationship between the United States and Ireland is a shining
example of how ancestral ties, historical connections, cultural affinities and shared values can
create a foundation for enduring partnership and mutual prosperity, and Irish-American state
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Legislators across the United States are playing a vitally important role in fostering this
partnership and ensuring that it continues and flourishes for another century to come; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That We, the Members of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Legislature now
assembled in the Second Regular Session, on behalf of the people we represent, take this
opportunity to recognize the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations
between the United States and Ireland; and be it further
RESOLVED: That a suitable copy of this resolution, duly authenticated by the Secretary
of State, be transmitted to the American Irish State Legislators Caucus.
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