Honoring the 250th Anniversary of the Society of the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick.

WHEREAS The Society of the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick was founded in Philadelphia in 1771; and

WHEREAS, The Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick’s was formed to “aid and assist needy persons emigrating from Ireland to the United States, to improve the education and level of scholarship of those of Irish birth and lineage in the United States and in Ireland by scholarships and grants; to make contributions to other worthy charitable and religious organizations and causes; appropriately to record and memorialize the efforts of the Irish in the United States, in Ireland and elsewhere; to strengthen the bonds of friendship between the people of Ireland and the United States”; and

WHEREAS, Founders of Friendly Sons of St Patrick were influential Irish Americans, including John Dickinson, Robert Morris, Thomas Fitzsimons, Commodore Barry, General Wayne, General Irvine, General Butler, General Thompson, General Hand, General Cadwalader, General Moylan, General Knox, and General Stewart; and

WHEREAS, The Society was instrumental in offering support during times of great need, including during the Great Potato Famine in Ireland, the Johnstown flood, and San Francisco earthquake. The Society also supported the Russian Jewish relief fund, the victims of the Spanish-American War, and the birth of the independent Irish state in 1920; and

WHEREAS, Over its 250 year history, the Society has honored the lasting impact of Irish American historical figures on Philadelphia by leading efforts to install the Statue of Commodore John Barry, the father of the United States Navy; a monument of Thomas Fitzsimons in Logan Circle, to symbolize the contributions of Irish people to the United States; the creation of the National Monument at Penn's Landing; and the Irish Memorial, which is dedicated to the more than 1 million people who perished due to hunger and commemorates the contributions of Irish immigrants to Philadelphia and the United States; and

WHEREAS, Today, the Society promotes irish culture, education, and provides aid through events, activities and scholarships and is an integral part of the Irish community in Philadelphia. In the past five years, the Society has provided charitable giving, grants, and scholarship endowments in excess of $1,400,000; and

WHEREAS, In response to the extraordinary challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Society established a Covid-19 relief fund, available to local Irish and Irish-American families fighting to keep body and soul together; and

WHEREAS, Over it’s four century history, the Society continues its proud tradition as the second oldest incorporated continuously meeting Irish organization in the United States; now, therefore. be it

Resolved, that the City Council of Philadelphia, Recognize and honor the Society of the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick on the momentous occasion of their 250th Anniversary and acknowledges the enormous contributions of the Society to the City of Philadelphia and Philadelphia residents over the Society’s long history.

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