By Paige Orr, FOX23.com News Staff
OKLAHOMA CITY — As Oklahomans donned green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday, state lawmakers at the Capitol marked the holiday by formalizing an international partnership rooted in a nearly 180-year-old act of tribal generosity.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 17, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support on March 11, officially recognizes the cultural heritage of the holiday while cementing the Oklahoma-Ireland Trade Commission. The move seeks to transform a historic friendship into a modern economic gateway for the state’s aerospace, agriculture, and technology industries.
The foundation of the resolution dates back to 1847. The Choctaw Nation, having only recently arrived in Oklahoma following the forced removal known as the “Trail of Tears and Death,” gathered what little resources they had to send $170, roughly $5,000 in today’s currency, to help the Irish people during the Great Potato Famine.
“We had just been going through our own struggle,” said Cheyhoma Dugger, director of development and membership at the Choctaw Cultural Center. “And so then it really hit home to them that this was something really special. And so it’s just been something that they’ve never forgotten. And we’ve been connected to the Irish people and the Irish nation ever since.”
That connection is physically immortalized in two monuments: the “Kindred Spirits” sculpture in Midleton, Ireland, and the “Eternal Heart” sculpture on the Choctaw Capitol grounds in Tuskahoma. Lawmakers say these sites serve as permanent symbols of a compassion that transcends geographic boundaries and party labels.
The visiting Chair of the Economic Development Committee in the Irish Senate, Aubrey McCarthy, addressed the Oklahoma Legislature to emphasize the importance of the mission on this St. Patrick’s Day.
“Coming here was a priority from the Irish government, and it’s just to show how valuable we see the state of Oklahoma,” McCarthy said.
While the resolution honors the past, its primary function is to look toward the future. Oklahoma currently maintains more than 3,000 jobs directly connected to Irish investment, accounting for an estimated $100 million in economic impact.
State Rep. Brian Hill, R-Mustang, said the formal trade commission provides Oklahoma businesses with a strategic seat at the table in the European Union market.
“Oklahoma has over 3,000 jobs that are connected directly to Ireland with over $100 million in economic impact,” Hill said. “We really felt like this was a great way to honor our history together, but also to acknowledge our bright futures as we work together to expand our economies.”
Beyond commerce, the resolution was praised as a rare moment of political unity. State Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman, noted that the collaboration mirrors the peace agreements seen in Ireland’s own history, where walking across party lines was vital for stability.
“That’s part of that peace agreement out of Ireland, as they understood how important walking across party lines and party labels is important for maintaining peace,” Boren said. “So I hope Oklahomans really see that St. Patrick’s Day is a day that Oklahoma politicians are working together for the future of Oklahoma.”
The nine-member Oklahoma-Ireland Trade Commission is expected to begin its strategic work later this year, ensuring the “cycle of generosity” started by the Choctaw people continues through modern economic growth.
You can read the full resolution here.
