RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Honorable Garret Fitzgerald has been called to eternal life by the wisdom of God at the age of eighty-five; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of his passing by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Garret Fitzgerald was a former Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland and the loving husband of the late Joan, nee O'Farrell: and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Garret Fitzgerald was the much-adored father of Mary, John, and Mark, to whom he imparted many of the fine and noble qualities which he possessed in abundance; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Garret Fitzgerald served as Irish Prime Minister for much of the 1980s, setting the stage for peace in Northern Ireland and working to improve relations between Ireland and Britain; and
WHEREAS, Negotiations between the Honorable Garret Fitzgerald and then-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher led to the British-Irish agreement of 1985, which gave officials from the Irish Republic a formal say in Northern Ireland's affairs for the first time since the 1922 creation of the Irish Free State; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Garret Fitzgerald studied history, French, and Spanish at Dublin's University College before qualifying as a barrister in 1947; and
WHEREAS, Before entering politics, the Honorable Garret Fitzgerald established himself as an economist and acted as a journalist, covering Ireland for several foreign newspapers; and
WHEREAS, Described as brilliant, energetic and friendly, the Honorable Garret Fitzgerald played a vital role in Ireland's relationship with the whole of Europe; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable Garret Fitzgerald will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by his many relatives, friends, and colleagues; and
WHEREAS, To his beloved family, the Honorable Garret Fitzgerald imparts a legacy of faithfulness, service and dignity; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council, assembled this eighth day of June, 2011, d...
Click here for full text