Both houses of the Rhode Island General Assembly will honor Irish and Italian cultures Thursday, March 16, with their traditional celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day and St. Joseph’s Day. In the House, the celebration will begin at the conclusion of business at the 4 p.m. session.  Rep. Joseph M. McNamara (D-Dist. 19, Warwick, Cranston) will regale the chamber with an original poem celebrating Irish culture.

Speaker of the House Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly) and Rep. Samuel A. Azzinaro (D-Dist. 37, Westerly) will introduce resolutions celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and St. Joseph’s Day respectively. The Senate will convene its session at 3 p.m. session.