Long before the Irish were welcomed or celebrated in American life, they were already fighting for the country’s liberty. In the spring of 1775, in the small frontier settlement of Machias on the Maine coast, the son of Irish Catholic immigrants from County Cork led a band of lumbermen and fishermen against a British warship. His name was Jeremiah O’Brien, and the bold action he commanded would produce the first naval victory of the American Revolution. Jeremiah O’Brien was born in 1744 in Kittery, in the district of Massachusetts that would later form the state of Maine, the eldest of six … [Read more...] about Before the U.S. Navy, There was O’Brien
Patrick Carr: The Forgotten Irish Victim of the Boston Massacre
On the night of March 5, 1770, British soldiers fired into a crowd on Boston’s King Street. The shooting left five men dead and helped ignite the chain of events that would lead to the American Revolution. Patriot leaders seized upon the event, pamphlets spread the story across the colonies, and Paul Revere’s famous engraving turned the episode into a symbol of British tyranny. Most Americans know the name Crispus Attucks. Far fewer remember Patrick Carr. Carr was a thirty-one-year-old Irish Catholic immigrant and a skilled leather-breeches maker who had come to Boston seeking what … [Read more...] about Patrick Carr: The Forgotten Irish Victim of the Boston Massacre
John Boyle O’Reilly: The Fenian Who Became Boston’s Voice
When John Boyle O’Reilly arrived in Boston in 1869, he was not a celebrated poet or civic leader. He was a Fenian exile who had escaped from a British penal colony in Western Australia after being transported there for revolutionary activity. Within twenty years he would become one of the most respected voices in the city: editor of The Boston Pilot, a widely read poet, and a civic leader whose influence extended far beyond the Irish immigrant community. O’Reilly rebuilt his life in America without abandoning the convictions that had sent him into exile. He remained committed to Irish … [Read more...] about John Boyle O’Reilly: The Fenian Who Became Boston’s Voice
“I Shot at Every Damn Plane I Could See”: John Finn’s One Man Fight at Pearl Harbor
On the morning of December 7th, 1941, John William Finn was asleep at his home at Kaneohe Bay Naval Air Station on Oahu when a neighbor's pounding on his door and the sound of gunfire jolted him awake. The Imperial Japanese Navy had launched a devastating sneak attack without warning or declaration of war, and Finn and 32-year-old Chief Petty Officer and chief aviation ordnance man was about to be among the first to fight back. Born in Compton, California in 1909, Finn had dropped out of school and enlisted in the Navy at the age of 17. Now at 32, he had risen to the rank of Chief Petty … [Read more...] about “I Shot at Every Damn Plane I Could See”: John Finn’s One Man Fight at Pearl Harbor
Kate Mullany: An Irish Immigrant Who Helped Working Women Organize
Kate Mullany was a nineteen-year-old Irish immigrant when she became the head of her household. Her father had died in 1864, leaving behind a sickly mother and three sisters, and a brother who depended on her to survive. Like many daughters of Irish immigrants in Troy, New York, she went to work in the one place that offered steady pay to women: the collar laundries. Troy, New York, at the time, was known as Collar City. The detachable linen collar had become an essential fixture of respectable dress. Troy produced most of the nation's collars, but before they reached the market, they had … [Read more...] about Kate Mullany: An Irish Immigrant Who Helped Working Women Organize
AOH Statement Condemning Racist Depiction of Former President and First Lady Obama
[New Jersey 02/07/2026] – The following statement was released by the Ancient Order of Hibernians condemning the racist depiction of President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama circulated via President Trump’s social media account. "The Ancient Order of Hibernians condemns in the strongest possible terms the racist depiction of President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama as apes that was shared from President Trump's social media account. This is not a political statement, but a moral one founded in our Irish history and Catholic faith. We recognize this tactic because it … [Read more...] about AOH Statement Condemning Racist Depiction of Former President and First Lady Obama
The Great Hunger Was Not a Game, Survival Not a “Prize”
The Great Hunger board game by Compass Games has drawn sharp criticism from the Ancient Order of Hibernians, which argues that gamifying Ireland’s Great Hunger (An Gorta Mór) trivializes one of history's gravest human catastrophes. Framing mass starvation, forced emigration, and generational trauma as a competitive exercise distorts historical reality and undermines any serious educational claim about the Great Hunger and its causes.: The Ancient Order of Hibernians is both saddened and outraged by the announcement of The Great Hunger board game by Compass Games. We are saddened because … [Read more...] about The Great Hunger Was Not a Game, Survival Not a “Prize”
Congratulations and Best Wishes to Newly Inaugurated Irish President Catherine Connolly.
Sean Pender, National President of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH), America’s oldest and largest Irish Catholic organization, issued a statement today offering congratulations and best wishes to newly inaugurated Irish President Catherine Connolly" Dear President Connolly, On behalf of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America, I extend our warmest congratulations on your inauguration as the 10th President of Ireland. Your resounding victory, winning 63.4% of first-preference votes, the highest share ever in a contested Irish presidential election, speaks to the deep confidence … [Read more...] about Congratulations and Best Wishes to Newly Inaugurated Irish President Catherine Connolly.
Standing for Life and True Choice
The National President of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, has issued a statement regarding a proposed facility in Hudson County capable of performing abortions through all stages of pregnancy. It's morally indefensible that abortions of viable children could occur while nearby, infants of identical gestational age embrace life in NICUs. Our laws and conscience cannot remain divided on whether the value of a child's life, or any life, depends solely on whether he or she is wanted or is convenient to others. Any society that adopts such a standard places itself on a slippery slope, … [Read more...] about Standing for Life and True Choice
AOH Condemns Minneapolis Church Attack, Demands Action on Anti-Catholic Violence
[New York, NY 08/28/2025] – The Ancient Order of Hibernians condemns in the strongest possible terms the horrific act of hate that took the lives of two innocent children and left many others wounded during Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis. No American should ever face violence while practicing their faith. Our first thoughts and prayers are with the families who have suffered the unthinkable loss of their children, and with the parish community of Annunciation, whose sanctuary was violated and desecrated in the very act of worship. This must never … [Read more...] about AOH Condemns Minneapolis Church Attack, Demands Action on Anti-Catholic Violence
Political Education Report – May 2025
Thanks to coordinated outreach by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, 37 members of Congress signed onto the recent bipartisan letter urging President Trump to appoint a U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland. That’s a significant achievement, and one we should all take pride in. It reflects growing recognition in Washington of the critical role the U.S. must continue to play in securing peace, economic development, and justice in the North. Credit where it’s due: this didn’t happen on its own. It happened because Hibernians … [Read more...] about Political Education Report – May 2025
Irish American Heritage Month Report – May 2025
I am writing this article just as March and Irish American Heritage Month have closed. Given production deadlines, I have not been able to do a deep dive analysis of the results, but I think I can safely say we have kept our oath to promote and preserve the contributions of Irish Americans. One of our Irish American Heritage Month videos was seen by more than 300,000 people across the nation. Over a quarter of a million people became aware of the contributions that Irish men and women and their descendants have made to America, and equally important, they saw that the AOH is committed to … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month Report – May 2025
John L Sullivan: a Celtic Warrior and American Superstar
John Lawrence Sullivan, born to Irish immigrants on October 15, 1858, in Roxbury, Massachusetts, grew into an embodiment of the American Dream for many Irish Americans. His parents, survivors of the Great Hunger in Ireland, instilled in him a profound sense of identity and resilience. Though he was an excellent student and his parents aspired for him to attend Boston College and become a priest, destiny had a different plan for Sullivan. Lured by the raw appeal of professional sports, Sullivan found his true calling in boxing, a sport then shadowed by legal ambiguities and often relegated to … [Read more...] about John L Sullivan: a Celtic Warrior and American Superstar
AOH Statement on U.S.–Ireland Trade and Tariff Concerns
The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) has long stood as a voice for Irish American families, workers, and small businesses. In light of recent discussions surrounding tariffs on Irish imports and public comments about Ireland’s tax policies, we feel compelled to speak out. We acknowledge that there is a trade imbalance between the United States and Ireland, and that many U.S. companies have relocated operations to Ireland in pursuit of more competitive tax treatment. However, during his March 12, 2025, meeting with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, President Trump stated: “They … [Read more...] about AOH Statement on U.S.–Ireland Trade and Tariff Concerns
From Donegal to Duffy’s Cut: The Forgotten Massacre of Irish Immigrants
On April 24, 1832, 57 Irish immigrants from the counties of Derry, Donegal and Tyrone boarded the barque John Stamp at the port of Derry to begin their voyage to Philadelphia. They had all taken different roads to arrive at this literal and emotional departure. John Ruddy was just 18 when he hugged his parents goodbye, knowing it was unlikely that he would see them again in this life. Catherine Burns was 29 and had already experienced a lifetime of sadness; she was a widow and traveling with her Father-in-Law, hoping for a better life in America. What united them all was their … [Read more...] about From Donegal to Duffy’s Cut: The Forgotten Massacre of Irish Immigrants
Breaking Rules, Breaking News: The Fearless Journalism of Nellie Bly
There was a time when mouse clicks and tweets did not drive reporters; they actually went out, sometimes at great personal peril, to find the news. One such reporter and a pioneer of investigative journalism was Irish American Nellie Bly. 21-year-old Nellie Bly as she appeared while reporting from Mexico Nellie Bly was born Elizabeth Cochrane on May 5, 1864 in Cochran's Mills, now part of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her father, Michael Cochran (Elizabeth would add the 'e' to the last name later), was the son of an immigrant from Derry who has started as a laborer and had … [Read more...] about Breaking Rules, Breaking News: The Fearless Journalism of Nellie Bly
“Never Lose Your Good Name”: The Life of ‘Bonanza King’ John Mackay
John Mackay, the “Bonanza King” William Shakespeare observed, “The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones.” It speaks to the ironic tendency for society to notarize, even glorify, the darkest aspects of humanity while ignoring the noble. Nowhere is this clearer than in the case of Irish American John Mackay, the “Bonanza King.” John Mackay (pronounced Mackee) was born on November 28, 1831, on the outskirts of Dublin in the appalling poverty of pre-famine Ireland. In 1840, when Mackay was nine years old, the family emigrated to New … [Read more...] about “Never Lose Your Good Name”: The Life of ‘Bonanza King’ John Mackay
Daniel Daly: The Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor—and Deserved a Third
Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph Daly, USMC, recipient of the Medal of Honor twice for engagements in two separate conflicts In the history of the Medal of Honor, the United States Highest award for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty", only 19 men have been awarded the medal twice. Among them is Marine Sergeant Major Daniel Daly, one of only two Marines to receive the Medal of Honor Twice for separate acts of heroism and nominated for a third. Daly was born in Glen Cove, Long Island, New York, on 11 November 1873. He was slight of … [Read more...] about Daniel Daly: The Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor—and Deserved a Third
From Priest to Martyr, From Klan Robes to Justice Robes
The 1920s marks one of the darkest and least discussed chapters in American history. During this period, the Ku Klux Klan experienced a resurgence, propelled by various factors, including D. W. Griffith's controversial portrayal of the Klan in "Birth of a Nation" (originally titled "The Klansman"), a complex mix of patriotism and isolationism following World War I, and the adoption of modern marketing techniques. As a result, the Klan transcended its Southern roots, evolving into a nationwide movement with a staggering membership of six million. To sustain its rapid growth and appeal to a … [Read more...] about From Priest to Martyr, From Klan Robes to Justice Robes
The Innovative Vision of John Phillip Holland, Father of the Modern Submarine
John Phillip Holland was born on February 24, 1841 in a small coastal town of Liscannor, County Clare. His mother was a native Irish speaker and young John himself would not learn English until he attended school. Holland’s father was a coastal patrolman for the British Coastguard Service and instilled in the young Holland a love of the sea. Holland aspired to go to sea and walked 5.5 miles each way to attend the Christian Brothers secondary school in Ennistymon, which offered a navigation course. However Holland’s dreams of maritime life were soon dashed by frail health which would plague him … [Read more...] about The Innovative Vision of John Phillip Holland, Father of the Modern Submarine