Around the Divisions

from National Director Ed Halligan ... Because of Covid19, local commissioners decided to not distribute American Flags to mark Veterans graves for Memorial Day. The VFW Post 1074 in Conshohocken, PA put out a plea to the public asking for donations to purchase American Flags. The response was tremendous and over 4,000 flags were purchased. AOH members Past President Mark Ryan, Tom Boyle, Ed Mongan, Hugh Quinn, Bill Scanlan, Jack Rodenbaugh and Pete Hand from Notre Dame Division #1 Montgomery County, PA assisted the VFW members with placing the Flags on 3,000 Veterans graves and preparing … [Read more...] about Notre Dame Division # 1 Members Place Flags on Veteran Graves

from National Director John Wilson ... Members of the Father Donnelly Division in Kansas were able to support the work of Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas. Some of the members of the Division presented the check to Lauren Solidum, President and CEO of the NE Kansas Catholic Charities. The ministry of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas dispenses love and hope to our neighbors in need throughout our 21 county service area. They are located at 9720 W 87th Street in Overland Park, Kansas. They offer a wide range of specialized programs … [Read more...] about Good Work from Kansas

A New Tradition Begins in our Challenging and Changing World! For over a half century, members of the Tomas Cardinal O’Fiaich Division 14 AOH in Watertown, Massachusetts have been marching in Watertown’s Annual Memorial Day Parade to honor those who have gone before them. Prior to the parade, members gather at the Cottage Street Cemetery in Watertown to place a wreath near the graves of the many Irish immigrants who are buried there. However, this year with Covid 19 epidemic and social distancing rules in effect throughout Massachusetts, these annual Memorial Day traditions were not to … [Read more...] about Division 14 Watertown, MA – A New Tradition Begins

from Mike Enright ... The membership of Hartford Division #2 has remained active during the current health crisis holding monthly meetings via Zoom. The Division held a Food Drive on Sunday, May 17 with the collection taking place at Christ the King Parish in Wethersfield to benefit the food pantry at St. Augustine Parish in Hartford. The Division has also made monetary donations to the Sandwich Ministry at Saint Patrick-Saint Anthony and the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry, and the Malta House of Care (both in Hartford) and the Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund. The … [Read more...] about Hartford Division #2 Holds Food Drive for Parish Pantry.

By Tom Murphy AOH Division 1, in Wheeling, WV, recently awarded Jen Carter of St. Michael Parish School in Wheeling $500 to contribute to the continuing education of her students. Jen's goal was to purchase various educational materials that could be used on a daily basis in her classroom to enlist active learning strategies to address the learning needs of the whole student. She was able to do this. St. Michael Parish School Principal Kim Burge, left, and teacher Jen Carter. Today's students need to have educational experiences that address the social, emotional, physical, creative … [Read more...] about West Virginia AOH Helps Wheeling Parish School Teacher

from National Director Edward Halligan ... One of the many Charitable runs made by Hibernians in Pennsylvania and around the United States supporting Health Care Workers and First Responders and the many others who are risking their lives to get us through this pandemic. Let us know what your Division is doing and be sure to include in your Missions and Charity Report … [Read more...] about Montgomery, PA. Division 4 Delivers Pizza to Hospital

The James A. Curran Division 1 AOH Holyoke, Massachusetts When Hibernians in Massachusetts speak of the “Golden West” they are referring to the James A. Curran Division 1 in Holyoke, MA. Found 147 years ago by Irish immigrants who worked on the Holyoke Dam, it has been a Division that is truly community orientated. For the past 40 years Division members have volunteered at Providence Ministries Kate’s Kitchen to prepare and serve dinner the last Sunday of every month to 150 plus of the area’s neediest residents. Division 1 member, “Sarge” Nugent helped establish Kates’s Kitchen in 1980. In … [Read more...] about Massachusetts AOH Golden West Division!

AUSTIN - The Brothers of Msgr. Richard McCabe #1 in Travis County, Texas hosted a virtual happy hour on May 1, 2020 to benefit the B.D. Riley's Irish Pub Employee Relief Fund, featuring a Facebook Live performance by Daithi Arwine and Neville Stewart of The Chancers - regular performers of the division's Halfway to St. Patrick's Day event. As a result of the division's efforts, the relief fund raised more than $650 - 6 times more than any other virtual show The Chancers have hosted, while boosting viewership by 4x. Texas State President Mike Joyce said, "We jumped at the opportunity … [Read more...] about Travis County AOH Aids B.D. Riley’s Irish Pub Employees

from Howard Coughlin, Bobby Sands Division ... Some of our members along with some non members gathered at The Church of the Madelene, to place a crown on a statue of St. Mary. The idea to do this was from the inspiration of David Lawrence, one of our founding members. David returned to our division this year after an extended hiatus. David is a public school teacher and a devoted Catholic. After crowning St. Mary a rosary was said by all. … [Read more...] about AOH Gathering in Tulsa, OK

Rockland County AOH President John McGowan presents a check from the Hibernians to Orangetown, NY Supervisor Teresa Kenny to sponsor the Orangetown "Virtual 5K", an innovative fund raiser to help those in need. Adapting to the need for social distancing, runners who register will run the race individually over the course of the next few weeks. All proceeds raised will go to benefit food pantries in the community which are currently facing unprecedented demands during the COVID-19 pandemic. … [Read more...] about Rockland AOH Supports “Virtual 5K” To Feed The Hungry

Two hundred and sixty-nine children from St. Francis of Assisi, Holy Family and Sacred Heart parishes in Prince William County participated in the Fr. Judge Division expanded coloring contest. Judges selected first-, second- and third-place winners for each of the five grades as well as one grand-prize winner. Winners received a T-shirt, St. Patrick Holy Card and their framed entry. The presentation ceremony followed Mass attended by the children from the three parishes, their parents and program coordinators. This was the second annual contest, inspired when Dan Sullivan and Harry Flynn … [Read more...] about Fr Judge Division Holds 2nd St. Patrick Coloring Contest

Division 5, Bucks County, PA, recently donated $4,000 to the Holy Family Regional School, Levittown, PA, for Tech Department purchases. From left, Jim Downey, HF Development; Hibernians Tom Groark, Tony O'Malley, President Dan Keelan; Kara Haggerty, HF Principal; Bill Snyder, HF Asst. Principal; Mary Ann Conway, HF Advancement Director. … [Read more...] about Bucks Co. Hibernians Help Catholic School

from National Director John Wilson ... What can your Division do during quarantine to help others in your community? Donate to food pantries, or if you'd prefer to donate to your local food bank, give them a quick call first or check their website to see if it's better to donate money or supplies to the organization. It's a good idea to ask if there's anything specific they need, like toilet paper or cleaning supplies, that they may need right now. Also consider donating to Meals on Wheels, which delivers both hot and frozen meals to seniors across the country. There are nearly 22 … [Read more...] about AOH Hunger Project April 2020

from National Director Ed Halligan ... These days we are making sacrifices that we would not have imagined a couple of months ago. One of these sacrifices is not being able to attend Mass. Thankfully there is the Eternal Word Television Network. They broadcast Mass and the Rosary several times a day. One is the Rosary Novena from Lourdes, France. Our Lady of Lourdes, Pray for us … [Read more...] about Mass and the Rosary Broadcasts

from National Director William Sullivan ... Irish Heritage Month 2020 kicked off on March 2nd, as it had for the past 40 plus years, with an Irish Flag raising on the North Common across from City Hall presided over by Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera. During the ceremonies Mayor Rivera presented Division 8 with a proclamation, declaring March as Irish Heritage Month in the City of Lawrence. The following Saturday night, March 7th, members of the Division, the Irish community, their families and friends, celebrated at the Division’s 149 Annual Saint Patrick’s Day Banquet and Dance. During the … [Read more...] about 149 Years Strong! The Rev. James T. O’Reilly OSA Division 8 AOH, Lawrence, Massachusetts

The Col. Thomas J. Cunningham Jr. Division and the LAOH Daughters of Erin Division, both in Loudoun, participated once again in the 13th Annual “Sweats for Vets” program at the Martinsburg Veterans facility in WVA. In concert with the Knights of Columbus Assemblies and Councils of Northern Virginia and the VFW in Leesburg, the AOH/LAOH distributed over 625 new sweat outfits along with over a thousand pairs of socks and over $8,000 in cash donations to approximately 500 Veterans in residence. The VA AOH/LAOH was responsible for at least $2,000 in cash donations and 50 sweat outfits, … [Read more...] about ‘Sweats For Vets’ in Virginia

A beautiful morning on January 17, saw the dedication by the Hibernian Celtic Cross Committee of a series of sculptures at the Hibernian Memorial Park in the West End of New Orleans. These sculptures were added to the already existing Celtic Cross Memorial. For more than 30 years the Celtic Cross has stood on the site of the New Basin Canal, between West End and Pontchartrain Boulevards, as a memorial to the Irish Laborers who dug the canal in the 1830s. Beginning at the lake, the New Basin Canal wound its way into the New Orleans, stopping at a turning basin near where the Mercedes-Benz … [Read more...] about New Orleans – Sculptures dedicated at Hibernian Memorial Park

On the fourth Thursday of each month, brothers of the Fr. Joseph P. Carrigan Division serve the evening meal to 150 of the transitional women's homeless population in downtown Denver at Samaritan House. Scooping up the grub for the women are, from left, Brothers John Queen, Jim Chappell, Mike Sheridan, Dr. Mike Boyd and longtime Hibernian friend and diaconate candidate George Lenihan. … [Read more...] about Colorado – Carrigan Division serves Transitional Housing Women at the Samaritan House

from National Director John Wilson ... On March 11, 2020, the members of the St.Columbkille Division 1 in Sarpy County, Nebraska served between 500-600 parishioners at St. Patrick Church in Gretna Nebraska. All enjoyed a great corn beef and cabbage meal with all the fixings. This was a free event that included the meal, entertainment and games. They have been helping St. Patrick Church with their annual St. Patrick’s Day Hooley celebration since 2011. The Hooley organizers arrange local troops of Irish dancers for entertainment and the dinner for this event. The Mission Statement of St … [Read more...] about News from Sarpy County, Nebraska

Brothers Will and Joey McGlynn, of Marietta, Ohio, continue a long and honorable tradition that has been part of the McGlynn family for the last four generations. They possess and curate their great-grand father’s Hibernian artifacts. Neil McGlynn, the boys’ great-grandfather, was born in Ireland about 1872; the family later moved to Renfrewshire, Port Glasgow, Scotland. It was in Scotland that Great-Grandpa Neil joined the Ancient Order of Hibernians Benefit Society of Scotland. There is little doubt that he did so to keep his Irish connection and identity. He was a member of the St. … [Read more...] about Marietta, Ohio – Four generations of McGlynn Hibernians