Hibernian Digest Article

State Conventions             This year is a state convention year when states will organize meetings and events that bring members from throughout a state together to conduct business and elect officers. State conventions are important for many reasons. Business is conducted and state officers are elected for the new term. It is also a fun experience to meet and be together with so many other Hibernians.             Regarding state conventions, I strongly recommend the … [Read more...] about Vice President Report – May 2025

Well, another St. Patrick’s Day is in the books. I hope that everyone had a happy and safe celebration and that you were able to recruit a few new members to your division. At least as far as my division is concerned, we all made it out alive and well and we have at least a couple of prospective members for the next couple of months. But, on to other things.             The next big event for Veterans as a whole is Memorial Day, Monday, May 26. This day commemorates those that gave their utmost in the service of our country. Abraham … [Read more...] about Veterans Affairs Report – May 2025

I hope everyone enjoyed the St. Patrick’s Day Season. I also hope everyone had a very Happy and Holy Easter. Thanks to all the Divisions who took advantage of the constitutional discount and paid their National Per Capita early. Your efforts make it easier to plan for the good work of the Order. If you do not already have one in place, the next thing you need to do is create a plan to contact those division members who are delinquent in paying their dues. It is important to remember that our Constitution in Article XVIII Section 13 sets forth the framework for handling this issue. The … [Read more...] about National Treasurer Report – May 2025

Good day Brothers, I hope this message finds you in good spirits and excellent health. I am writing to address the need for the completion of Form 40, as well as to clarify our policies concerning the reissue of membership cards. Your understanding of these processes is crucial for ensuring timely updates and maintaining accurate records within our organization.             To begin with, Form 40 must be filled out with meticulous attention to detail. This form significantly facilitates various updates and administrative functions, … [Read more...] about National Secretary Report – May 2025

It’s hard to believe that 2025 is already a third over and summer will soon be upon us. Do you have a child or grandchild of high school or college age who has talked about studying in Ireland? If so, now is the time to do something about it. Your AOH National Board has scholarship initiatives to make this idea possibility happen. The AOH offers a $1,000 scholarship for high school students to study in Ireland during the summer in the Irish Way Program. At the same time the AOH offers a $3,000 scholarship for a full year of study and/or a $1,500 semester scholarship for study at a college of … [Read more...] about Irish Way & Study Abroad Scholarships Report – May 2025

With this being a state convention year within the AOH, there will be many opportunities for non-degreed members to “receive the Lessons and take the Test of the Order,” thereby fulfilling the obligations for full membership prescribed at your initial initiation. Many Major Degree ceremonies will be offered as part of this year’s state convention slate throughout the country. Currently, only about 30 percent of the Order membership have received their Major Degree. We encourage all non-degreed Hibernians to take advantage of these degree ceremonies and be welcomed into the Inner Chamber of … [Read more...] about Rituals & Degrees 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

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

Congratulations! This year there was an increase in Hibernian Hunger Project (HHP) Applications received as compared to previous years. We can attribute this directly to the work done by our Hibernian Hunger Project State Chairmen, who encouraged divisions in their states to file a hunger application. At the same time, we want to thank those divisions who submitted HHP Applications for the work done by them in 2024. We still have a long way to go to have all divisions on board to appoint a Division Hunger Chairman, as well as submit a HHP application, but we are making progress each … [Read more...] about Hibernian Hunger Project Report – May 2025

My Journey from Skepticism to Appreciation             I would like to preface this article by saying that what I have written below is not directed toward our past leadership in any way. Instead, it is my testimony of the early days of my membership and my ignorance that would soon be put into check.             When I joined the AOH in 2014, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you much about our National Board, if anything. If you’d have asked me if I knew names like Murphy, … [Read more...] about National Director Rory Schulte Report – May 2025

I would like to start by thanking all the State Presidents in my assigned area for their diligence in completing all the open applications; your hard work is much appreciated.             On Feb.15 I had the honor of attending with National Secretary Ray Lynch and Past National President Ed Wallace, a presentation of the movie, “How to Diffuse a Bomb, the Project Children Story,” in Jupiter, Fl. It's always an honor to speak with Denis Mulcahy and his team as we prepare for the Project Children 50th Anniversary Celebration in Monaghan, … [Read more...] about National Director Keith Reynolds Report – May 2025

I hope everyone had an enjoyable and productive St. Patrick’s Day season. As always, St. Patrick’s Day is the time when we show our pride as descendants of those who trace their lineage back to the Island of Saints and Scholars. Hopefully, our public participation in events associated with St. Patrick’s Day celebrations helped tremendously with recruitment to our noble Order. Our efforts at on-line recruitment also continue. The backlog of on-line applications has been addressed. This is a valuable tool in ongoing recruitment. If an officer requests that you follow up on one or more … [Read more...] about National Director Tom Lambert Report May 2025

As our Order concludes this sacred season, I’m proud to report that we’ve achieved a record-breaking milestone — our national website received more applications than ever before, marking a 49 percent increase over last year’s previous high. While our shift to electronic applications continues, this growth is truly a testament to the tireless efforts of our State, County and Division Organizers who have worked diligently to raise awareness of the AOH and the value of membership. I commend each of you for your dedication!             Our … [Read more...] about National Director Ryan Curry Update May 2025