List of Past Presidents, Chaplains, Editors, Kennedy Medals, and MacBride Awards

National Presidents of the AOH
National Chaplains of the AOH
Sean MacBride Humanitarian Award Recipients
AOH John F. Kennedy Memorial Medal Recipients
Editors of the Hibernian Digest

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National Presidents of the AOH

Years	Name	Home	Convention Site
1854 – 1856	James Saunders, ND	New York	New York, NY
1856 – 1858	Peter R. Gaynor, ND	New York	New York, NY
1858 – 1864	James Sanford, ND	New York	New York, NY
1864 – 1866	Thomas Kearns, ND	New York	New York, NY
1866 – 1869	John Maguire, ND	New York	New York, NY
1869 – 1877	Patrick Campbell, ND	New York	New York, NY
1877 – 1880	John Hart, ND	New Jersey	New York, NY
1878 – 1879	John Hart, ND	New Jersey	Boston, MA
1879 – 1880	John Hart, ND	New Jersey	Cincinnati, OH
1880 – 1881	Peter Kiernan, ND	Louisiana	Philadelphia, PA
1881 – 1882	Peter Kiernan, ND	Louisiana	St. Louis, MO
1882 – 1884 *1	Jeremiah Crowley, ND	Massachusetts	Chicago, IL
1884 – 1886	Henry F. Sheridan, ND	Illinois	Cleveland, OH
1886 – 1888	Maurice Wilhere, ND	Pennsylvania	St. Paul, MN
1888 – 1890	Maurice Wilhere, ND	Pennsylvania	Louisville, KY
1890 – 1892	Maurice Wilhere, ND	Pennsylvania	Hartford, CT
1892 – 1894	Maurice Wilhere, ND	Pennsylvania	New Orleans, LA
1894 – 1896 *2	P.J. O’Conor	Georgia	Omaha, NE
1896 – 1898	P.J. O’Conor	Georgia	Detroit, MI
1898 – 1900	John T. Keating	Illinois	Trenton, NJ
1900 – 1902	John T. Keating	Illinois	Boston, MA
1902 – 1904	James E. Dolan	New York	Denver, CO
1904 – 1906	James E. Dolan	New York	St. Louis, MO
1906 – 1908	Matthew Cummings	Massachusetts	Saratoga, NY
1908 – 1910	Matthew Cummings	Massachusetts	Indianapolis, IN
1910 – 1912	James J. Regan	Minnesota	Portland, OR
1912 – 1914	James J. Regan	Minnesota	Chicago, IL
1914 – 1916	Joseph McLaughlin	Pennsylvania	Norfolk, VA
1916 – 1918	Joseph McLaughlin	Pennsylvania	Boston, MA
1918 – 1919	No Convention Held – World War I
1919 – 1921	James E. Deery	Indiana	San Francisco, CA
1921 – 1923	James E. Deery	Indiana	Detroit, MI
1923 – 1925	Michael Donohoe	Pennsylvania	Montreal, Quebec
1925 – 1927	Michael Donohoe	Pennsylvania	Atlantic City, NJ
1927 – 1929	Martin L. Sweeney	Ohio	Buffalo, NY
1929 – 1931	Martin L. Sweeney	Ohio	Minneapolis, MN
1931 – 1933	Michael W. Delaney	Illinois	Newport, RI
1933 – 1935	Michael W. Delaney	Illinois	Chicago, IL
1935 – 1937	John E. Fenton	Massachusetts	Baltimore, MD
1937 – 1939	John E. Fenton	Massachusetts	Atlantic City, NJ
1939 – 1941	Joseph E. Kerrigan	Massachusetts	Piittsburgh, PA
1941 – 1946	Joseph E. Kerrigan	Massachusetts	St Paul, MN
1943 – 1945	No Convention Held – World War II
1946 – 1948	Michael A. McGrath	Ohio	Syracuse, NY
1948 – 1950	Michael A. McGrath	Ohio	Montreal, Quebec
1950 – 1952	George R. Reilly	California	Boston, MA
1952 – 1954	George R. Reilly	California	Atlantic City, NJ
1954 – 1956	Michael J. Dowd	Washington DC	Chicago, IL
1956 – 1958	P. Frank Kean	Massachusetts	New York, NY
1958 – 1960	Jeremiah O’Callaghan	New Jersey	Providence, RI
1960 – 1962	Patrick J. Hogan	Connecticut	St. Louis, MO
1962 – 1964	James J. Comerford	New York	Pittsburgh, PA
1964 – 1966	William J. McEnery	Rhode Island	Albany, NY
1966 – 1968	Walter J. O’Leary	Massachusetts	Chicago, IL
1968 – 1970	Michael J. Delahunty	New Jersey	Philadelphia, PA
1970 – 1972	Edward J. Fay	Pennsylvania	Indianapolis, IN
1972 – 1974	Edward J. Fay	Pennsylvania	Dublin, Ireland
1974 – 1976	John M. Keane	Missouri	Anaheim, CA
1976 – 1978	John M. Keane	Missouri	Newport, RI
1978 – 1980	Thomas D. McNabb	New York	Killarney, Ireland
1980 – 1982	John P. Connolly	Massachusetts	Bal Harbour, FL
1982 – 1984	Joseph A. Roche	Pennsylvania	San Antonio TX
1984 – 1986	Joseph A. Roche	Pennsylvania	Albany, NY
1986 – 1988	Nicholasa J. Murphy	New York	Buffalo, NY
1988 – 1990	Michael J. Coogan	Ohio	Cleveland, OH
1990 – 1992	George J. Clough Jr.	Missouri	Alexandria, VA
1992 – 1994	George J. Clough Jr.	Missouri	New Orleans, LA
1994 – 1996	Edward J. Wallace	New York	Louisville, KY
1996 – 1998	Edward J. Wallace	New York	St. Paul, MN
1998 – 2000	Thomas E. Gilligan	Florida	Pittsburgh, PA
2000 – 2002	Thomas E. Gilligan	Florida	Baltimore, MD
2002 – 2004	Edward P. McGinley	Pennsylvania	Foxwood, CT
2004 – 2006	Edward P. McGinley	Pennsylvania	Philadelphia, PA
2006 – 2008	Jack Meehan	Massachusetts	Boston, MA
2008 – 2010	Seamus Boyle	Pennsylvania	New Orleans, LA
2010 – 2012	Seamus Boyle	Pennsylvania	Cincinnati, OH
2012 – 2014	Brendan Moore	New York	Turning Stone, NY
2014 – 2016	Brendan Moore	New York	St. Louis, MO
2016 – 2018	Jim McKay	New Orleans	Atlantic City, NJ
2018 – 2020	Jim McKay	New Orleans	Louisville, KY
2020 – 2022	Daniel J. O’Connell	Ohio	Youngstown, OH
2022 – 2024	Daniel J. O’Connell	Ohio	Pittsburgh, PA

^(*1)The 1882 National Convention established the format of biennial national conventions. Previously, conventions were held annually.

^(*2) ND denotes National Delegate. Prior to 1894 the elected head of the AOH in America was called National Delegate and represented the American AOH in Ireland at a National Convention of all the AOH jurisdictions in the world. In 1894, the AOH in America severed its administrative ties with the AOH in Ireland and our national leader assumed the title of National President of the AOH in America.

This list was created by Gerry Curran and updated by Mike McCormack

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National Chaplains of the AOH

Years	Name	Residence
1890 – 1898	Bishop John Samuel Foley	Detroit, Michigan
1898 – 1902	Archbishop Patrick A. Feehan	Chicago, Illinois
1902 – 1904	Bishop John Joseph Glennon	Kansas City, Missouri
1904 – 1906	Archbishop John M. Farley	New York, New York
1906 – 1908	Reverend ohn D. Kennedy	Danbury, Connecticut
1908 – 1910	Archbishop William H, O’Connell	Boston, Massachusetts
1910 – 1914	Bishop John Patrick Carroll	Helena, Montana
1914 – 1921	Bishop Dennis J, O’Connell	Richmond, Virginia
1921 – 1925	Bishop Michael J. Gallagher	Detroit, Michigan
1925 – 1935	Archbishop John Joseph Glennon	St. Louis, Missouri
1935 – 1937	Bishop Ja,es A. Grffin	Springfield, Illinois
1937 – 1941	Monsignor Fulton J. Sheen	Washington, D.C.
1941 – 1948	Reverend Francis P. Fenton O.S.A.	Chicago, Illinois
1948 – 1952	Archbishop Richard J. Cushing	Boston, Massachusetts
1952 – 1956	Archbishop James J. McNulty	Newark, New Jersey
1956 – 1958	Archbishop Patrick A. O’Boyle	Washington, D.C.
1958 – 1960	Archbishop Thomas A. Boland	Newark, New Jersey
1960 – 1962	Bishop Lawrence J. Shehan	Bridgeport, Connecticut
1962 – 1964	Francis Cardinal Spellman	New York, New York
1964 – 1966	Bishop Russell J. McVinny	Providence, Rhode Island
1966 – 1968	Bishop Jeremiah F. Minehan	W. Roxbury, Massachusetts
1968 – 1970	Archbishop Thomas A. Boland	Newark, New Jersey
1970 – 1974	Bishop Vincent M. Leonard	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1974 – 1978	Reverend Terence Lee M.H.M.	Sunset Hills, Missouri
1978 – 1982	Bishop Thomas J. Drury	Corpus Christi, Texas
1982 – 1988	Reverend John V. Ahern	Syracuse, New York
1988 – 1989	Bishop Thomas J. Drury	Corpus Christi, Texas
1989 – 1990	Reverend Donal O’Carroll	Steubenville, Ohio
1990 – 1994	Bishop Edward J. O’Donnell	St. Louis, Missouri
1994 – 1998	Reverend John V. Ahern	Syracuse, New York
1998 – 2002	Bishop Norbert M. Dorsey	Orlando, Florida
2002 – 2006	Reverend Patrick Sullivan	Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania
2006 – 2008	Reverend Bartley McPhaidin	Boston, Massachusetts
2008 – 2010	Reverend Patrick Sullivan	Boston, Massachusetts
2010 – 2012	Reverend Thomas O’Donnell	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2012 – 2014	Reverend John V. Ahern	Syracuse, New York
2014 – 2016	Reverend Thomas O’Donnell	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2016 – 2018	Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi	Alabama
2020 – 2024	Reverand John Keehner	Ohio
2020 – 2024	Reverand Michael Healy	Ohio

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Sean MacBride Humanitarian Award Recipients

Year	Name
1989	Author/Activist Oliver Kearney
1991	PNP Joseph A. Roche
1993	Congressman Bruce Morrison
1995	Former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds
1997	NY State Legislator John Dearie
1999	Congressman Tom Manton
2001	Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey
2003	Great Hunger advocate Don Mullen
2005	Sgt. Patrick Duggan
2007	Hibernian Charity coordinator David Burke
2009	Irish Echo editor Raymond O’Hanlon
2011	Humanitarian/Activist Clara Reilly
2013	Mick Dunleavy
2015	Brian O’Dwyer
2017	Niall Burgess
2021	Geraldine Finucane
2023	Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern

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AOH John F. Kennedy Memorial Medal Recipients

Year	Name
1966	Hon. James A. Farley: U.S. Postmaster General (1933-1940), Chairman of the Democratic National Committee (1932-1940), member of AOH Div 29 New York Co.; New York, NY.
1967	Hon. John E. Fenton: AOH Past National President (1935-39), President of Suffolk University, Knight of the Holy Sepulcher; Lawrence, MA.
1968	Joseph M. Brennan: AOH Past National Treasurer and New Jersey State Secretary (1916-1932), 76-year member of AOH Div 3; Orange, NJ.
1969	Colonel James A. McDevitt, U.S.A.F.; NASA Astronaut; Commander of Gemini IV and Apollo IX. Houston, TX.
1970	Most Reverend Thomas A. Boland, S.T.D., LL.D. Archbishop of Newark, AOH Past National Chaplain (1958-60).
1971	Hon. Richard J. Daley: Mayor of Chicago, member of AOH Division 59 Cook Co.; Chicago, IL.
1972	Hon. John D. J. Moore: U.S. Ambassador to Ireland; & Hon. James J. Comerford: AOH Past National President (1962-64), IRA Volunteer, Kilkenny Battalion (1919-22), Grand Marshal of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade (1957), Knight of the Holy Sepulcher; New York, NY.
1973	Hon. John J. Gilligan: Governor of Ohio, alumnus of the University of Notre Dame; Columbus, OH.
1974	Hugh J. Devore: University of Notre Dame Head Football Coach (1945 & 1963) & former coach of the Philadelphia Eagles & the Green Bay Packers, alumnus of the University of Notre Dame; Houston, TX.
1975	Most Reverend Thomas J. Drury: Bishop of Corpus Christi; Corpus Christi, TX.
1976	Eoin McKiernan, Ph.D: Executive Director, Irish American Cultural Institute & Professor, College of St. Thomas; St. Paul, MN.
1977	Patrick J. Hogan: AOH Past National President (1960-62), IRA Volunteer (1920-1923); Stamford, CT.
1978	Pat O’Brien: Actor; Los Angeles, CA.
1979	Lillian E. Fay: LAOH Past National President (1952-1956); Washington, DC.
1980	Hon. Denis Dillon: Nassau County D.A., member AOH Division 14 Nassau Co.; Rockville Centre, NY.
1982	Thomas W. “Teddy” Gleason: International President – International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA), Vice President, AFL-CIO; New York, NY.
1984	Brother Mathias Barrett: Founder, Little Brothers of the Good Shepard; Albuquerque, NM.
1986	Martin Higgins: AOH National Chairman, Freedom for All Ireland Committee; Woodmere, NY.
1988	Dennis Patrick Long: Former President, Anheuser-Busch, Inc; Sunset Hills, MO.
1990	John P. Connolly: AOH Past National President (1980-1982); Watertown, MA.
1992	Reverend Desmond Wilson: Director, Springhill Community House and author; Belfast, Ireland.
1994	His Eminence John Cardinal O’Connor: Archbishop of New York; New York, NY.
1996	John Hume: Member of the European Parliament and Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party; Derry, Ireland & Gerry Adams: President, Sinn Fein; Belfast, Ireland.
1998	Hon. Peter L. King: Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (3rd District-New York); Massapequa Park, NY.
2000	Hon. Raymond L. Flynn: Former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See and former Mayor of Boston, member of AOH Division 14 Middlesex Co; Boston, MA.
2002	Christopher Matthews: Political commentator and television personality; Washington, DC.
2004	Reverend Aidan Troy, C.P.: Rector of Holy Cross Parish and Chairman of the Board of Governors of Holy Cross Girls’ Primary School; Belfast, Ireland.
2006	Congressman Richard Neal, Democratic Leader of the Friends of Ireland and one of Irish America Magazine’s Top 100 Irish Americans.
2008	Robert Gessler: past president of AOH Div 87 Port Richmond; originator of the Hibernian Hunger Project and founder and Chairman of the Hibernian Community Development Corporation – an organization that rehabilitates houses for Hibernian families and provides educational opportunities to disadvantaged Philadelphians.
2010	Siobhan Dennehy, Executive Director of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center for her work with Irish immigrants.
2012	Rev. Patrick J. Sullivan, C.S.C., PhD, Executive Secretary and Chaplain of the Labor Guild of the Archdiocese of Boston; professor, King’s College (PA); AOH Past National Chaplain; and author
2014	Mairtin O Muilleoir; 58′ Lord Mayer of Belfast (2013-2014) abd Belfast City Councilor for Balmoral; author and businessman
2016	Major General Patrick Henry Brady, USA retired; recipient of the Medal of Honor (1969); author of Dead Men Flying; Notre Dame Alumnus from Converse, TX.
2018	Denis P. Mulcahy, founder of Project Children; member of NYPD Bomb Squad; resident of Greenwood Lake
2020	Congressman Brendan F. Boyle, Pennsylvania member of the U.S. House of Representatives
2022	Rocky Bleier, American former professional football player; Notre Dame Football Team Captain; Veteran of the United States Army.
2024	Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick

Note: The John F. Kennedy Memorial Medal and Fund Committee was established following the 1964 Albany, New York National Convention to honor the memory of our nation’s 35th President, who was a member of AOH Division 14, Watertown, MA from 1947 until his assassination on November 22, 1963. According to the Report of the Committee on the Kennedy Memorial: “The award would consist of a gold medallion designed for this purpose, to be awarded to a Catholic of Irish birth or descent, outstanding in his or her field of endeavor…” The medal was designed by P. Frank Kean of Massachusetts, AOH Past National President (1956-58) and first struck in 1966. In 1980 it was changed from an annual award to a biennial award.

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Editors of the Hibernian Digest

YEAR	NATIONAL EDITOR
1901 – 1919	Patrick J. Haltigan (Washington D.C.)
1919 – 1924	James E. Deery (Indianapolis, IN)
1924 – 1931	John O’Dea (Philadelphia, PA)
1931 – 1940	Thomas H. Buckley (Abington, MA)
1940 – 1950	Francis O’Brien (Lawrence, MA)
1950 – 1954	Jeremiah Mulvihill (an Francisco, CA)
1954 – 1958	George Reilly (San Francisco, CA)
1958 – 1962	James J. Comerford (New York, NY)
1962 – 1964	William McEnery (Providence, RI)
1964 – 1968	John Duffy (New York, NY)
1968 – 1969	Thomas P.J. Barrett (Newark, NJ)
1969 – 1970	John Leahy (Trenton, NJ)
1970 – 1972	James J. Comorford (New York, NY)
1972 – 1974	John Reynolds (Lake grove, NY)
1974 – 1976	Dave Burke (Lawrence, MA)
1976 – 1978	Liam Murphy (Irvington, NY)
1978 – 1982	George Foley (Troy, NY)
1982 – 1984	Thomas D. McNabb (Auburn, NY)
1984 – 1990	David Henshaw (Lynbrook, NY)
1990 – 1998	James Brennan (Spring Hill, FL)
1998 – 2006	Francis Feighery (The Bronx, NY)
2006 – 2008	Mike McCormack (Centereach, NY)
2008 – 2011	Keith Carney (Washington, D.C.)
2011 –	John O’Connell (Glen Cove, NY)