The Ancient Order of Hibernians

The Oldest and Largest Irish-Catholic Organization in the United States. Established 1836

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Irish American Heritage Month: The Irish Whales

Irish American Heritage Month: The Irish Whales

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Did you know that the first Gold Medal winner in modern Olympic history was the son of Irish immigrant parents and that Irish athletes dominated Olympic track and field events for the U.S. for the first two decades of the 20th century? The first to win was James Connolly, and he was born on October 28, 1868, in an impoverished section of South Boston. He grew up with a love of sports and when an International Olympic Committee resurrected the ancient Olympic Games to be held in Athens in April 1896, Connolly requested a leave of absence from Harvard to participate and left for Greece. After … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: The Irish Whales

Irish American Heritage Month: The Sullivan Brothers

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DID YOU KNOW that in the annals of America's heroes, there is scarcely a brighter entry than that of the fighting Sullivan brothers?  Born in Waterloo, Iowa to Railroad conductor Tom Sullivan and his wife Alleta, George, Francis, Albert, Joseph, and Madison grew up the best of friends in the closeness of an Irish family and matured into patriotic Americans. It was no surprise, therefore, that when Pearl Harbor was attacked, the Sullivan brothers headed straight for the nearest U.S. Navy recruiting office. Navy policy discouraged family members from serving together, but the Sullivans … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: The Sullivan Brothers

Who is St. Patrick?

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Each year around March 17, the name of St. Patrick appears in every major publication in the civilized world - sometimes with honor and sometimes with scorn - often due to the conduct of those who celebrate his memory at affairs which bear his name.  Of the many things written about this holy man, some are true, some misleading, and some false.  St. Patrick was Italian; St. Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland; St. Patrick was the first to bring Christianity to Ireland - all of these statements are false! Let’s take them one at a time.  Some claim St. Patrick to be Italian … [Read more...] about Who is St. Patrick?

AOH Suffolk County (NY) Board – Irish-American Heritage Month

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On Saturday Mach 12, 2022 AOH Suffolk County President, Bill Gorham received a proclamation from Suffolk County Executive, Steve Bellone.  County Executive Bellone (who is a Hibernian Brother from Suffolk County's Division 2), stated; "on behalf of the 1.5 million residents of Suffolk County, I officially proclaim that March 2022 is Irish American Heritage Month here in Suffolk County. We celebrate and recognize the rich history and the many contributions of the Irish and Irish-Americans over the years here in our County".  President Gorham proudly accepted this proclamation … [Read more...] about AOH Suffolk County (NY) Board – Irish-American Heritage Month

Irish American Heritage Month: Annie Moore, First Trough the Golden Door

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The statue of Annie Moore and her brothers at Cobh, Ireland During its period of operation from 1892 till 1954, over 12 million immigrants entered through the immigration station at Ellis Island, a name that was to become synonymous with the “Golden Door” and the “American Dream”. It is estimated that today over forty percent of the United States population can trace their ancestry to an immigrant that entered Ellis Island. On New Year’s Day Morning 1892 on the deck of the steamship Nevada stood three adolescents, Annie Moore and her brothers Phillip and Anthony. They were perhaps … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: Annie Moore, First Trough the Golden Door

Irish American Heritage Month: Col. Joseph Jeremiah McCarthy

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The recent HBO Mini-Series The Pacific has brought a long overdue recognition to the sacrifices and hardships endured by the U.S. Marines in the Second World War. These battles were fought on isolated islands that one would struggle to locate on a map: Guadalcanal, Roi-Namur, Saipan-Tinian, Peleliu, Okinawa. Combat was often at point blank range; not only did the men involved battle the enemy, but poisonous snakes, insects, disease and the climate. Nowhere was the fighting harder than the Battle of Iwo Jima, a battle where Admiral Nimitz later observed “Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue.” No … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: Col. Joseph Jeremiah McCarthy

Irish American Heritage Month: The Irish Contribution to America’s Independence

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DID YOU KNOW that when America was born, the Irish were there? The Irish, both Protestant, and Catholic, were a major part of Washington’s volunteers from foot soldiers to high ranking officers. When increased Crown exploitation drove the colonists to protest, among the loudest were the Irish who had no great love for the Crown, to begin with. And there were many Irish in America’s colonies. Among them were those who fought the English theft of their Irish lands and ended up hunted men; they were followed by those Catholics and Presbyterians who fled persecution by the Church of England. Some … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: The Irish Contribution to America’s Independence

Irish American Heritage Month: “Wild Bill” Donovan, “The Last Hero.”

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At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, for the first time in over four years, the guns fell silent across the trenches that scarred the face of Europe during the First World War. America had been latecomers to the conflict but at a tremendous cost had tipped the scales in what had been a murderous stalemate. No division had sacrificed more than the 42nd Division, nicknamed the "Rainbow Division," as it had been formed from National Guard Units whose origins stretched across the country. No unit in the Rainbow Division fought on more fronts, nor suffered more … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: “Wild Bill” Donovan, “The Last Hero.”

Irish American Heritage Month: The Emmets, an Irish and Irish American Story

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Robert Emmet Thomas Emmet in Later Life On the surface, the brothers Thomas Addis Emmet and Robert Emmet were the most unlikely of revolutionaries. They were born (Thomas Addis 1764, Robert 1778) into an affluent family of Ireland's Protestant ascendency. Their father was the State Physician of Ireland; firmly positioning the family as members of the British establishment. Yet the spirit of the enlightenment ran strong in the Emmet family; they were sympathetic to the struggle for independence of the American Colonies during the Revolutionary War and critics of the disenfranchisement … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: The Emmets, an Irish and Irish American Story

Irish American Heritage Month: Kathleen McNulty, an Irish American “Hidden Figure”

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Kathleen Rita McNulty was born in the village of Creeslough on February 12, 1921, the third of six children of Anne Nelis and James McNulty.  Her father was Commandant of the Doe Battalion of the Irish Volunteers. On the night of her birth, he was arrested and imprisoned in Derry Gaol for two years for his republican activities. On his release, the family emigrated to the United States and settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where James worked as a stonemason and went on to establish a successful construction business, frequently working with Irish American John B Kelly, the father of … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: Kathleen McNulty, an Irish American “Hidden Figure”

Irish American Heritage Month: The Foley Brothers “No greater love than to lay down your life for another”

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At the young age of 32, Thomas Foley was already an 11-year decorated veteran firefighter of the FDNY and a legend. He was a larger than life individual who embraced life to the fullest and seemed to excel at everything he tried from powerlifting to skydiving. Having learned to ride horses on visits to his grandfather's farm, he even excelled as a competitor on the rodeo circuit. With boyish good looks, Thomas Foley was featured twice by People Magazine and appeared in the FDNY's "2003 Calendar of Heroes." However, being a firefighter was Thomas Foley's first passion; it was all he wanted to … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: The Foley Brothers “No greater love than to lay down your life for another”

Irish American Heritage Month: John Philip Holland, Inventor of the Modern Submarine

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Did you know that an Irishman invented the first modern submarine? His name was John Philip Holland and he was born in Liscannor, Co. Clare, Ireland, on February 24, 1841. He experienced the Irish potato failure suffering poor eyesight as a result. His father was a member of the Coast Guards, and young John inherited a love of the sea. Although his poor eyesight prevented him from following in his father’s footsteps, he developed an interest in ship design. John attended the Christian Brothers School where he came under the influence of Brother Dominic Burke, a science teacher, who encouraged … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: John Philip Holland, Inventor of the Modern Submarine

Irish American Heritage Month: The Parachuting Padre

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As an Army chaplain, Fr. Francis L. Sampson saw combat in two wars and earned the nickname of "the Parachuting Padre." His actions during the D-Day campaign would be adapted as part of two major motion pictures, though in both his actions would be attributed to others. Fr. Sampson was born in Cherokee, Iowa, the descendant of Immigrants from County Cork.  Fr. Sampson graduated from Notre Dame before entering St. Paul's Seminary in Minnesota.  He served briefly as a parish priest.  When the U.S. entered the war, Fr. Sampson sought and was granted permission to join the … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: The Parachuting Padre

Irish American Heritage Month: The Sheas, Three Generations of Olympians

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Since the ancient past, societies have honored athletes. Athletic competition may have developed out of pragmatic concerns such as training warriors, but it was soon realized that certain individuals were gifted with exceptional talents. In the Ancient Olympic Games winning competitors were awarded Olive Wreaths and honored as human incarnations of Apollo; in modern times they are honored with some of the highest salaries in the world. These honors are given in recognition of how exceptional athletic prowess is in on one individual; what then would be the likelihood of finding world class … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: The Sheas, Three Generations of Olympians

As we enter the Season of Lent – What does it mean to be Blessed?

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What does it mean to be blessed? There are some in our society who would try to tell us that one who is blessed by God can demonstrate these blessings materially—through possessions, money, power, or influence. There are even some so called Christians who try to promote a Gospel of affluence. They tell us that the way to measure someone’s blessings is to look at the size of their home, the brand of car they drive, what kind of clothing they wear, and where and what they choose to eat. A few weeks ago, on the 6 th Sunday in Ordinary time, we were confronted with the difficult words of Jesus … [Read more...] about As we enter the Season of Lent – What does it mean to be Blessed?

Irish American Heritage Month: Anne Sullivan, ‘The Miracle Worker’

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Imagine the loneliness and isolation of a person who is both deaf and blind. Even worse, imagine that isolation beginning when you were only 19 months old when the disease took these vital senses away before you comprehended the concept of what the word was, leaving you with limited means to convey your thought and feelings. This is the description of the challenge that newly graduated teacher Anne Sullivan was taking on when she was hired to be the governess and teacher to seven-year-old Hellen Keller. Anne was only twenty years old and was herself seriously visually impaired. Sullivan was … [Read more...] about Irish American Heritage Month: Anne Sullivan, ‘The Miracle Worker’

Congressional and Irish Opposition to British Amnesty Plans

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Fiona O’Hagan and Una Casey, whose husbands were among 19 collusion murder victims named in the Operation Greenwich report, heard Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick announce a new Congressional initiative opposing any British amnesty designed to end or inhibit investigations into Troubles murders. The announcement came during an Ancient Order of Hibernian webinar, highlighted by the heartbreaking personal stories of two victims, and an overview of the Operation Greenwich report by Mark Thompson of Relatives for Justice. The victims then heard wide ranging support from Irish government … [Read more...] about Congressional and Irish Opposition to British Amnesty Plans

How to Contact Your Congressional Representative to Cosponsor the 50th Anniversary Bloody Sunday Sign Resolution

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Please check the current list of Resolution Sponsors on the AOH Website by clicking here If your Congressperson has already signed, contact them to say thank you on behalf of the Hibernians If not, please contact them; below are suggested steps. Please read the suggested script below or determine what you wish to say in your own words before contacting your Congressional Representatives office to ensure that it is crisp and on point when you speak.  You will only have a few minutes and must be focused and on topic. Call your Congressional Representatives Office; the phone … [Read more...] about How to Contact Your Congressional Representative to Cosponsor the 50th Anniversary Bloody Sunday Sign Resolution