Ancient Order of Hibernians

File:Members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians parading at Cormeen - geograph.org.uk - 3068974.jpg, Co Cavan]]

The organization had its roots in the Defenders and the Ribbonmen, Catholic agrarian movements of the 18th and 19th centuries.{{sfn|Cecil|1993|p=155}} It emerged in Ulster at the end of the 19th century in opposition to the Orange Order.{{sfn|Cecil|1993|p=156}} It was organized by Joseph Devlin of Belfast, who was Grand Master by 1905.{{sfn|Rees|1998}} The AOH was closely associated with the Irish Parliamentary Party, its members mainly members of the party.{{sfn|Garvin|2005|pp=107–110}} It was strongly opposed to secular ideologies such as those of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (the IRB), who were most unhappy at the re-emergence of this old rival "right-wing" nationalist society.{{sfn|Garvin|2005|pp=106–107}}

From a membership of 5,000 in 1900, nearly all in Ulster, it climbed to 64,000 by 1909, complementing the United Irish League.{{sfn|Garvin|2005|pp=107–108}} By 1914 the order had spread throughout the country, mainly because of its utility as a patronage, brokerage and recreational association.{{sfn|Garvin|2005|p=108}} As a vehicle for Irish nationalism, the AOH greatly influenced the sectarian aspect of Irish politics in the early twentieth century. In Ulster and elsewhere it acted as an unruly but vigorous militant support organization for Devlin, Dillon and Redmond against radicals and against William O'Brien: O'Brien regarded himself as having been driven from the party by militant Hibernians at the "Baton Convention" of 1909.{{sfn|Garvin|2005|p=108}}

The ceremonial aspects of the Order resembled those of the Orange Order with green replacing orange on sashes and banners.{{sfn|McMahon|2011|p=99}} This led to opponents such as Jim Larkin calling it the "Ancient Order of Catholic Orangemen".{{sfn|McMahon|2011|p=99}}

File:Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) 1911 plaque, Kanturk, Co Cork, Ireland.JPG, County Cork]]

After the 1916 Easter Rising the organisation declined outside of Ulster, its members absorbed into Sinn Féin and the Irish Republican Army (the IRA).{{sfn|Garvin|2005|p=109}} In many areas the organisation provided by the AOH was the nearest thing to a paramilitary force. On the other hand, on 13 June 1916 Joe Devlin chaired an AOH Convention in Dublin that approved the proposed partition of Ireland by 475 votes to 265.Wm O.Brien, The Irish Revolution (1923) Chapter XVII "The final surrender of the six counties [https://www.libraryireland.com/irish-revolution/final-surrender-six-counties.php] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131040202/https://www.libraryireland.com/irish-revolution/final-surrender-six-counties.php|date=31 January 2019}}

Many republican leaders in the 1916–1923 period, among them Seán Mac Diarmada, J. J. Walsh, and Rory O'Connor, had been "Hibs" before the formation of the Irish Volunteers in 1913.{{sfn|Garvin|2005|p=109}}

The AOH is also significant as a link between the new nationalist organisations and the century-old tradition of popular militant societies. More directly, it lingered on as a pro-Treaty support organisation. Some Hibernians fought in the Irish Brigade in the Spanish Civil War. The quasi-Fascist Blueshirts movement of the 1930s may, in fact, have owed as much to the Ribbon tradition which it so much resembled, as it did to continental analogies.{{sfn|Garvin|2005|p=110}}

Within Ulster generally, but especially within Northern Ireland, the AOH remains a visible but somewhat marginal part of the Catholic community. It parades at Easter, Lady Day and a few other times a year.

At the beginning of The Troubles, the AOH placed a voluntary ban on its members parading until 1975, though records of some parades taking place in defiance of the ban were reported. In 1978 an estimated 10,000 participants attended a parade in Kilrea. Since then there has been a rapid decrease of numbers and usually around twenty divisions parade at a single location.

The locations of AOH parades in Northern Ireland generally tend to be cities with a high Catholic population, coupled with the AOH's desire not to provoke trouble.{{sfn|Jarman|1997|p=107}} County Fermanagh has never hosted an AOH parade since the onset of The Troubles and County Armagh has held one. The majority of the 21 locations for parades have been in counties Antrim, Down and Londonderry.{{sfn|Jarman|1997|p=140}} On occasion when the parade has been held in an area with a significant loyalist population it has been met with an aggressive protest, notably Garvagh in 1985 and Armoy in 1989 which held its first AOH parade in 35 years.{{sfn|Jarman|1997|p=141}}

File:StJames NYC RLee.jpg, New York City]]

File:Hibernians Meagher Division Banner.JPG

The order was founded in the United States on 4 May 1836, at St. James Church in New York City,{{cite web |title=About the AOH |url=http://www.aoh.com/about-the-aoh/ |publisher=Ancient Order of Hibernians |access-date=30 October 2017 |archive-date=28 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028191143/https://aoh.com/about-the-aoh/ |url-status=live }} near the old Five Points neighbourhood.{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/St+James+Roman+Catholic+Church,+James+Street,+New+York,+NY/The+Five+Points,+158+Worth+St,+New+York,+NY+10013/@40.7132899,-74.0004544,18z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c25a2415f7e8af:0xa774f7231ac48402!2m2!1d-73.9986088!2d40.712229!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c25a26ca81ca1d:0x190635b7c46687cc!2m2!1d-74.0004734!2d40.7143585!3e2|title=Google Maps|website=Google Maps|access-date=2018-03-07}}{{Cite web|url=http://urbanethno.scientopia.org/2010/04/21/the-five-points-then-and-now-landmarks-fp2/|title=The Five Points Then and Now: Landmarks [FP2] {{!}} Urban Ethnographer|website=urbanethno.scientopia.org|access-date=2018-03-07|archive-date=7 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307214336/http://urbanethno.scientopia.org/2010/04/21/the-five-points-then-and-now-landmarks-fp2/|url-status=live}} A branch was formed the same year at Pottsville, Pennsylvania.{{cite web |title=History |url=http://www.paaoh.org/history/ |publisher=AOH Pennsylvania State Board |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150801101252/http://www.paaoh.org/history/ |archive-date=1 August 2015 |access-date=30 October 2017}} The existence and activities of the order were concealed for some years.

In 1850, members prevented the burning of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral by mobs of anti-Catholic Know Nothings.{{sfn|McMahon|2011|p=102}}

During the late 1860s and early 1870s many of the lodges of the order in Pennsylvania were infiltrated by the Molly Maguires. However the Molly Maguires and their criminal activities were condemned at the 1876 national convention of the AOH{{sfn|Schmidt|1980|p=158}} and the order was reorganised in the Pennsylvania coal areas.{{sfn|Stevens|1899|pp=212–213}}

In 1884 there was a split in the organisation. The order had previously been governed by the Board of Erin, which had governed the order in Ireland, Great Britain and the United States, but was composed of officers selected exclusively by the organisations in Ireland and Great Britain. The majority left in 1884 and became the Ancient Order of Hibernians of America (A.O.H. (Irish-American Alliance)), while the small earlier group called itself Ancient Order of Hibernians, Board of Erin (A.O.H (B.O.E.)). In 1897 the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Board of Erin, had approximately 40,000 members concentrated in New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois and Michigan, while the Ancient Order of Hibernians of America had nearly 125,000 members scattered throughout nearly every state in the union. The two groups reunited in 1898.{{sfn|Stevens|1899|p=212}}

A female auxiliary, the Daughters of Erin, was formed in 1894, and had 20,000 members in 1897. It was attached to the larger, "American" version of the order.{{sfn|Stevens|1899|p=212}}

In 1883, Bucks County Division 1 was formed in Bristol, Pennsylvania. It is the oldest continuously chartered division in Pennsylvania and one of the oldest in the United States. The Bucks County Division 1 Clubhouse, constructed in 1893, is believed to be one of the oldest, continuously operated AOH Halls. Michael Dougherty, a Division 1 Charter Member, was an Irish immigrant from Falcarragh, County Donegal, Ireland, is the Division 1 Namesake. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service during the Civil War, where he served in the Union Army with the Second Irish Dragons.

In 1898, the Port Richmond Division 87 was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It remains one of the oldest continuously chartered divisions within the Philadelphia County Board and Pennsylvania State Board.

The Ladies Auxiliary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians raised $50,000 to build the Nuns of the Battlefield sculpture in Washington, D.C., which the United States Congress authorised in 1918.{{sfn|Jacob|1998|pp=125–126}}{{cite web | author=Save Outdoor Sculpture! | year=1993 | title=Nuns of the Battlefield, (sculpture) | work=SOS! | publisher=Smithsonian | url=http://siris-artinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=all&source=~!siartinventories&uri=full=3100001~!16187~!0#focus | access-date=18 December 2010 | archive-date=7 August 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807133217/http://siris-artinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?&profile=all&source=~!siartinventories&uri=full=3100001~!16187~!0#focus | url-status=live }} The Irish-American sculptor, Jerome Connor, ended up suing the order for non-payment.

John F. Kennedy joined the AOH in 1947.{{sfn|Schmidt|1980|p=158}} The AOH's national chaplains have included prominent clergymen such as Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen and Cardinal Francis Spellman.{{cite web | url=https://aoh.com/list-of-past-presidents-chaplains-editors-jfk-awards-and-macbride-awards/ | title=List of Past Presidents, Chaplains, Editors, Kennedy Medals, and MacBride Awards }}

The AOH had 181,000 members in 1965, and 171,000 in 736 local units or "Divisions" in 1979.{{sfn|Schmidt|1980|p=158}}

U.S. Congressman Mario Biaggi received the Ancient Order of Hibernians Friend of the Irish Award in 2011.{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Ancient-Order-of-Hibernian-President-issues-statement-on-passing-of-Mario-Biaggi.html|title=Ancient Order of Hibernian president issues statement on passing of Mario Biaggi|date=27 June 2015|website=IrishCentral.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bxtimes.com/assets/pdf/2015_27bxt.pdf|title=Bronx Times Reporter|quotation=Former Bronx Congressman Mario Biaggi dies at 97|page=3|date=9 July 2015|website=Bxtimes.com|access-date=9 March 2022}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LbWVFCD-JksC&dq=%22Mario+Biaggi%22+Ancient+Order+of+Hibernians+in+%221980%22&pg=PA100|page=100|title=Foreign Assistance for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland : Hearing and Markup Before the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Its Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East, House of Representatives, Ninety-ninth Congress, Second Session, on H.R. 4329, March 5 and 6, 1986 · Volume 4|year=1986|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|access-date=9 March 2022}}

In 1982, in a revival of Hibernianism, the Thomas Francis Meagher Division No. 1 formed in Helena, Montana, dedicated to the principles of the order and to restoring a historically accurate record of Brigadier General Meagher's contributions to Montana. Soon after, six additional divisions formed in Montana.{{cite web |title=Helena, Montana: Thomas Francis Meagher Division #1 |url=http://www.hibernian.org/helena/index.html |publisher=Thomas Francis Meagher Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians |access-date=30 October 2017 |archive-date=16 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516164822/http://hibernian.org/helena/index.html |url-status=live }}

The Brothers of St. Patrick Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America was established at Brothers of St. Patrick in Midway City, California, in 1995.{{cite magazine |last=Epstein |first=Benjamin|date=December 1998 |title=Willkommen! Bienvenuto! However You Say It, If You've Got a Longing for that Old County, Join the Club |journal=Orange Coast |volume= 24|issue= 12 |location=Newport Beach, California |publisher=Emmis Communications |page=129|issn=0279-0483 |access-date= 26 May 2012|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8f0DAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Midway+City%22&pg=PA129}} In 1997, the first division in Tennessee, the James Dardis Division No. 1, was formed in Knoxville Tennessee.

In 2002, the Fr. Bernard Donnelly Division was established in Johnson County, Kansas dedicated to community service and reintroducing Hibernianism to Kansas.{{cite web |title=Fr. Bernard Donnelly Division #1, Johnson County, KS |url=https://www.ksaoh.org/ |publisher=Fr. Bernard Donnelly Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians |access-date= 7 May 2022}} Its name honors the founder of Kansas City's Irish Community, Fr. Bernard Donnelly (c. 1800–1880), an immigrant from County Cavan.{{cite web |title=Biography of Father Bernard Donnelly (circa 1800–1880), Roman Catholic Priest |url=https://kchistory.org/document/biography-father-bernard-donnelly-circa-1800-1880-roman-catholic-priest |publisher=Kansas City Public Library Missouri Valley Special Collections |access-date= 7 May 2022}}

In 2013, The Ancient Order of Hibernians raised and distributed over $200,000 to aid victims of Hurricane Sandy.{{cite news |last=Steinmuller |first=Linda |date=18 April 2013 |title=National Hibernians Lend a Hand to Local Divisions |url=http://www.canarsiecourier.com/news/2013-04-18/Other_News/National_Hibernians_Lend_A_Hand_To_Local_Divisions.html |newspaper=Canarsie Courier |location=New York |access-date=30 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107022711/http://www.canarsiecourier.com/news/2013-04-18/Other_News/National_Hibernians_Lend_A_Hand_To_Local_Divisions.html |archive-date=7 November 2017 |url-status=dead }} In 2014, the AOH called for a boycott of the retailer Spencer's for selling products the AOH says promote anti-Irish stereotypes and irresponsible drinking.{{cite web |last=O'Shea |first=James |date=22 February 2014 |title=Massive Irish American Effort to End Insulting St. Patrick's Day Gifts |url=http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/National-Irish-effort-to-end-insulting-St-Patricks-Day-gifts-.html |website=IrishCentral |access-date=30 October 2017 |archive-date=27 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427155232/http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/National-Irish-effort-to-end-insulting-St-Patricks-Day-gifts-.html |url-status=live }} On 10 May 2014 a memorial to John Barry, an immigrant to the US from Wexford who was a naval commander of the American Revolution and who holds commission number one in the subsequent U.S. Navy, was dedicated on the grounds of the United States Naval Academy. The memorial and associated "Barry Gate" was presented to the academy by the members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.{{cite news |date=8 June 2014 |title=My Time: Naval Academy Dedicates New John Barry Memorial |url=http://www.capitalgazette.com/cg2-arc-3be15e07-80a0-50fc-94b9-2a98903e85a9-20140608-story.html |newspaper=Capital Gazette |location=Annapolis, Maryland |publisher=Baltimore Sun Media Group |access-date=30 October 2017 |archive-date=7 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107020837/http://www.capitalgazette.com/cg2-arc-3be15e07-80a0-50fc-94b9-2a98903e85a9-20140608-story.html |url-status=live }}

On 17 August 2017, the John Fitzgerald Division was chartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. On 23 April 2019, the first division in Arizona, No. 1, was formed in Phoenix, Arizona. The division was formed on the grounds of the Irish Cultural Center.

At formal events, members wear a green blazer and an Irish tricolor sash of green, white, and orange.{{Cite web |title=Current Members |url=https://aohalexandria.org/current-members/#:~:text=AOH%20Uniform&text=Formal/semi-formal%20events%20such,dress%20shoes,%20and%20Irish%20sash. |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=Ancient Order of Hibernians – Alexandria}}{{Cite web |title=Irish Parade Sash for St. Patrick's Day Parade |url=https://www.gettysburgflag.com/custom/irish-parade-sash-for-st-patrick-s-day-parade |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=www.gettysburgflag.com |language=en}}

The order organised the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade for 150 years until 1993, when control was transferred to an independent committee amid controversy over the exclusion of Irish-American gay and lesbian groups and after Mayor Dinkins for that reason had boycotted the 1992 parade.{{cite web |last1=Langan |first1=Sheila |date=30 June 2015 |title=Timeline of the NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade's LGBT Controversy |url=http://www.irishcentral.com/news/politics/Timeline-of-the-NYC-St-Patricks-Day-Parades-LGBT-controversy-PHOTO--VIDEO.html |website=IrishCentral |access-date=1 February 2016 |archive-date=16 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216150013/http://www.irishcentral.com/news/politics/Timeline-of-the-NYC-St-Patricks-Day-Parades-LGBT-controversy-PHOTO--VIDEO.html |url-status=live }}

The St. Charles Ancient Order of Hibernians, Michael J. Roarty Division #1 organized a parade to honor St. Patrick and their Catholic faith. The first parade was March 17^th, 2020 with 15 AOH members marching about half-way down historic Main Street -St. Charles, MO. After this, AOH was invited to partner with the City of St. Charles to create a family centric event.  In addition to the parade, AOH host a Hedge Row mass in honor of St. Patrick before the begins at 4 pm. Each year the parade grows in tradition for St. Charles’ community, families, schools, churches, and businesses.  The 4 1/2 Annual Parade (2025) included over 70 participants, including local schools, church groups, organizations, and families with approximately 50,000 people attended with many being families with children on March 17, 2025.

{{Main|List of Hibernian buildings}}

Several buildings of the Ancient Order of Hibernians are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places or are otherwise notable.

{{Portal|Ireland}}

• Banners in Northern Ireland
• Friends of Irish Freedom
• Hibernian Rifles
• Knights of Equity
• {{section link|Parades in Northern Ireland|Ancient Order of Hibernians}}

• {{cite book

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|first=R. V.

|author-link=Vincent Comerford

|year=2003

|title=Ireland

|series=Inventing the Nation

|location=London

|publisher=Edward Arnold

|isbn=978-0-340-73111-6

}}

{{Reflist}}

{{refbegin|35em|indent=yes}}

• {{cite book

|last=Cecil

|first=Rosanne

|year=1993

|chapter=The Marching Seasons in Northern Ireland An Expression of Politico-Religious Identity

|editor-last=Macdonald

|editor-first=Sharon

|title=Inside European Identities: Ethnography in Western Europe

|series=Ethnicity and Identity

|location=Oxford

|publisher=Berg Publishers

|isbn=978-0-85496-888-6

|issn=1354-3628

|url-access=registration

|url=https://archive.org/details/insideeuropeanid0000unse

}}

• {{cite book

|last=Garvin

|first=Tom

|author-link=Tom Garvin

|year=2005

|title=The Evolution of Irish Nationalist Politics

|location=Dublin

|publisher=Gill & Macmillan

|isbn=978-0-7171-3967-5

}}

• {{cite book

|last=Jacob

|first=Kathryn Allamong

|year=1998

|title=Testament to Union: Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C.

|others=Photographs by Remsberg, Edwin Harlan

|location=Baltimore, Maryland

|publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press

|isbn=978-0-8018-5861-1

}}

• {{cite book

|last=Jarman

|first=Neil

|year=1997

|title=Material Conflicts: Parades and Visual Displays in Northern Ireland

|series=Explorations in Anthropology

|location=Oxford

|publisher=Berg Publishers

|isbn=978-1-85973-129-1

|issn=1352-8068

}}

• {{cite book

|last1=McMahon

|first1=Seán.

|title='Wee Joe' : the life of Joseph Devlin

|date=2011

|publisher=Brehon Press

|location=Belfast

|isbn=978-1905474356}}

• {{cite book

|last=Miller

|first=David W.

|year=1973

|title=Church, State and Nation in Ireland, 1898–1921

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}}

• {{cite book

|last=Rees

|first=Russell

|year=1998

|title=Ireland, 1905–1925: Text and Historiography

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|publisher=Colourpoint

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}}

• {{cite book

|last=Schmidt

|first=Alvin J.

|year=1980

|title=Fraternal Organizations

|series=The Greenwood Encyclopedia of American Institutions

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|issn=0271-9509

|url-access=registration

|url=https://archive.org/details/fraternalorganiz0000schm

}}

• {{cite book

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|location=New York

|publisher=Hamilton Printing and Publishing Company

|access-date=30 October 2017

|lccn=99001908

}}

{{refend}}

{{commons category|Ancient Order of Hibernians}}

• [http://www.aoh.com Official American website]
• [http://nwda.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv06844 Butte, Montana Irish Collection] (University of Montana Archives)
• [https://archivesspace-library.shu.edu/repositories/2/resources/500 John Concannon and the Ancient Order of Hibernians Collection] (The Monsignor Field Archives & Special Collection Center at Seton Hall University)
• {{cite web

|last=Weisman

|first=Peter A.

|year=1999

|title=Annotated Bibliography on the Molly Maguires

|url=http://www.lehigh.edu/~ineng/paw/paw-history.htm

|location=Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

|publisher=Lehigh University

|access-date=30 October 2017

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622031823/http://www.lehigh.edu/~ineng/paw/paw-history.htm

|archive-date=22 June 2007

|url-status=dead

}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ancient Order of Hibernians}}

Category:1836 establishments in New York (state)

Category:Catholic Church in the United States

Category:Conservative organizations in the United States

Category:Ethnic fraternal orders in the United States

Category:Fraternal orders

Category:Irish-American organizations

Category:Irish secret societies

Category:Men's organizations in the United States

Category:Organizations established in 1836

Category:Catholic organizations based in the United States

Category:Secret societies in the United States

Category:Political parties and organisations of the Irish diaspora