ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERIANS

ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERIANS. A men's fraternal organization, A. O. H. was formed in Ireland in reaction to anti-Catholic bigotry and violence. Members of the group came to the United States in the early 19th century. A group of coal miners from Pennsylvania calling themselves the Hiberian Benevolent Society were part of the New York City's St. Patrick's Day Parade. (1)

The Ancient Order of Hiberians was founded at New York's St. James Church on May 4, 1836. Representatives of the St. Patrick's Fraternal Society and the Hiberian Benevolent Society saw a need for Irish splinter groups to unite to defend against nativist groups. (2) By 1904 the organization had an estimated 150,000 members in the United States. Benefits of membership included insurance, sickness benefits, and care of widows and orphans. Members were expected to live according to the motto, "Friendship, Unity, and True Christian Charity. (3)

The first division of the A.O.H. in Dubuque County was established in 1891, one year after the state convention in Sioux City. (4) In 1922 the Dubuque organization initiated a class of one hundred, one of the largest in local history. Arrangements were announced that a drill team was to be formed. (5) The peak membership of the organization saw nine divisions in the county with six in the city of Dubuque. Each was usually associated with a parish with mainly Irish membership. (6)

With the growth of groups like the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, interest in many fraternal groups fell between WORLD WAR I and WORLD WAR II. This was the case in Dubuque County where all of the divisions gradually disappeared. (7) Ironically it was in 1916 that the New York branch of the A.O.H. asked the Dubuque organization to start asking for donations to help the Irish left homeless by the rebellion at home. (8) An auxiliary for women was in operation in 1923. (9) The local Hiberians had another class of one hundred join the group in 1922. (10) As late as 1925 the Junior Society of the Hiberians was entertaining local groups with singing and ukulele music. (11)

A rebirth of the organization was due to John Gallagher who established a division in Atlanta, Georgia while serving in the military. Upon marrying a girl from Iowa and returning to the state, he helped re-establish an A. O. H. division in Dyersville in 2005. (12)

Divisions must have fifteen members and a priest as its chaplain. Members are expected to be at least one-eighth Irish and practicing Catholics. Dues are twenty-five dollars annually. (13)

Dyersville St. Patrick's Day Parade. Photo courtesy: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Ancient-Order-of-Hibernians-Dubuque-County-Division-1-355622437942153/posts/

The second division of the A.O.H. was established in Dubuque in February 2013 with Rob McCullough. In 2017 the president of the Dubuque division was Jim Siegert. In 2017 the Dubuque division had an estimated sixty members and met an estimated six times annually. Major activities of the organization included the Irish Hooley in Dubuque, St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dyersville, and a post-parade dinner in Dubuque. The main fundraiser was a raffle for a $3,000 travel voucher through CIE Tours, the leading tour operation in Ireland. In 2017 the designated charity for the Irish Hooley was Research for Kids supporting brain tumor and heart defect research programs at the University of Iowa Childrens' Hospital. (14)

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Source:

1. Cooper, Brian, "Hatching a Hibernian Herd," Tri-States' Irish Heritage, March 16, 2017, p. 58

2. Ibid.

3. "A.O.H. It's Birth and Growth in World," Dubuque Telegraph Herald, September 18, 1904, p. 3

4. "The Ancient Order of Hiberians," Dubuque Daily Herald, June 6, 1906, p. 1

5. "A.O.H. to Initiate Large Class Monday," Telegraph Herald, February 5, 1922, p. 9

6. Cooper

7. Ibid.

8. "Will Start Relief Fund," Telegraph Herald, June 11, 1916, p. 4

9. "More Officers Named," Telegraph Herald, December 5, 1923, p. 5

10. "A.O.H. to Initiate Big Class Monday," Telegraph Herald, February 5, 1922, p. 9

11. "Junior Hiberians Put on Good Concert," Telegraph Herald, September 13, 1925, p. 6

12. Cooper

13. Ibid.

14. Ibid.