About the Ancient Order of Hibernians
The Ancient Order of Hibernians is America’s oldest Irish Catholic Fraternal Organization founded concurrently in the coal-mining region of Pennsylvania and New York City in May,1836. The Order can trace its roots back to a series of similar societies that existed in Ireland for more than 300 years. Today the AOH exists in America, Canada, Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland, however, while the organizations share a common thread, the American AOH is a separate and much larger organization.
The early Irish societies were born of a need in the mid-fifteen hundreds to protect the welfare of fellow Irish Catholics, and especially the clergy who risked immediate death to keep the Catholic Faith alive in occupied Ireland after the Penal Laws of 1691. These various secret societies were formed across the country to aid and comfort their people by whatever means was available. Similarly, the AOH in America was founded at New York’s St. James Church on May 4,1836 by men emulating these Irish societies, to protect the clergy and churches from the violent American Nativists who attacked Irish Catholic immigrants and Church property. At the same time the vast influx of Irish Immigrants fleeing Ireland’s Great Hunger in the late 1840’s, prompted a growth in many Irish societies in the USA – the largest of which was, and continues to be, the AOH.
Active across the United States, The Order seeks to aid the newly arrived Irish, both socially and economically. The many Divisions and club facilities located throughout the U.S. have traditionally been among the first to welcome new Irish immigrants. Here, the Irish culture — art, dance, music, and sports are fostered and preserved. The newcomers can meet some of ‘their own’ and are introduced to the social atmosphere of the Irish-American community. the AOH has been at the forefront for issues concerning the Irish, such as; Immigration Reform; economic Incentives both here and in Ireland; the human rights issues addressed in the MacBride Legislation; Right-To-Life; and a peaceful and just solution to the issues that divide Ireland.
“It was a Tuesday night in 1949, and my father took me by the back of the neck to my first AOH meeting, I went every Tuesday night after that. By the time I was old enough to say no to my old man, I was too into the Irish culture to leave,” he added. “I fell in love with all things Irish: Irish music, Irish history, Irish politics. Irish people. Now my kids are steeped in Irish culture. My grandfather was the grand marshal of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 1929. In 1986 I was the grand marshal. I’m kinda proud of that.”
The Division 19 Story:
Our Division founder John O’Hagan served as the Grand Marshal of the 1928 St Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City. His love and devotion to furthering Irish culture from the United States led to his success within our order. He made the AOH a legacy in his own family. O’Hagan’s Grandson Al O’Hagan became a trailblazer within the Irish American Scene. He founded and Chaired the Annual Great Irish Fair of New York in 1981 and ran that festival in excess of 25+ years. O’Hagan helped to raise millions of dollars to assist with Catholic Education. Al O’Hagan followed in his Grandfather’s footsteps and served as Grand Marshal of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 1986.
The O’Hagan legacy exemplifies the standard that Division 19 represents. Today, the Philanthropic efforts of Division 19 are aimed in the same way, to benefit Catholic Education as a whole. Annually we donate money to Xaverian (Bay Ridge) High School’s Sean Ryan Scholarship fund. This scholarship fund is named in honor of Sean Ryan, a Stalwart in the Gerritsen Beach community, whose life was taken following a car accident.
The membership of Division 19 have created a Fraternal organization where the word brother is held with the upmost importance. When you are a Hibernian, specifically within Division 19, you are apart of a family.
Division 19 remains committed to the Philanthropic work that was modeled by both John and Al O’Hagan in their lives. Today, John O’Hagan’s Great-Great Grandchildren Kieran McGirl and Sean McGirl serve as President and Financial secretary for Division 19.