[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 22]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 29741-29742]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  IN HONOR OF THE ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS DIVISION 4 ANNUAL IRISH 
                              FAMINE MASS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 7, 2009

  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Ancient 
Order of Hibernians A.O.H., Division 4 and their Great Irish Hunger 
Annual Mass and Memorial Dedication. On

[[Page 29742]]

Saturday, November 14, the A.O.H. will hold a mass and immediately 
following take part in a processional walk to Friendship Park in 
Keansburg, New Jersey, for the dedication and blessing of ``The Great 
Irish Hunger Monument.'' The monument was designed by artist Phil Sloan 
and A.O.H. Division 2 President Jack Sullivan.
  The Ancient Order of Hibernians was founded in 1836 in New York City 
and is a nonprofit Catholic fraternal organization whose mission is to 
promote friendship, unity, and Christian charity among its members. The 
original order existed in Ireland for over 300 years and was created to 
help protect the lives of Catholic priests in occupied Ireland after 
the reign of England's King Henry VIII.
  American chapters of the Ancient Order of Hibernians were created for 
similar reasons like protecting the clergy and the Catholic Church and 
its followers while providing aid to the community at large. The A.O.H. 
admirably seeks to promote and preserve the Irish Heritage through art, 
music, dance, and culture. The services that they provide are important 
assets to my district and provide unique diversity that is dearly 
valued.
  The Great Famine or Great Hunger created widespread starvation and 
disease which, coupled with a mass exodus from Ireland, caused the 
country's population to drop by more than 20 percent. It is estimated 
that approximately 1 million people died and 1 million more left 
Ireland during that period. The A.O.H. will honor and remember those 
devastated by the famine with a memorial mass, as well as bless their 
newly erected monument which will stand as a memorial to the lives lost 
and forever changed by the Great Hunger.
  Madam Speaker, I sincerely hope my colleagues will join me in 
thanking the Ancient Order of Hibernians for the work they do in 
supporting my constituency, as well as honor the memory of those 
affected by the Great Hunger that struck Ireland over 150 years ago.

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