[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6629]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS, DIVISION 39

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT A. BRADY

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 30, 2014

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor The 
Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 39, proudly celebrating their 
125th anniversary in May, 2014. Their motto of Friendship, Unity and 
Christian Charity can be seen throughout the division's history, from 
helping Irish immigrants obtain work in the early 1870's to the present 
day, by awarding scholarships, holding fundraisers for those in need 
and collecting thousands of dollars and much needed supplies for those 
in New York and New Jersey who were devastated by super storm Sandy.
  In 1884 Irish immigrants built and attended St. Leo's Catholic 
Church, which still stands today. In 1885 an Irishman and Hibernian, 
Frank Jordan, built the Tacony Music Hall, which was placed on the 
National Register of Historic Places in 1990. Today ancestors of the 
Irish immigrant families still reside in the Tacony area of 
Philadelphia. During the 1950's and 1960's many more divisions of the 
Ancient Order of Hibernians were started in Philadelphia and 
surrounding areas and Division 39 lost members. By the late 1960's when 
there were less than 50 members remaining, the officers and members 
undertook a revitalization of this once great division. By the early 
1980's Division 39 had over 300 members, and by the mid 1990's there 
were over 900 members, making Division 39 the largest in the country. 
As of today the membership remains at approximately 750 members.
  Some of the annual functions at the division are the communion 
breakfast, Veterans Day mass and social, children's Christmas party, 
mass before the St. Patrick's Day parade and post parade party, 
awarding of scholarships based on a written essay, three scholarship 
awards on Thanksgiving Day to Father Judge High School football 
players, erection and dismantling of the Christmas creche in downtown 
Philadelphia, the annual chili cook off and membership drive and weekly 
crab night. These events are only some of the ways the Division 39 
gives back to the community.
  I ask that you and my other distinguished colleagues join me in 
congratulating The Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 39, on its 
125th anniversary of serving the Tacony community.

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