[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15177]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    125TH ANNIVERSARY ALLEGHENY COUNTY ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS, 
                              DIVISION 17

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL F. DOYLE

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 27, 2017

  Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
recognize the Allegheny County Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 17, 
which is currently celebrating its 125th anniversary as a pillar of 
Irish-American heritage and charitable service in the Pittsburgh 
region.
  The AOH has its roots in the efforts by the Tudor Kings and Queens of 
England to impose greater control over the Irish. These efforts 
affected most aspects of life, from language and religion to law and 
politics to land ownership--and even clothing. Secret societies formed 
to protect Irish Catholics from government excesses and extrajudicial 
violence.
  Faced with centuries of English oppression, as well as a series of 
crop failures, many Irish emigrated in search of better opportunities. 
A great many came to America, but found they were forced to confront 
the same anti-Catholic prejudice that they had faced back home. In 
response to this discrimination, Irish Americans began forming 
fraternal organizations to combat anti-Irish prejudice, support each 
other, and keep their culture and religion alive. In May 1836, the 
first and largest of these groups, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, was 
founded simultaneously in New York City and Pottsville, Pennsylvania.
  Through the rest of the nineteenth century, the AOH grew 
significantly, opening its first division in Allegheny County in 1859. 
Allegheny County Division 17 was established in 1892. During this time, 
in addition to working to preserve Irish culture, AOH members did their 
best to embody the Hibernian motto of ``Friendship, Unity, and 
Christian Charity.'' The Hibernians taught civics and English classes 
to help new Irish immigrants become citizens, and they provided much 
needed social programs to care for the sick and needy in their 
communities. At the same time, they worked to confront and eradicate 
harmful anti-Irish stereotypes.
  Since then, the AOH's ranks have included notable actors, generals, 
and even a President of the United States--John F. Kennedy. All the 
while, the organization has continued its mission to preserve Irish 
Americans' connection with their ancestral homeland and to care for the 
needy in their communities. For 125 years, Allegheny County Division 17 
has been actively involved in this mission. Division 17 Hibernians 
donate time and money to three local parishes each Christmas, as well 
as food banks in Braddock, and a number of other charitable 
organizations, including Rosaries for the Troops, St. Vincent de Paul, 
and the Sisters of Charity. They have also endeavored to preserve their 
Irish heritage and lobbied the Pennsylvania state government to support 
Irish independence.
  Today, the AOH stands as a testament to the tenacity of the Irish 
people, a celebration of our culture, and a monument to a people who 
helped build this country. I'm proud to be of Irish ancestry--and to be 
a member of Allegheny County Division 17 of the AOH. As we commemorate 
the AOH's legacy of faith and perseverance in the face of adversity, 
let us also take inspiration from its story and recognize the 
responsibility each of us shares to help make our nation as welcoming a 
land as our ancestors dreamed it would be.
  I would like to congratulate Allegheny County Division 17 of the 
Ancient Order of Hibernians on the occasion of their 125th anniversary, 
I commend them for their service to the community, and I wish them the 
best in the years to come. Ireland Forever (Erin go Bragh).

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