| Ancient Order of Hibernians | |
|---|---|
| AOH | |
 | |
| Founded | 4 May 1836 New York City, New York, US |
| Type | Fraternal Order |
| Affiliation | Independent |
| Status | Active |
| Emphasis | Irish Catholic |
| Scope | International |
| Headquarters | PO Box 437 Oreland, Pennsylvania 19075-0437 United States |
| Website | aoh |
The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH; Irish: Ord Ársa na nÉireannach[1][2]) is an Irish Catholic fraternal organization. Members must be male, Catholic, and either born in Ireland or of Irish descent. Its largest membership is in the United States, where it was founded in New York City in 1836.
The name was adopted by groups of Irish immigrants in the United States,[3] its purpose to act as guards to shield Catholic churches from anti-Catholic forces in the mid-19th century, and to assist Irish Catholic immigrants, especially those who faced discrimination or harsh coal mining working conditions.[citation needed] Many members in the coal mining area of Pennsylvania allegedly had a background with the Molly Maguires. It became an important focus of Irish American political activity.[3]
- ^ Hurley, John W. (2018). Shillelagh: The Irish Fighting Stick. Lulu.com. ISBN 9781430325703 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Libel, Slander, Drinking". Archived from the original on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
- ^ a b Miller 1973, pp. 209–215.