The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-06-13
9HB STORY or THE A. 0. 4.
Had Its: Birth When the Penal
Laws Were In France
and Ireland.
Aims and Intentions of the Order
and How it is Main
tained.
Said to Have Been Established By
~ Women After the Siege
)!
OF Limerick.

n Of Limerick.
+ It is a we'll known fact that orders o
knighthood and chivalry existed in Ire
i land long before the birth Of Christ, say
Edward Gerard in Donahoe's Magazine
History tells us of the Gamhanraidhe o
1rrius Domhnann, under Oillioll Fin1
ard Righ of ireland A. M. 4405. Of tht
g-Clanna Deedghaidh Deagadians) o
West Munster under Daire and his son
Cuorigh MacDaire, who hourished abou
i "A. M. 5000. Coexistent with these were
!. !Curaidhthe Nag-Craojbhe Ruaidh, OF
! knights of the Red Branch of Eamha1r
Macha (now Navan). To these may be
! added the Feinne Eireann Tor Fenian
| Militia, under Finn MacCumhall (com-
Z monty spelled Finn McCooD who alve1
ia the reign Of Cormac Mac ART A. D.
294.
( The ;Ancient Order Of Hibernians was
3 first organized in Ireland when the ln1a-
NOUS penal laws were in operation, and
but little documentary evidence OF its
early history is obtainable. This is due
I to the danger, at that time, OF carrying
any papers. the possession OF which
z would entail loss of life, and also to the
fact that education among the Irish
= Catholics was proscibed. When 1t is
remembered that long before 1870, the
"Statute of Kilkenny enacted that the
Irish language was felony" and placed
the teaching thereof under a ban, the
reason will be apparent for the lack of
written history regarding the organ1za-
tion's infancy, and show why we have to
rely, to a large extent, upon tradition,
: and the oral evidence of the Bard, and
Seanachuidhe.
It has been alleged that the Ancient
Order Of Hibernians was established by
two women after the siege OF Limerick
in that city OF the 'sViolated Treaty
but thesaecuracy Of the statement may be
doubted We are assured that the order
must have been in existence during the
reign of Queen Elizabeth, though it may
have lapsed to a considerable extent dur
ing the reign ofsJames H., and have been
revived after Sarsfeld's gallant sortie at
Ballyneety, and the glorious defence OF
Limerick.
The purpose which inspired its found
ers was to keep alive the spirit OF irish
nationality, so dear to the heart OF the
Gael, under the most trying clrcumstan-
ces, to rectify the wrongs OF the poor ana
oppressed, and also to protect the irish
priests in the exercise of their sacred
functions. Those were the days, when
to be a Hibernian was to be ready at u
moments notice to lay down life itself, IN
defense of the faith and its priests; the
DAYS when the sacrifice Of the mass could
be offered only on the mountain top, in
l@I r14 In
cavern far from the llaunts of men.
Event to the present day the people
who still use the venacular will point out
to the tourist in Ireland, Cnoc-an-Aifrin
(the mass hilD, or Gleann an Affirm (the
glen Of the mass). These names tell the
story Of dreary penal days more eloquent
" than words, and forcibly recall the
men whose duty it was to keep watch and
ward over the beloved Sagairt Arun aud
his faithful flock, and to warn them OF
the approach of the red-coats and priest
hunters, The Hibernians were ever
! true to faith and motherland in those
irving times, when English gold and
. English rulers
''Bribed the son to rob the sire,
And dogs were taught alike to run,
| Upon the scent of wolf and frar.'
II is said that the Rapparees We're also
! g. branch of the old Hibernians; but the
truth of the statement have at present
no means of ascertaining. We know
that many of the Rapparees were Irish
gentlemen, who, through religious perse-
cution, were deprived of their ancestral
patrimony, had to fly to the mountains
for refuge.
The Ancient Order of Hibernians
!. struggled against fearful odds to be faith
= h1vL NIT
ell the forces arrayed against them, they
kept the enemy in check and foiled him
1pon many an occasions, when almost
sure of his prey.
Since that period of bigotry and pro-
y ecription, the scope and work OF the Or
+ der have changed Unfortunately, later
. on, in the hands OF ignorant or designing
men. it's noble objects were, on several
= occasions, frustrated, and the Catholic
clergy were frequently compelled to de-
nounce it; but when it is remembered
that the Irish peasant had no redress for
Injustice, it is not to be wondered at that
he tried to induce the brotherhood to aid
him in his efforts for retaliation upon his
eppressors. Today, and for many years
past both in this country and III the OLD
Land. the orders banner bears the motto
t, OF Friendship, Unity and True Christian
Charity to tits members, and peace and
good will to all men,
This is the doctrine taught by the order
the world over, and no true Hibernians
foster any spirit of prescription against
his neighbor, no matter what his race or
religious belief. In this republic the
principles Of the society are fully in &C
cord with American institutions and its
growth and prosperity bears the strong
est testimony Of Its great and noble work.
The Ancient Order OF Hibernians was
trakasplanted to the United States about
60 years ago, although it is said to have
existed lin Maryland and other states
.yrevtous to that time It absorbed a
sreat many of the older Irish, societies
existing here for: years previous to Its
& coming. n However, outside q few large
centsrs Of Irish popul altion, such as the
4 cities 81 New 8ork, Boston, hdladelphia
and q few OF hers. very little was known
s,of it for q number of years. W hen the
Irish. people sett.. ed ID the other large
B cities and towns, the order took root and and
4 fourished among them until today, It
s extends t0 ever state and terriitory on
~.