The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-10-29
ORDER OF HIBERNIANs.
First Convention in Ireland-History
of Organization.
dublin Irish Catholic. oct. s.

/
of Organization.
dublin Irish Catholic, Oct. 81
Belfast witnessed ON Saturday the
first convention of the Ancient Order
of Hibernians ever held within the con-
fines of Ireland and Great Britain To
| very few outside its ranks are the OBJ
| Jects and aims of this organiza ton
known. The Ancient Order of Hfbern-
ians, as its name indicates, is a So
ciety composed exclusively of Irish
men by birth or descent, and practical
Catholics, organized for the preserva-
tion of the church and the protection of
its interests. AS regards the founda-
ton of the order, accounts differ. How
ever, 1t may be safely assumed that
the formation in 1865 of the Defenders
by Rory Og O'More was the initiation
of the Hibernians. From the death of
y More the Defenders continued, under
different leaders, till they became u
part of the oath-bound organization.
the Confederation of Kilkenny, and were
represented at the National Synod held
in Ye Faire Cite on Oct. IA, 1912. Not
till nearing the end of the Eighteenth
century can we trace any record of the
Defenders. when in the southern couu-
ties appeared kindred organizations
Noiitu w Illt DOyS anu LSNeIeTS. CO
serious at this period were the dis
turbances in Ireland that a special
committee was appointed by parliament
to inquire into their cause. But, as IS
usual with such committees, no ma
terial benefit was derived from their
deliberations and report. So things
dragged on, and the wretched condi-
tion of the mass of the Irish peasan-
try, coupled with all the other ills,
forced upon them, drove them to per
feet combination for self-defence
against ejectment from their buildings,
and perhaps ultimate destitution, with
its compliments, nakedness and star
vation. To afford security against ,
these the Ribbon society was formed.
The Ribbonmen's association was, in
fact, vast trades union for the pro-
lection of the peasantry, the object be-
ing, not to regulate the rate of wages
or the hours of work, but to keep the
actual occupant in the possession of his |
land, and to regulate the relation Of
landlord and tenant for the benefit OF
the latter. In 1771 the Steel Boys, the |
predecessors of the Orangemen, made |
their appearance in the north of Ire !
and. These were followed in 1880 by |
The Protestant and Peep-o'-Day Boys, |
and in 1895 by the Orangemen.
The government looked upon every |
irish Catholic as being a rebel, |
and treated him as SUCH Driven from |
heir homes, the persecuted Catholics |
we're oft arrested and punished for |
crimes committed by their opponents.
Fhe necessity then arose for joint ac-
ion, and the Defenders of the north
md the White Boys of the south
oined hands and adopted the name
pieces of ribbon worn as the symbol of
he organization, red and green. The
'reen denoted unity, and the red blood
or blood. Branches of the RibbonmeF.-
'egan to spring up in England and
scotland under the mama of the Hiber-
ian society and the Hibernia Sick and
funeral society, as the other soubri-
uet was banned by law. In 1926 the
anne in Ireland was changed from the
to that of st. Patrick s
'raternal society. In the County An
rim, however, the new name did not
redominate. However, all things be-
anne leavened, and the order began to
pread through the other counties of
he north, and ultimately to America,
here, within brief space of time, it
umbered in the states of New York
Ohio and Illinois, 10000
has become the most powerful and
lfiuential Irish Catholic organization
! the world. Possessed as it is of a
lrge banking account, one is not sur
rised to learn that to aid the starry
lg people of the west some years ago ,
le order in America telegraphed $4,000
} the Most Rev. DR.. Walsh. Towards
lie erection of the st. PatrickS Me-
lorial church in the Eternal City the
. o. H. subscribed thousands of dol
lrs, and when Brother Francis ap-
ealed for aid in the interest of the
eaf and dumb here in our own city,
le Rev. Father Flynn, acknowledging
ime, said: May my blessing, with
lie blessing of God, and the blessing of
g little children, attend the members
the Ancient Order of Hibernians"
hen, for the endowment of the Gaelic
lair in the Catholic University of
'ashington, L. S. A, the order gave
0,000. In July last the ST. Louis con-
ention allocated the sum of 81 900 To
le Gaelic league here at home to aid
em in their noble propaganda WORK.
Thus far is brief history of the Hi
ernians. On Saturday 500 delegates,
$4,000 members in Eng
nd, Ireland and Scotland, assembled
the Avenue hall, Garfield street, Bel
st. The rules of the order preclude
e publication of a report of the pro-
edings The question of registration,
'wever, occupied the attention of the
Getting for a considerable time, and
e matter was ultimately postponed
It'll the next convention.
One of the principal speakers at The
INVENTION was Mr. A. Madden, T. c.,
}. 1 division, Dublin, who was accord :.
a very. enthusiastic reception. 1t
IS on his motion that the vexed ques- !
IN of registration was postponed for
-elve months. Mr.. j. Devlin, NJ. p,
a Hibernian, also addressed the
and was very well received
ogarding the holding of next conven-
IN it was, OH a DIVISION, decided to
Id same in Dublin. d
IN the evening the various delegates v
20 were remaining in Belfast were Q
tertained to a Conversations in the = 4
ltional club, Berry street, by the To- I
divisions.
HoNoRED BY THE POPE. L