| | Abstract: | The Ancient Order of Hibernians, Cuyahoga County Divisions (f. 1871) was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, to provide social gatherings, cultural events, and charitable opportunities for the Irish American community in northeast Ohio. The Ancient Order of Hibernians began in 1520 in Ireland as a reaction to the efforts of Henry VIII to become head of the church in Ireland. The group's main purpose was to protect the Catholic Church and priests especially during the 17th century in Ireland when the existence of Roman Catholic priests was illegal according to Oliver Cromwell's legislation. According to the 1949 Ancient Order of Hibernians program, the Cleveland group was dedicated to the ideals of "Friendship, Unity, and True Christian Charity". The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) was established in the United States in the 1830s in reaction to the mounting wave of religious bigotry, discrimination, mob action, and violence against Irish immigrants. The organization was started in New York City on May 4, 1836. The organization began in Ohio in 1850 in Cincinnati. The first Cleveland division was started in 1871. It grew quickly, and by 1875, four divisions were active in Cleveland. The first charter for the Ladies Auxiliary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Ohio was granted to AOH wives in Dayton in 1896. The first Ladies Auxiliary in the Cleveland area was organized at St. Colman's Church on the West Side of Cleveland in 1908. Around 1987 the Ladies voted to leave out the "Auxiliary" and call themselves the Ladies Ancient Order of the Hibernians. In the early 20th century the AOH focused mainly on social gatherings and raising money for a scholarship endowment for Trinity College and local charities. By the late twentieth century, the focus shifted to historic preservation, fund raising for Catholic-based charities, promotion of Irish culture, and financial assistance to families of political prisoners who were jailed by the British government and assistance to Catholic schools in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The collection consists of annual reports, applications for membership, announcements, bylaws, clippings, constitutions, correspondence, dues booklets, dues ledgers, financial records, letters, lists, membership cards, minutes, proclamations, programs, a ritual booklet, a thesis, and a wake service booklet. | |
