​ AOH FINANCIAL NEWS

The 2024 AOH membership cards will be arriving soon. We’d appreciate you paying your dues at your earliest convenience. The dues are $40.00. Drop off or mail your payment to: AOH Hall, 148 Main St., Binghamton, NY 13905. Attn: Mark Kadlecik. If you have an address change, please let us know. It’s the only way we can keep our records straight and ensure you’ll get all the mailings.

 Parade Committee.

Parade Day 2025 is March 1, 2025

: Parade News- Thank you to everyone who helped in any way with the 56th “parade day.” Rest up- “parade day”2025 is 3/1/25.

​ CORPORATION NEWS

The Luck of the Irish Raffle has started-see flyer for details. Please try to support the events coming up in September and October. Enjoy the rest of the summer. -Tom Kelly Corporation President.

2024 Event Pictures, click here.

aoh finacial news

I’d like to thank all the members who have paid their 2024 dues. An arrears letter will be sent in April to those who haven’t paid, and the dues will then be $50. Those who are in arrears with their dues will need to bring them up-to-date as soon as possible. Drop-off your payment at the hall or mail to AOH; 148 Main St.; Binghamton, NY 13905 – Attn: Mark Kadlecik

IRISH HISTORY

 Irish History – Ireland’s Historic Sport of Hurling 

        The sports landscape of Ireland is vast and varied.  Sports in Ireland include Gaelic football, handball, rugby, soccer, golf, cricket, boxing, and horse racing. But the most historic Irish sport and now one of the most popular, sometimes referred to as “a cross between hockey and murder” is the sport of hurling. Hurling was first played in Ireland over 3000 years ago. It is believed to have been brought to the island by the ancient Celts. During the British occupation of Ireland authorities banned the game. It was feared that groups of men banding together might cause trouble for the Empire. The ban had little effect; the game flourished. It flourished until the Great Famine, which left one million dead and at least a million more emigrating elsewhere. The game almost disappeared. However, in the early 1880’s the Gaelic Athletic Association was formed with a goal to revive traditional indigenous sports in Ireland. The G.A.A. apparently did a great job because hurling and Gaelic Football are now two of the most popular sports in Ireland.

    Some say it has all the brutality of lacrosse, played with an axe shaped stick, but sort of like playing baseball while running around. So how do you play this fast-paced game?  The abbreviated rules are as follows: The sliotar (the ball, pronounced slitter) must be flicked up from the ground using the hurley (the stick). (By the way, we have a hurley on display at our Hall in Binghamton). You cannot pick the sliotar up by hand, run more than 4 steps with it, or throw it. Players can run with the sliotar on the base of the hurley or hand it to another player or hit it with the hurley like hitting a baseball with a bat. A player scores by getting the sliotar in the net (think soccer goal), for 3 points or through the goal posts (think football goal posts) for 1 point.

    Hurling, (or camogie, the female version) is now played in countries throughout the world including the United States. However, in Ireland many Irish will say it is more than a game. It is the national game of Ireland and a game of tradition, strength, skill, and sporting heritage. The TV show ’60 Minutes’ called it a form of mayhem and the most exciting game you never heard of. So, on your next trip to Ireland you might just want to take in a local game or perhaps join the 82,000 spectators as the counties of Ireland fight it out in the All-Ireland finals held in Dublin.  - Bill Burke. Sources: 60 Minutes 5.28.20, Yourirish.com’24, Culture trip-K. Phelan ‘16, The Magic of Hurling-The Sporting Blog

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION PROCESS

  Membership in the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Inc. is confined to men 16 years and older who are practicing Roman Catholics of Irish birth or descent and who are citizens of United States of America or who have declared their intentions to become citizens of the United States of America.

Associate memberships are also available to those who do not meet the aforementioned qualification.

It is a standing rule that Applications for Membership that languish without action for longer than 6 months are discarded.

Notifications for induction dates and times, through the Shamrock Degree, are sent to all applicants.
Those who have applied prior to this 6 month period, and are serious about joining the A.O.H., need to reapply for admission and make arrangements to attend a Shamrock Degree ceremony within the next six month.

Those interested in membership must stop into the Hall to submit an application as they must have an active member sponsor them and sign the form.

Please check the Bartender Schedule page here for days and times the hall is open.