Greeting Brother Hibernians!

Another March is under way, but this year it’s a wee bit more special because for the first time it is officially Irish-American Heritage Month in Louisiana.  Special thanks go out to La. State Senator Edwin Murray for all of his efforts to help get the legislation passed and signed into law.  And I would be remiss if I did not also thank Brother Paco Scanlan for spearheading the La. AOH’s efforts to bring about this special recognition from the Louisiana State Government.

This year’s Hibernian of the Year, Judge James McKay III, kicked off this special month with a television appearance on the morning news of local CBS affiliate WWL-TV.  Judge McKay trumpeted all of the contributions that the Irish and Hibernians have made to Louisiana for many years and he spoke about the upcoming St. Patrick’s festivities which are not to be missed.

Speaking of which, here is a quick rundown of the opportunities you will have to celebrate your Irish heritage:

March 14^th – Annunciation Square Block Party hosted by the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Club.  All proceeds benefit St. Michael’s Special School, which is near and dear to all of us.

March 16^th – Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Mass and Parade.  Mass begins at Noon at St. Mary’s with the parade following at around 1 PM.  All members of the AOH are invited to march as a group in the parade. 

March 17^th – AOH Mass at St. Patrick’s Church at 11 AM.  All AOH members are invited and asked to assemble outside of the church by 10:30 AM.

March 17^th – 137^th Annual AOH St. Patrick’s Day Banquet at the Sheraton Hotel.  Cocktail hour begins at 6 PM with dinner and entertainment to follow.  Please join us in celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in grand style as we honor, Judge James McKay III, our Hibernian of the Year.  We are also privileged to have a special keynote speaker this year, Minister Eamon Gilmore, the Tanaiste of Ireland.  This is most certainly a night that you won’t want to miss.

March 23^rd – Acadian Division’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration and Crawfish Boil.  All AOH members are encouraged to join their brothers in Lafayette to wind up the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations Cajun Style!

Indeed, this is an ambitious schedule, but it gives us many opportunities to celebrate our Irish heritage and also allows us the chance to educate the public about what being an Irish-American and a Hibernian is really all about.  No doubt we will have our share of refreshments along the way, but getting loaded and carrying on like drunken fools is an old, tired stereotype.  We are hard-working, fun-loving, and faithful Catholics of Irish descent, who actively practice the tenets of Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity. We are thankful that the month of March has been designated as Irish-American Heritage Month and we should all take this opportunity to celebrate proudly and appropriately. 

Éirinn go brách!

The 137th Ancient Order of Hibernians Banquet will take place on Sunday 17th March 2013 at the Sheraton Hotel, 500 Canel Street (Napoleon Ballroom).

We are delighted to announce that the Key Note Speaker for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Banquet is scheduled to be Mr. Eamon Gilmore, the current Tánaiste of Ireland, who is the second-most senior officer in the Government of Ireland that acts as the deputy head of government. The Tánaiste is appointed by the President of Ireland on the advice of the Taoiseach. Mr. Gilmore is the leader of the Labour Party and was appointed to his current position on March 9, 2011.

Banquet Details:

Honorable James F. McKay III, Hibernian of the Year. 

Cocktails

Dinner at 7:00 pm

Entertainment : Stephen Green & Jimmy Maxwell Orchestra

Acadiana Division

The Ancient Order of Hibernians

St. Patrick Celebration Crawfish Boil

Saturday, March 23, 2013 at 6 pm

Evangeline Shrine Club, 328 Guilbeau Road

Lafayette, LA 70506

$40 per person

Provides:  Crawfish, Beer/Refreshments

Irish Dancers & Irish Music

For more information, call Mark Foley 337-654-0077

Email your ticket reservations to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

and pay at the door with cash or check

Brother Hibernians -
 
Our good friends at Finn McCool's have graciously agreed to allow us to host a fundraiser at their place this Saturday, November 24th from 1 PM to 6 PM.  Please make plans to join us for live music by Aine O'Doherty and Danny Burns as we come together to raise money for AOH Storm Relief.  
 
There is no charge for the event, but all monetary donations are welcome and will be forwarded to the AOH Storm Relief Fund which is being used to help many of the Hibernians in NY and NJ whose lives and property have been devastated by Hurricane Sandy. Shepherd's pie and other goodies will be served and Finn's will be smoke free for the day.  
 
Please spread the word and let's get a great crowd out to Finn's on Saturday afternoon!
 
All the best, 
 
Joe Casler
Louisiana State President
Ancient Order of Hibernians in America, Inc.

Brothers - Please give the following letter from National AOH President Brendan Moore your immediate attention and consideration. The Louisiana State Board will be making a donation to the fund and I encourage all of you to do the same.

Thank you,

Joseph C. Casler
Louisiana State President
Ancient Order of Hibernians in America, Inc.

11-06-12

Dear Brothers:

Many parts of the Northeast have been devastated. Hurricane Sandy has left us with unimaginable misery in terms of destruction, dislocation, and despair. Areas with extremely high concentrations of Hibernians truly resemble war zones where dark and heatless homes faced this frigid morning with temperatures averaging 25 degrees. 

I realize you have seen the tremendous loss on TV. A neighbor of mine told me that when a newscaster showed people burning their own furniture to stay warm, he had to stop looking at the evening news.

But we, as Hibernians, cherish an Irish Catholic legacy that compels us not to look away, but instead to consistently respond to the needs of those among us and around us. If we are to fulfill the enduring mission of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, then we know that it is our responsibility to reach out with assistance and the support of our prayers so that spirits broken by a sense of helplessness will not soon be crushed by an added burden of hopelessness. 

In an emergency conference call last night, the AOH National Board unanimously voted to donate $25,000 for AOH Storm Relief. In addition, a program has been authorized to both process donations and provide an opportunity for Hibernians impacted in various ways to request assistance from their Hibernian Brothers. We are counting on the generosity of our State Boards, County Boards, Divisions, and all Hibernians everywhere. If every Division, County Board, and State Board were to contribute at least $200, we would total well in excess of $100,000 without even counting the generous donations from each of our members! 

HOW TO MAKE A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION:
 All checks MUST be written: Pay To The Order of Hibernian Charity.
 Memo portion of your check MUST read: AOH Storm Relief.
 Send all donations to Edward Dougherty, Hibernian Charity Sec—7236 Brous Ave, Phila, PA 19149

AOH Storm Relief Request Forms available from: State Presidents OR www.aoh.com (website) OR from  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it --3097 Willits Road, Philadelphia, PA 19114.
Brothers, because the will of God is the need of the hour, I ask this entire Order to please respond generously and immediately. 
Fraternally and gratefully,
Brendan Moore