Ancient Order of Hibernians

Irish-American Catholic fraternal society, founded in New York in 1836 to aid recently arrived Irish emigrants, and maintain contacts within the Irish diaspora and with Ireland. Politically radicalized in the 1860s and 1870s through its association with the revolutionary Fenian organization Clan-Na-Gael, it became more moderate in the 1880s. After 1900 the AOH gained influence in Ireland as the political machine of Belfast nationalist Joseph Devlin, and its conservative brand of nationalism was confirmed after the foundation of Northern Ireland. Concentrating now on voluntary community and charitable work, it also functions as a useful network for the Catholic business community.