Ancient Order of Hibernians Div. 14, Watertown, MA

06/18/2026

This was news to me... "Unlike protests in mainland Britain, the unrest involves the organisational muscle of pro-British loyalist paramilitaries who have survived for over a quarter of a century after the Good Friday Agreement.

Claire Hanna, the leader of the nationalist SDLP, called it a “racist pogrom”. The Police Federation said it had been “reminiscent of fascism and racism”. Although pro-British unionist leaders condemned the violence, they emphasised understanding of anti-migrant sentiment. Jim Allister, whose TUV party has an electoral alliance with Reform UK, decried “the importation of an alien culture”."

It set off destructive riots in Belfast and beyond

06/18/2026

Folks,
still tickets left for this event hosted by the Plymouth / South shore AOH.

☘️ MAKE YOUR END OF SUMMER PLANS NOW! ☘️

Looking for one more great summer evening before the season slips away?

Join the Father John Murphy Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians for our annual Craic on the Canal fundraiser cruise on Sunday, August 16th aboard Hy-Line Cruises.

Enjoy a scenic cruise through the Cape Cod Canal, live Irish music from local musician and Mayo man Dave Try, light food, a cash bar, and plenty of good company as we cruise into a South Shore sunset.

Every ticket helps support the charitable, cultural, and community work of the AOH throughout the South Shore.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/craic-on-the-canal-2026-aoh-irish-sunset-cruise-tickets-1990532054960

🎶 Live Irish Music with Dave Try
🚢 Scenic Cape Cod Canal Cruise
🍽️ Light Food Included
☘️ Great Craic for a Great Cause

📅 Sunday, August 16, 2026
⏰ Departs 5:45 PM
📍 Onset Town Pier, East Wareham

Tickets are limited, and if initial ticket sales are any indication, you’ll want to reserve your spot early.

Contact:
📞 Michael – 781-706-6209
📞 Brendan – 617-835-5779

06/14/2026

“Land” by Maggie O’Farrell: Set in Ireland in the 1860s, O’Farrell’s elegiac new novel places readers in the aftermath of the Great Hunger, which killed over a million people and forced even more into exile. Our guides are Tomás, an Irish cartographer working for the British, and his young son, Liam, who are mapping a remote peninsula on the country’s west coast when Tomás has a revelatory experience that inspires him to chart a new path. “Like much of the Irish-British author’s previous work,” our reviewer wrote, “including her most famous, the 2020 book ‘Hamnet’ — adapted into a 2025 film by Chloé Zhao — ‘Land’ is a historical novel imbued with O’Farrell’s signature interest in absorbing family relationships.”

Set in the decades after the Great Hunger, “Land” is a rich portrait of family life amid Ireland’s long struggle against British rule.

06/14/2026

Sean Fell playing at Hibernian Hall in Watertown tonight

06/13/2026

Interesting 🧐

🪵🇮🇪 The Shillelagh

Today it is one of Ireland's most recognisable symbols. Historically, it was something much more practical.

The shillelagh was a stout walking stick, often crafted from blackthorn, a tough wood common in Irish hedgerows. Many were shaped so that the natural root formed the knobbed handle, then carefully dried and hardened over time.

The name is traditionally linked to Shillelagh in County Wicklow, a region once known for its woodland. Over the centuries, the word became associated with a distinctive style of Irish stick rather than every walking stick in Ireland.

While shillelaghs are connected with bataireacht, the Irish tradition of stick fighting, their primary role was usually far less dramatic. They served as walking aids, travelling companions, and practical tools in everyday rural life.

What survives today is more than a stick. It is a reminder of a time when useful objects were made to last, shaped by local materials, skilled hands, and the demands of the landscape.



📸 Irish Roots

06/12/2026

Friends,
we welcomed four new members to the Watertown AOH this past Thursday night. Please join me in welcoming in Sean Whittle, Robert Scaife, Declan Mee, and Christopher Flaherty to Division 14 Watertown

06/05/2026

There continues to be tension in Ireland over the harvesting of peat in Ireland. The EU's objection is not primarily about peat as a fuel source by itself. It's about what peatlands (bogs) do for the climate, biodiversity, and water systems, and how harvesting peat destroys those functions. Although peatlands cover only a small fraction of Europe's land area, they store more carbon per hectare than most forests.

05/18/2026

Great article from the Economist. For generations, the walls of Belfast told the story of division, fear, and conflict. Today, many of those same walls are being transformed into symbols of art, remembrance, and hope — reflecting a society slowly moving beyond the wounds of the Troubles. As this article shows, the future of Ireland will not be built on old paramilitary slogans or sectarian hatred, but on shared culture, mutual respect, and reconciliation between all traditions on the island. A united Ireland, if it is to come, must be rooted in peace, understanding, and a vision that inspires future generations rather than divides them.

And the walls are suddenly changing

05/16/2026

One of the annual highlights for the Division is Scholarship Night, where we recognize the accomplishments of the Division children and grandchildren who are graduating from high school and heading off to college.

Through the generosity of our Division membership, we are able to make these awards possible. Whether through family scholarship contributions (list below) or by donating to and participating in the annual Golf Outing fundraiser (Sept. 25th this year), our members help support these high-potential students and lessen the college debt they might otherwise have to endure.

Family Scholarship supporting 2026 recipients
- Philip A Doherty Scholarship
- Jack, Paul & Richie Gallagher Scholarship
- Billy Gildea Scholarship
- Patrick & Ellen Hanlon Scholarship

None of this would be possible without the tireless efforts of State AOH President Joe McCusker. I swear, if you looked up “scholarship fundraiser” on Wikipedia, you’d probably see his picture!