Ancient Order of Hibernians-Colorado State Board

05/26/2026

Oliver Sheppard’s statue of the dying Cú Chulainn inside GPO. Memorial to the Easter Rising. Sculpted 1910-1911, first exhibited in 1914, it emerged from the wider Celtic Revival and its fascination with Irish mythology, heroic sacrifice and national identity. Deeply influenced by figures such as Yeats, George Russell and Patrick Pearse, the myth of Cú Chulainn became one of the defining cultural symbols of the revival.

The statue remained unsold in Sheppard’s studio for years until Éamon de Valera chose it as the official memorial to the Easter Rising ahead of its 20th anniversary. Cast in bronze in Brussels, it was unveiled inside the rebuilt GPO in Easter Week 1935, where it remains one of the defining visual symbols of modern Irish memory.

05/25/2026

05/18/2026

While we are busy with recording our new EP, we wanted to share some dates with you!

Post a 🤘🏽 if we will see you this summer!

05/11/2026

How nice! A casual Irish dance social with a few dance lessons in Boulder, Colorado!

05/04/2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the AOH! Only 190 years young today, May 4!

We have a great legacy building on older groups in Ireland and centuries of Friendship, Unity and Christian Charity.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) is the oldest and largest Irish Catholic fraternal organization in the United States. Today the AOH has over 46,000 members.

Interested in joining the AOH? Fill out our application form below or contact your local division:
https://aoh.com/join/

05/01/2026

This program is a treasure of the Rocky Mountain West!

🚨URGENT ACTION REQUIRED - SAVE IRISH STUDIES AT UM🚨

The University of Montana has recommended placing Irish Studies into a three-year moratorium and terminating the Irish language program effective at the end of this semester.

That distinction matters. A “moratorium” may sound temporary, but the Irish language itself is not being paused for review — it is being recommended for termination. Without the language, what remains is not the Irish program as Montana has known it, but a reduced set of literature and history courses.

This matters far beyond the University. The Irish language program is the foundation for a much larger network of cultural, educational, and international relationships tied to Montana. It supports exchange programs, Fulbright instructors, high school language courses, and community traditions that have grown around Irish music, dance, sport, and history here over the past two decades.

The University has justified this recommendation in part through minor-completion numbers, but current Irish language and course enrollment remains one of the strongest language enrollments on campus, surpassed only by French and Spanish. The latest external review contained only positive feedback and called for more investment from the University of Montana into the program.

We do not understand why the UM is so committed to cutting a flourishing program when the supported data does not justify it.

This is not how a transparent, taxpayer-funded public university should operate.

We are sharing this now because a final decision is expected in May, and the community deserves to know what is happening. This is only a Facebook post, so we cannot include everything here, but if you would like to read more about what is at stake, please visit our website: friendsofirishstudies.com

The website will serve as a hub for information and all the ways you can help us fight back.

All we have left is April to make a stand.

We will continue sharing updates and ways to help. For now, the most important thing is visibility. Please read, share, and stay informed.

Please also comment on this post if the Irish program has impacted you. We will compile those comments into a document to present to the Board of Regents.

fans Missoula Downtown St. Patrick's Day Parade, Missoula City of Missoula ☘️2026 St Patrick’s Day Annual Hurling Game☘️ Ancient Order of Hibernians, Missoula University of Montana Irish Studies Program MissoulaEvents.Net & Indoor Ads Thomas Meagher Hurling Club Montana Grizzlies Hurling Wolfe Tones Hurling Club KPAX-TV Missoula Irish Dancers Carroll-Henderson School of Irish Dancing Glacier Hurling Club

04/24/2026

One of the important efforts of the AOH in America is its positive engagement to advance Freedom for All-Ireland. Take a look at this report!

‘We are going to push for a Border Poll. The British pay attention to American opinion’ - Martin Galvin

04/14/2026

Rest in peace, Moya Brennan! The leading Irish musician played with her family Clannad Irish Band (with her sister Enya!) and sang in the era-defining Chicane hit Saltwater. Her music often had Christian themes and she sang at World Youth Day in Rome in 2000.