AOH parade back in Cavan after 52 years

'The Ancient Order of Hibernians is certainly on the way back in Co. Cavan after a number of years" dormancy,' according to members of the Order (AOH), who expressed their satisfaction with the success of the annual national parade in Cavan town last Friday, the first since 1956. 'We feel it was a very successful parade. This parade is held in different venues each year and it measured up to any other,' commented Patsy O"Callaghan, Secretary of the AOH Cavan County Board. 'The weather was very kind and we are delighted with the number of people who came to watch the parade and support us. We apologise to shoppers and businesses for inconvenience, but it"s a rare occasion and we brought a crowd to Cavan Town.' The afternoon parade was preceded by Mass at St. Clare"s Chapel, which was full to capacity. The Mass, celebrated by Fr. Enda Murphy, Clifferna, was attended by Bishop Leo O"Reilly; Chairperson of Cavan County Council, Charlie Boylan; Chairperson of Cavan Town Council, Paddy O"Reilly; Cavan Town Manager and Assistant County Manager, Mr. Ger Finn; and Senator Joe O"Reilly. John O"Callaghan, President of Bailieborough Division, introduced the various bands and Divisions as they paraded past. According to Mr. O"Callaghan, there were over 20 bands from different parts of Ireland as well as two from Scotland. Ten members who had taken part in the previous parade in Cavan in 1956 took pride of place on the reviewing stand: Rita Paxton, Michael Smith (President Mid Cavan Division), Jim Courtney, Mattie Keogh, Vincent Smith, Sean Masterson, Pat Joe Brady, Tommy Gilsenan, Philip Smith, Michael McGauran, Dan Mel Reilly and Dessie Boylan. Also on the reviewing stand were the National President of the AOH Mr. Jim Crossan, the National Secretary Mr. Harry McCabe and a New York Delegate Mr. John Shanahan. Jim Higgins, MEP, who was on the reviewing platform said the AOH had remained loyal to its roots and values. 'First of all it is very proud to be Catholic and very proud to be Christian and is very proud of the work it has done in the past, like protecting and sheltering clergy during the penal times,' Mr. Higgins told the Anglo-Celt. It is also proud of the work that it has done on the international stage, he said. 'I was in the United States on several occasions and I represented the Irish Government at the funeral of Cardinal Bernardine in Chicago and the various catholic organisations all had pride of place, but the one that really had the pride of place was the Ancient Order of Hibernians.' Mr. Higgins who is not a member of the AOH (though his great grandfather and granduncle were), said the Order is essentially a network, a brotherhood and a fraternity. 'They address one other as brother and they are non sectarian.' When asked if it could be compared to the Free Masons, the MEP said: 'This is a very public society and organisation. It is not a secret society. It paraded here today in public and it paraded its values in public. It is very proud of the fact that it welcomes everybody into its fold'. As for where it fits in terms of the Knights of Columbanus, the MEP said that the Knights do not throw out their tentacles to embrace people on the larger scale the same as the AOH. 'The values that the AOH espouses, and the aims and objectives it has and the role it sees for itself, is just as relevant for modern Ireland today, as it was back in 1836.'