IRISH OBSERVE BIRTH OF SAINT — Anniversary Exercises at A. O. H. Hall Attended by Large Audience

# IRISH OBSERVE BIRTH OF SAINT ### Anniversary Exercises at A. O. H.Irish societiesAncient Order of Hiberniansin America from 1836The largest Irish Catholic fraternal order in America: sick and death benefits for members, St. Patrick’s Day parades, and steady support for Irish nationalism.More in Key terms → Hall Attended by Large Audience. In song, story and speech the Anaconda branch of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and their friends last night observed the anniversary of St. Patrick, Ireland's patron saint. Provision had been made for a large audience, and when the meeting was called to order and the address of welcome delivered by Chairman T. J. Kelly every seat in the hall was occupied. The principal speech of the evening was delivered by the Rev. Father Thomas P. Phelan of St. Ann's hospital. He told of the tenacity of the Irish in clinging to the faith of St. Patrick and the difficulty of the race in maintaining their educational institutions. "Robbed of their churches and schools and three-quarters of their land, the Irish clung to their learning and faith," he continued. "From Irish head schools came Richard Steele, the founder of English literature and the first dramatist to introduce virtue and decency to the English stage. The same schools produced Curran, Grattan and O'Connell. "Ireland's enemies are fond of harping on Ireland's ignorance; but the ancient glory and brightness of Erin, the bones of Irish saints and sages, the hunted head schoolmaster and his little flock, the ashes of thousands of burned books, the silent crumbling moss-covered ruins of monastaries, and the millions of educated Irish men, women and children give the lie to every word." #### Struggle to Go On. Turning to the struggles of the Irish for independence, the speaker declared that it would go on until the ideal is realized. Touching upon the part played by Irish exiles and their descendants in other nations, he reverted to the glory of the trials of the race in the last four years, quoting frequently from Terrance MacSwiney and Kelvin Barry. "Try to picture Ireland as we see her through the mists of the Atlantic," he said in conclusion. "A nation fit to take her place among the proudest; a nation whose children have by their loyalty and love, their heroism and bravery added luster to every banner waving in the sunshine of heaven. "Ireland's past, though sad, has been glorious, her present is reassuring and her future, we know, will be resplendent. While there is life there is hope and the hope of freedom never dies in the breast of an Irishman. This is why Ireland wants her own freedom today; to work out her own destiny in her own way, untrammeled and undominated by any foreign foe." The musical program was opened with the singing by the audience of "The Star Spangled Banner," with Miss Cafferty at the piano. Thomas Ferguson followed with a song, Peter Keleghan read a communication from James E. Murray, Master Thomas Cafferty gave a recitation, Miss Mary Gagner a solo, accompanied by Miss Kathleen McGuire; a recitation by Frank Finnegan, a song by Miss Dorothy Davidson, accompanied by Miss Agnes Nordquist; a song by Thomas McCarvel, accompanied by Albert Bine; solos by Miss Tessie Woods and Miss Ursella Garrity, accompanied by Miss Kathleen McGuire; an address by the Rev. Father Meade of Philipsburg and closed with a song by the audience. THis morning the members of the Hibernians and the ladies' auxiliaryIrish societiesDaughters of Erin / Ladies’ Auxiliaryfrom 1894The women’s side of Hibernian life. The AOH’s national women’s body was organised in 1894 as the Daughters of Erin and later took the name Ladies’ Auxiliary.More in Key terms → will assemble at the hall and will march in a body to St. Peter's church where high mass will be sung at 9 o'clock. The program for this evening includes a dance at the A. O. H. hall. --- [Editor's note: completed 4 Oct 2026 from the clipping image (read by claude-sonnet-5-5; proofed by claude-opus-5-5). The whole article is in the clip and legible to its last line. "THis" is as printed.]