Our story
The Portland Hibernian Society has only been around since January 2023. In name at least.
In late November of 2022, members of the E.H. Deery Division of the Ancient Order Hibernians voted to become an independent, non-sectarian, inclusive organization for anyone interested in Ireland.
The AOH division was founded in 1998 by David O’Longaigh and Chuck Duffy. The decision to go out on our own, free of the restrictions on membership in the AOH constitution, only came after several meetings and sponsorship of an amendment to the AOH constitution.
In support of our amendment, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told delegates to the AOH National Convention in July 2022, “I was pleased to hear about your proposal to build an order that is fully inclusive of women as well as men. It’s important to give women residing in America another opportunity to embrace their Irish heritages.”
The amendment failed. So, members met and opted to re-identify our organization as the Portland Hibernian Society and invite anyone with high regard for Irish culture, history and hospitality to join us.
Annual Banquet
Each March we gather for our annual banquet celebrating Irish Culture upstairs at Kells (SW 2nd Ave.). In 2023 the venue was packed as it’s not been since the first Saturday of March, 2020, the last time we held our Hibernian banquet there. Just before you know what. Yes, Covid. (Pictured above: Tom Markgraf, Senator Margaret Carter, Bill Gallagher, Mike Walsh and Brian Lynch.)
We had a truly multi-generational crowd of almost eighty. Senator Margaret Carter, who was awarded a lifetime membership in The Portland Hibernian Society for her service to Oregon, could not have been more gracious. She even led the crowd singing Danny Boy. The crowd was charmed by the Yeates Academy Dancers. Gerard McAleese and Tracey Murphy of Kells put out a splendid spread. And those of you who joined us assured the event’s financial success. A special thank ye to Mike Holmes, David O'Longaigh, Steve Dunne and Barry and Carmen Glass! We’re already planning next year’s banquet. Save the date: March 9, 2024.
Monthly Meetings
We gather the third Thursday* of every month at Kells Restaurant (112 SW 2nd Avenue) at 6 p.m. for a no-host dinner. The evening’s event begins at 7 p.m. Presentations could cover anything from current events to Irish history to Irish books and movies to Pacific Northwest connections to Ireland. *Except December 2023.
Special Events
Subscribe to our newsletter for information twice a month delivered to your email box about various gatherings planned through 2024.
The decision to disaffiliate
This is the Press Release issued in January 2023.
Portland, OR - There’s a new Irish interest organization in town that looks a lot like the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division in Portland.
That’s because AOH members voted by a 3 - 1 margin to hit the reset button and re-form as the Portland Hibernian Society. Unlike in the AOH days, membership will not be limited to Catholic men of Irish descent.
“In fact, the Portland Hibernian Society welcomes anyone who embraces Irish culture, appreciates Irish history, wants to know more about Irish affairs and, basically, loves Ireland,” said the interim president.
“You don’t even have to be Irish to be a Portland Hibernian.”
Since its founding in 1998, members of the E.H. Deery Division of the AOH discussed and debated inviting women to join the organization even though to do so would violate the constitution of the AOH in America.
So the division sponsored an amendment to the constitution removing gender restrictions. The amendment was defeated in s voice vote at the AOH convention in July despite an endorsement from Ireland Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
Subsequently, multiple members of the division expressed a desire to disaffiliate with the AOH of America. Some said they wished to maintain the membership. Beginning in July 2020, there were four on-line and three in-person discussions.
On November 18 members meeting at Kell’s Restaurant voted 23 to 7 to disaffiliate with the AOH and create the independent Portland Hibernian Society. (Voter turn out was 75% of active members.)
Those members wishing to maintain ties with the AOH are looking into doing so while also joining the new Portland Hibernian Society.