Saratoga Hibernians Hope to Bring Younger Members Into Ancient Order

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The influence of Irish Americans on Saratoga Springs may be incalculable. To take but one example of many, John Morrissey, born in Templemore, Ireland, helped create both the Saratoga Race Course and what would later become the Canfield Casino. A restaurant at the Adelphi Hotel honors his legacy of politicking, bare-knuckle brawling, and gambling. Without Morrissey, the Spa City simply wouldn’t be the same.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians in Saratoga Springs aims to carry on the traditions of their Irish-Catholic ancestors. Preserving that history, however, entails passing on those memories and lessons to future generations. And as the years have gone by, fraternal groups like the Hibernians have seen their membership rates, especially among younger men, decline.

“Younger people don’t necessarily want to be a member of this type of organization, be it the Elks, be it the Lions, or Kiwanis, or Hibernians,” said John Neeley, president of the Hibernians’ Saratoga chapter. “But we found that younger guys coming out of school are coming to the Hibernians looking to do something more or they were missing something.”

Neeley said his organization has found some success with ex-fraternity members who miss the service and fellowship they experienced in college. These youthful Hibernians are then mined for ideas on how to recruit fellow members of their generation.

“We’re starting to make some headway,” Neeley said. “A couple guys here, a couple guys there. One of the younger guys said recently, ‘You know, this golf tournament looks interesting. I’ve got about 20 friends who would love to be Hibernians and would love to play in that golf tournament.’”

The shared ancestry and religious beliefs of the Hibernians influence not only their bonding experiences, but also their many charitable efforts. Perhaps the most important of these is feeding the hungry, a mission that stems from the Great Famine, a period of mass starvation in Ireland that caused at least one million deaths and a mass exodus of the Irish from their homeland. Although the crisis happened more than 150 years ago, its impact still reverberates today.

“If it wasn’t for hunger and starvation, most Irish Americans wouldn’t be here. Hunger is a sacred purpose and focus for us,” Neeley said. “We look for more significant places where our money, our dollar, will be more impactful. Some of these [underserved food pantries] are in the back of an abandoned church or in a shed behind a city hall or a town hall…You bring them a dozen bags of groceries and they cry. I can’t tell you how emotional that is. I was stunned.”

The Ancient Order of Hibernians in America traces back its founding to both New York City and the coal-mining regions of Pennsylvania. The groups were formed to help protect clergy and churches from violent nativists. As Irish immigrants came to America fleeing the Great Famine, the Hibernians swelled in numbers. From those times until the present day, Hibernians have sponsored a number of charitable programs that aim to preserve Irish heritage, provide scholarships, and feed the hungry.

Those interested in learning more or applying to the Hibernians can visit www.nyaoh.com.