Knights, guilds and lay societies
Ancient Order of Hibernians and Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians
AOH · LAOH · Hibernians · Ladies AOH
Founded 1836Irish Catholic fraternal organization, the oldest and largest in the United States, incorporated as a nonprofit. The Ladies AOH is a separate incorporated body with its own national board, not a subordinate auxiliary.
A letter or two
Through a local council. Unclear nationally; divisions set their own dues, with published examples between $45 and $60 per year.
How to find a councilThe order asks you to look up the AOH Division Directory for your zip code and contact that division directly first; the national online application at aoh.com/join is the fallback for anyone with no division in their state, and women are redirected to the Ladies AOH.
Members have a portal to sign in to.
An Irish Catholic brotherhood and sisterhood with a double purpose: practice the faith and keep Irish culture and history alive. Local groups are called divisions and meet monthly, typically in a hall or a parish room. The calendar is full of parades, Masses, Irish language and dance support, scholarships, and the committee work the order is known for, which includes pro-life, immigration, veterans' affairs, hunger relief, and Freedom For All Ireland. You must be a practicing Catholic and of Irish birth or descent (clergy are exempt from the Irish ancestry requirement), which makes this narrower than most groups on this list.
What you promise
Men 16 and older, practicing Roman Catholic, of Irish birth, descent, or legal adoption by such a person, and of good moral character, and a US citizen or declared intending citizen. Women 18 and older on the same terms for the LAOH, with additional routes for mothers and wives of members and for women religious. Dues are set by the division, and published division pages show figures in the $45 to $60 per year range with some charging a one-time application fee of around $15. LAOH applications are read at a division meeting and voted on, and are accepted unless a third of those voting object. The order has its own Ritual and Degrees committee, so there are ceremonial degrees.
What the Church attaches
National, state, and division chaplains. The order publishes a Catholic calendar, runs Project St. Patrick to support seminarians and those in religious formation, and divisions sponsor Masses and Communion breakfasts. No attached indulgences are advertised.
Enrollment checked 2026-10-22. Details change without notice and parish practice varies. Confirm before relying on this sheet.