Excitement is building locally as the community of Keady prepare to host an Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) parade for the first time in more than 60 years!
The parade will take place on Sunday, August 16 and will see 24 bands in attendance.
Bands will gather at 3pm at the Gerard McGleenan GAA park and march through the town ending at the Tommy Makem Centre.
Organisers said: “This is a very special occasion for the town, as the last AOH parade in Keady took place in 1959 — making this a return after more than 60 years.
“Everyone is welcome to come along, enjoy the music and support what promises to be a fantastic day in Keady.
“We look forward to welcoming everyone on 16th August!
“All are welcome — come along and enjoy the parade!”
Over 2,000 people between band members and spectators are expected to attend.
On the day, spectators can expect to see Sarsfield Accordion Band; St Patrick’s Accordion Band, Fallaghloon; St Patrick’s Accordion Band, Randalstown; St Patrick’s Accordion Band, Corran; St Patrick’s Flute Band; St Colmcille’s Accordion Band; Sons of Ireland Flute Band; Cloney Flute Band; Brantry Pipe Band; Kinturk Accordion Band; Pride of Erin Accordion Band; St Joseph’s Pipe Band; Ballymartin Flute Band; Holy Cross Accordion Band, Attical; Banna Fliuit Naoimh Phadraig; Glen Accordion Band; Ballinderry Flute Band; St Trea’s Accordion Band; Carlingford Pipe Band; St Naul’s Pipe Band; St Joseph’s AOH Pipe Band Glasdrumman; Clontribet Pipe Band; Tom Clarke Republican Flute Band and Banna Piob Na nGael Pipe Band.
The last substantial AOH gathering in Keady can be traced as far back to 1945, when – according to the Newry Reporter – a crowd of over 5,000 members came together in the town on August 15.
Members of Corran AOH Division 148 – St Patrick’s Accordion Band Corran at a previous parade in Newcastle, Co Down
There were subsequent smaller gatherings in the following years, however, according to www.irishjohnsmith.com the organisation called off their parades between 1969 and 1975 due to Troubles’ related disturbances in Northern Ireland.
They did resume in areas, thereafter, but in reviewing available historic reports it appears as though Keady town never reignited the same prior show of support.
Organisers of this month’s parade are therefore keen to see strong attendance from the public and welcome one and all to come and enjoy the day.
The AOH is an Irish Catholic fraternal organisation, with roots in Ireland but a major organisational development in the United States.
In Ulster, it became especially important in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. By around 1912 it was one of the most significant nationalist organisations in Ulster and was closely associated with the Irish Parliamentary Party and the Home Rule movement.
A local division could function as a social, charitable and mutual-aid organisation, with members supporting one another financially and socially. The order is strongly associated with Irish Catholic identity, St Patrick’s Day celebrations, processions and nationalist politics.
