CURRENT NEWS

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Belleek Newslettre (# 22.1)

** HAPPY HOLIDAYS !!

Wishing you all a most joyful Holiday Season with my
best wishes for a healthful, peaceful and prosperous
New Year !!



                My 'MEAGER' 2018 Holiday Display !!

An interesting Hallmark ‘Snow’Queen’ Figural with Sleigh
full of presents and Penguins nibbling at her legs and
arms !!  A couple of ‘Pearly’ Pink Carnival Boyd Art Glass
Christmas Penguins, Limited Edition (LE) of 31 molded on
31 December 2002, only a ‘very few’ of these were
decorated in a Holiday Motif !!  A 2015 Fenton Glass
Works Polar Bear part of a similar LE of 30 !!

** SCHOLAR LINCOLN !!

For those of you interested in my WONDERFUL Grandson,
and following his progress, Lincoln’s now 11 Years of age
and has entered Middle School, what we used to refer to
as Junior High School !!   The ONLY ‘real’ difference is
that Middle School only encompasses 6th thru 8th Grades
and then he will be graduated to High School !!

 
                 
                  Here’s Lincoln in Front of His School,
              Complete with His Favourite ‘Shoulder’ Pack !!

Remember when we were ‘kids’ and our Junior High
consisted of 7th thru 9th Grades ??  Our children and
grandchildren are REALLY more intelligent these Days !!
Personally, I APPLAUD their achievement !!

** HOMELY CONTEST !!

I’ve decided, following an ‘OLD’ lead from our UK Group,
to sponsor a wee bit of a Holiday Contest !!  I’m inviting
ALL Belleekers out there to submit a reasonable picture
of what they believe to be a ‘homely’ Belleek item !! 
My rules are simple :

1. NO ‘composite’ items, i.e., (multiple) Factory items
‘glued’ together in some grotesque fashion.

2. NO damaged items. (and)

3. NO items that YOU have hand decorated !!

PLEASE feel free to include your submissions provenance
as well as your attraction to it and love for it !!

PLEASE Submit, i.e., email, your entry(s) to :

Homely Belleek !!    THANKS !!

My entry is a VERY simple Egg Cup !!  I believe it to be
what Fergus refers to as Stoneware !!

Belleek Stoneware Egg Cup !!	Belleek 1st Period Mark !!

My Egg Cup is approximately 2” High and 1-7/8” in
Diameter !!  Its Mark is BARELY 3/8” Tall !!  I TRULY
LOVE this little ‘treasure’ as it rests on a special shelf
next to my Belleek Earthenware Tea Trivet and Mug,
both displaying LARGE 1st Period Marks on their ‘face’s !! 
I acquired it from an Auction back in our ‘Mid West’
region several Years ago !!

** INTRODUCTION !!

Following my acquisition of the following absolutely
splendid examples of Belleek’s Ring Handle Ivory Pattern,
I became obsessed with producing an article regarding
their origin, history and symbolism !!  My first thoughts
were, obviously, these belonged to some fraternal
organization !!  With the steadfast assistance of Fergus
Cleary, Head of Design at Belleek Pottery Ltd., I was
guided properly in the completion my task !!

Although, when I begin to publish my Newslettre, I had
vowed to NEVER include any discussions regarding
‘debatable’ material, i.e., politics, religion and sports,
I have discouvered that it is acutely necessary in this
instance !!

Being so warned, for those of you whom, like myself,
abhor and loathe political discussions, PLEASE avail
yourselves of all my ‘pretty pictures’ !!  NOW, I invite
the remainder of you Belleekers out there to possibly
experience another personal epiphany !!

** HIBERNIANS !!

Hibernia is actually the Classical Latin name for the
Island of Ireland !!  The name Hibernia was taken from
Greek geographical accounts.  During his exploration
of northwest Europe (c. 320 BC), Pytheas of Massilia
called the Irish island Iérnē.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH; Gaelic:
Ord Ársa na nÉireannach) is an Irish Catholic fraternal
organization.  Members must be Catholic and either born
in Ireland or of Irish descent.



          A BEAUTIFUL Ring Handle Ivory Cup and Saucer !!
      We'll be Discussing its Interesting Emblem and Monogram !!



            A SPLENDID 1st Period Mark on the Cup's Base !!
        ALL the Items Comprising My Set are Marked Similarly !!

The organization had its roots in the Defenders and
the Ribbonmen, both Catholic agrarian movements of
the 18th and 19th centuries.  It emerged in Ulster at
the end of the 19th century in opposition to the Orange
Order, i.e., so named after the Protestant King of
England William of Orange.  It was organized by Joseph
Devlin of Belfast, whom ascended to position of Grand
Master by 1905.

Editor’s NOTE : Joseph Devlin was an Irish journalist
and influential nationalist politician.  He was a Member
of Parliament (MP) for the Irish Parliamentary Party
in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, and later a Nationalist
Party MP in the Parliament of Northern Ireland.

The AOH was closely associated with the Irish
Parliamentary Party, its members mainly constituents
of both parties.  It was strongly opposed to secular
ideologies such as those of the Irish Republican
Brotherhood (the IRB), who were most unhappy at the
re-emergence of this old rival "right-wing" nationalist
society.  Interestingly, membership in the group was
initially banned by the Catholic Church, although this
was lifted in 1904.

From a membership of 5,000 in 1900, nearly all in
Ulster, it climbed to 64,000 by 1909, complementing
the United Irish League.  By 1914 the order had spread
throughout the country, mainly because of its utility as
a patronage, brokerage and recreational association. 
As a vehicle for Irish nationalism, the AOH greatly
influenced the sectarian aspect of Irish politics in the
early twentieth century.  In Ulster and elsewhere it
acted as an unruly but vigorous militant support
organization for Joseph Devlin, John Dillon and
John Redmond against radicals and against William
O'Brien. O'Brien regarded himself as having been
driven from the party by militant Hibernians at the
"Baton Convention" of 1909.

Editor’s NOTE : Already secretary of the London-based
United Irish League (UIL) of Great Britain, Joseph Devlin
became General Secretary of William O’Brien's UIL,
replacing John O'Donnell, through the initiative of
deputy Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP) leader John
Dillon MP, with whom he held a close alliance and who
had fallen under his influence.  This "coup" gave them
nationwide control of the 1200 UIL branches, the
organizational base of the IPP, thus, depriving William
O'Brien of all authority and essentially 'driving' him out
of the organization !!

Editor’s NOTE : Joseph Devlin and John Redmond,
leader of the IPP, were lifelong friends and mentors !! 
At Redmond's bid, Devlin’s organization would provide
full attendance of suitable "supporters" at any meeting,
demonstration or convention throughout Ireland !!

After the 1916 Easter Rising the organization declined
outside of Ulster, its members absorbed into Sinn Féin
and the Irish Republican Army (IRA).  In many areas
the organization provided by the AOH was the nearest
thing to a paramilitary force.  Many republican leaders
in the 1916–1923 period, among them Seán MacDiarmada,
J. J. Walsh, and Rory O'Connor, had been Hibernians
(Hibs) before the formation of the Irish Volunteers
in 1913.


                    Close Up of the Cups AOH Monogram !!

The Ancient Order of Hibernians Monogram is easily
deciphered IF you actually know that you are looking
for, i.e., an “A O H” !!  In our illustration, the AOH
Monogram has displayed TWO of their Initials, the
“O” and the “H”, ‘interlaced’ and stacked, on top of
each other !!

Examining this Monogram, you will easily see the “O”
and the “H” JUMP out at you as ‘individual’ characters !! 
Utilizing your imagination, the “A” is easily ‘formed’ by
combining the “H” with the ‘top’ of the letter “O” !! 
VOILA “AOH” !! 

LUCKILY, I was able to once again avail myself of Fergus’
VAST knowledge base, or I would NOT have had ANY
idea as to a beginning point for the proper arrangement
of these letters, let alone the organization they
represent !!  MANY THANKS Fergus !! 

** ENTER THE FENIANS !!

Ireland was first invaded by England in the 12th century. 
The early Irish societies were born of a need in the mid
16th century to protect the welfare of fellow Irish
Catholics, and especially the clergy who risked immediate
death to keep the Catholic Faith alive in occupied Ireland
after the Penal Laws of 1691.  These various secret
societies were formed across the country to aid and
comfort their people by whatever means was available. 
Many Irish fought and died to expel the English for
centuries !!  Unfortunately, the Great Famine of the
1840s would be required to finally galvanize the Irish
independence movement.

One of the earlier and more memorable struggles was
the Irish Rebellion of 1641.  It began as an attempted
coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize
control of the English administration in Ireland to force
concessions for Catholics.  The coup failed and the
rebellion developed into an ethnic conflict between the
Gaelic Irish and old English Catholics on one side, and
both ethnically English Protestants and Scottish/
Presbyterian planters on the other.  This began a
conflict known as the Irish Confederate Wars.

The Irish rebellion broke out in October 1641 and was
followed by several months of violent chaos before the
Irish Catholic upper classes and clergy formed the
Catholic Confederation in the summer of 1642.  The
Confederation became a de facto government of most
of Ireland, free from the control of the English
administration and loosely aligned with the Royalist side
in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.  The subsequent
Irish Confederate Wars continued in Ireland until the
1650s, when Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army
decisively defeated the Irish Catholics and Royalists,
and re-conquered the country.

The Fenian Brotherhood trace their origins back to
1790s.  The Society of United Irishmen, founded in
1791, embraced Catholics, Protestants and Dissenters
in its aim to remove English control from Irish affairs. 
They planned a rebellion in 1798 to finally seek an end
to British rule in Ireland, initially for self-government
and then the establishment of an Irish Republic. 
Unfortunately, the rebellion was suppressed, resulting
in the 1801 Act of Union, which brought Ireland tighter
still under British control.  But the principles of the
United Irishmen were to have a powerful influence on
the course of Irish history.


       
        A Variation on the Flag of the ‘United Irishman’ !!

** WHAT ABOUT THE UNITED STATES ??

Across the pond, in the United States, the Ancient
Order of Hibernians (AOH) was founded in 1836 at
New York’s St. James Church on May 4, 1836 by men
emulating these Irish societies.  Their name was adopted
by groups of Irish immigrants in the United States, its
purpose to act as guards to protect Catholic churches
from anti-Catholic forces in the mid-19th century and
to assist Irish Catholic immigrants. This vast influx of
Irish Immigrants fleeing Ireland’s Great Hunger in the
late 1840’s, prompted a growth in many Irish societies
in the USA, the largest of which was, and continues
to be, the AOH !!

Originally a secret society, the first American chapters
of the Order sprung up in New York City and in the
coal-mining area of Pottsville, Pennsylvania, where,
Irish workers faced discrimination or harsh coal mining
working conditions.  Many members in the coal mining
area of Pennsylvania had a background with the Molly
Maguires.  Although, at this time, the order was largely
preoccupied with the protection of church property and
the provision of social welfare benefits to its members,
it would eventually become an important focus of Irish
American political activity !!

At its inception, the AOH in the United States had been
closely tied with its sister organization in Ireland.  This
changed as the American wing grew dissatisfied with
satellite governance from the Irish order; the majority
of US chapters formed what came to be officially known
as the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America in 1884.
Although some chapters were initially opposed to the
split, they eventually unified under the US AOH banner
in 1898.

In 1894, the Daughters of Erin were founded as a
means for allowing female participation in the activities
of the AOH.  The AOH connection was made explicit in
1906, with the renaming of the organization to "Ladies
Auxiliary to the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America".  
Surprisingly, the AOH would be accused of violence
against suffragists in 1912 !!



                Beautiful AOH Side Plate and Breadplate !!

** FENIANS MONSTER CONCEPT !!

Irish nationalism was given a new spur when Irish
emigrants to the United States found themselves a
despised minority.  An international link with Ireland
had been forged earlier when Young Irelander veteran
Michael Doheny made his way to New York after the
failed 1848 rising.  He was joined there by John
O’Mahony, another Young Irelander, who had escaped
to Paris with James Stephens.

O’Mahony and Doheny joined the AOH and formed a
semi-military committee within the AOH called The
Emmet Monument Association (EMA).  The purpose,
as its name implied, was to raise money to erect a
monument to the Irish patriot, Robert Emmet. 
However, Emmet declared, before his execution,
that no man should write his epitaph until Ireland
was free !!

Those who knew their history, knew well the purpose
of the Committee was to raise funds to support Irish
independence.  When it became more militant, O’Mahony
separated from the AOH and reformed it in 1858 as
the Fenian Brotherhood, a nationwide movement for
Irish freedom.  His organization focused on identical
methodology of the Irish Fenians, i.e., reunite Ireland
and regain their individual freedom via any scheme
necessary !!

Many AOH men continued their support by maintaining
membership in both organizations. O’Mahony led the
Fenians and, with James Stephens in Ireland, established
the Irish counterpart called the Irish Republican
Brotherhood (IRB).  At the same time, the militant
Fenian Brotherhood began to infiltrate the AOH and
run their people for top AOH offices.

By the time the American Civil War broke out, the
Irish Revolutionary Brotherhood (commonly known as
the Fenians) had agents across the United States. 
One hundred and seventy thousand Irish immigrants
fought in the Civil War, and many of them ended the
war hardened soldiers.  Ten thousand of them joined
the Fenians after the war’s end in 1865, under the
leadership of Brigadier General Thomas William Sweeny. 
They also elected a government in exile in New York
and embraced Sweeny’s plan to conquer Canada and hold
it hostage until Britain agreed to grant Ireland its
freedom.

So, we envision the Fenians' Monster Concept being
very simple, or at least in their minds !!  Simply invade
and conquer Canada, subsequently offering Great Britain
an exchange of their 'control' of Northern Ireland in
'return' for their Province of Canada, thus providing
the 'roots' for a united Ireland !!

In the United States, O'Mahony's presidency over
the Fenian Brotherhood was being increasingly challenged
by William R. Roberts.  Eventually, these two Fenian
factions would ‘split’ although both would continue raising
money by the issue of bonds in the name of the "Irish
Republic", which were bought by the faithful in the
expectation of their being honoured when Ireland should
be "A Nation Once Again".  These bonds were to be
redeemed "six months after the recognition of the
independence of Ireland". Hundreds of thousands of
Irish immigrants subscribed.

Large quantities of arms were purchased, and
preparations were openly made by one faction for a
coordinated series of raids into Canada, which the
United States government took no major steps to
prevent.  Many in the US administration were not
indisposed to the movement because of Britain's
failure to support the Union during the civil war.

This factions’ "Secretary for War" was General T. W.
Sweeny, who was struck off the American army list
from January 1866 to November 1866 to allow him to
organize the raids.  The purpose of these raids was to
seize the transportation network of Canada, with the
idea that this would force the British to exchange
Ireland's freedom for possession of their Province of
Canada.  Before the invasion, the Fenians had received
some intelligence from similar minded supporters within
Canada but did not receive support from all Irish
Catholics there who saw the invasions as threatening
the emerging Canadian sovereignty.

In April 1866, under the command of John O'Mahony,
a band of upwards 700 (reported as small as only 400,
in some journals) members of the Fenian Brotherhood
arrived on the Maine shore opposite the island of
Campobello, New Brunswick, Canada !!  Their intention
was simply to seize Campobello from the British.  British
warships from Halifax, Nova Scotia were quickly on the
scene and a military force dispersed the Fenians with
little assistance from the watchful eyes of U.S. Troops !! 
Basically, no one in the U.S. federal government was
enthusiastic about reining in the Fenians and thus losing
the Irish vote !!

As a result, the Fenians were able to organize a much
larger campaign.  On June 1, 1866 the Fenians invaded
Canada near Fort Erie with 1100 troops invading before
the U.S. military shut down the river crossings.  After
brief fighting that left nine Fenians and 15 Canadians
dead, the Fenians retreated.  About 850 were captured
by U.S. authorities and another 100 were caught by the
Canadian militia.  Another raid a week later ended with
no casualties, largely because federal authorities seized
most of the Fenians’ arms and ammunition.  The crackdown
ended a few months later for political reasons, but the
damage was done; the Fenians were virtually disbanded.

Ironically, while the 1866 raids accomplished little for
Irish nationalism, they were a defining moment for
Canadian nationalism !!  In February 1867, this action
served to reinforce the idea of protection as the
various British North American Colonies of New
Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Canada East, and Canada
West ‘joined’ in Confederation to form the Dominion
of Canada.

Some Fenian factions continued fighting; a ship full of
Irish-American fighters briefly landed in western
Ireland in May 1867.  In 1870, a Fenian raid was
ambushed at the border and surrendered to American
authorities after they lost five dead.  In October 1871,
a few dozen Fenians marched for Manitoba, hoping to
join forces with Métis Indian rebels !!  They were
instead arrested by U.S. forces before they crossed
the border.  While they attempted a few more invasions
of Canada (including building an early submarine), none
of them ever really got past the planning stages.  An
anticlimactic end for a movement that had once counted
thousands of men.

Other Fenian attempts to invade occurred throughout
the next week in the St. Lawrence Valley.  As many of
the weapons had in the meantime been confiscated by
the US army, relatively few of these men actually
became involved in the fighting.  There even was a
small Fenian raid on a storage building that successfully
got back some weapons that had been seized by the
US Army.  Many were eventually returned anyway
by sympathetic officers.

To get the Fenians out of the area, both in the St.
Lawrence and Buffalo, the U.S. government purchased
rail tickets for the Fenians to return to their homes if
the individuals involved would promise not to invade any
more countries from the United States.  Many of the
arms were returned later if the person claiming them
could post bond that they were not going to be used to
invade Canada again, although some were possibly used
in the raids that followed.


             A Splendid AOH Cream and Sugar Set !!

** GO WEST YOUNG FENIANS !!

In the BEAUTIFUL and SPLENDID Pacific North West,
where your Happy Belleeker Publisher currently resides,
fear of Fenian attack plagued the Lower Mainland of
British Columbia.  During the 1870s and 1880s, the
Fenian Brotherhood was actively organizing in the States
of Washington and Oregon, agitating to invade British
Columbia.  But raids never actually materialized, as
tensions were sufficient to warrant the Britain sending
several large warships to the new railhead at Vancouver,
British Columbia for the celebrations opening the Canadian
Pacific Railway (CPR).  Although, the Last Spike was
driven at Craigellachie, British Columbia (apparently
‘close’ to the rail pass summit in the Canadian Rockies),
on November 7, 1885, the historic CPR Engine #374,
would not pull the first passenger train into Vancouver
on the newly completed transcontinental railway until
May 23, 1887.  These historic events are verified via
photographs taken at the inauguration of the mainline
of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885.  Shown during
this occasion, three large British warships sit at anchor
in the harbour just off the railhead and its docks. 
Their presence was explicitly required because of the
threat of Fenian attack or terrorism, as were the
large numbers of troops on the first train.


             Finally, a Complete AOH Place Setting !!

** THE AOH TODAY !!

The Ancient Order of Hibernians is America’s oldest
Irish Catholic Fraternal Organization !!  Although no
longer a secret society, the AOH exists today as a
fraternal organization for Catholics of Irish birth or
descent, although its current membership base is
comprised mostly of those with Irish ancestry.  Its
activities during the 20th and 21st centuries have
included: lobbying on behalf of the Irish nationalist
movement and helping form the Irish national caucus
in 1974; publication of the AOH newspaper, The
National Hibernian Digest; and the continuing
promotion of Irish culture through educational programs. 
Today the AOH exists in America, Canada, Ireland,
England, Wales and Scotland, however, while the
organizations share a common thread, the American
AOH is a separate and much larger organization.

Their Monthly Bulletin may be accessed via the
following Link :

Ancient Order of Hibernians Monthly Bulletin !!

Active across the United States, The Order seeks to
aid the newly arrived Irish, both socially and economically. 
The many Divisions and club facilities located throughout
the U.S. have traditionally been among the first to
welcome new Irish immigrants.  Here, the Irish culture,
i.e., art, dance, music, and sports are fostered and
preserved.  The newcomers can meet some of ‘their own’
and are introduced to the social atmosphere of the
Irish-American community.  The AOH has been at the
forefront for issues concerning the Irish, such as;
Immigration Reform; economic Incentives both here
and in Ireland; the human rights issues addressed in
the MacBride Legislation; Right-To-Life; and a peaceful
and just solution to the issues that divide Ireland. 
Remember, the AOH is an organization dedicated to
‘Win Without War’, i.e., desired to reunite Ireland
via political treaties sans violence !!

The Order has also provided a continuing bridge with
Ireland for those who are generations removed from
our ancestral homeland.  The AOH sponsors many
programs associated with promoting their Irish Heritage
such as the IRISH WAY PROGRAM, SCHOLARSHIPS
and NATIONAL HISTORY DAY sponsorship.

** THE AOH EMBLEM !!


           
            The AOH Emblem is Enhanced with Symbolism !!

The emblem of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in
American is as pictured above with the crossed flags
of Ireland and America behind it.  The flags are not
part of the emblem, since they are already symbols
of another entity.  Prior to 1937, when the tricolor
of Ireland was adopted, Ireland was represented by
the flag of the United Irishman, adopted in 1798,
showing a gold harp displayed on a field of green. 
Many variations of the United Irishman Flag exist,
with one style displayed within the ‘Fenian’ section of
this article !!

The artist who conceived the original emblem of the
Order is unknown, but his choice of layout and devices
are, in many cases, unmistakably evident.  The emblem
is a shield, horizontally divided into three fields, with
the significance of three relating to many Irish tenets
from the mystical appeals of that number in Celtic
mythology to the Holy Trinity itself.

The top field of the emblem depicts the sun rising over
a new Ireland, a device not uncommon to Irish and
American crests, shields and newspapers logos.  The
appearance of the initials A.O.H. in the glow of that
sunrise indicates that the A.O.H. is a part of that
new dawn.

The center field shows another common device of two
hands clasped in friendship denoting Hands across the
Sea, and representing the original links between the
A.O.H. in Ireland and the A.O.H. in America.  The
proper display of this device is a blue sleeve extending
from the left (America) and a green sleeve extending
from the right (Ireland). The left and right positions
correspond to the geographic east-west relations of
the two nations.

The lower field contains a harp flanked by shamrocks. 
The harp is the official emblem of Ireland, and as such
should be the Brian Boru harp.  However the harp of
the Irish Brigade of France, with the figure of a woman
in front, is often used to represent the Wild Geese. 
Not to be confused with the Fenian convicts' newspaper
‘The Wild Goose’ (c1867), the Flight of the Wild Geese
was the departure of an Irish Jacobite army under the
command of Patrick Sarsfield from Ireland to France,
as agreed in the Treaty of Limerick on October 3, 1691,
following the end of the Williamite War in Ireland.
More broadly, the term Wild Geese is used in Irish
history to refer to Irish soldiers who left to serve in
continental European armies in the 16th, 17th and 18th
centuries.

The number of shamrocks flanking the harp varies,
and while 16 per side would be valid representation
of Ireland's 32 counties, it is not always possible to
depict that many.  The significance of the shamrock
is obvious.

Four shamrock's also adorn the outer edges of the
shield to represent the four provinces of Ireland. 
Some presentations show the lower shamrock inverted. 
Since an inverted device indicated trouble, this has been
explained as representing Ulster, but given the age of
the emblem it is more likely that it was simply presented
that way so all the stems would connect to the shield.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians invite all Catholics of
Irish birth or descent to seek admittance to, what they
truly believe, is the FINEST Irish Catholic Organization
in the World !!  All they would ask is for you to live
their motto of: