3/3/2011 - West Side Leader
By Kathleen Folkerth
The 175th anniversary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) in America will be marked at this year’s St. Patrick’s Parade in Akron.
Parade organizers said the AOH, which traces its roots to the AOH in Ireland that is more than 300 years old, was founded in the U.S. in 1836.
According to www.aoh.com, the AOH is America’s oldest Irish Catholic fraternal organization. It was founded concurrently in the coal-mining region of Pennsylvania and New York City.
Today, the AOH exists in America, Canada, Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland, but the website for the national group notes the American AOH is a separate and much larger organization than the others.
In Akron, the South Side AOH Club organizes Akron’s annual parade, which will take place this year March 12 at noon. The route is along South Main Street beginning at Cedar Street and ending at Bowery Street.
Parade Chairman Leo Stalter, of New Franklin, said this year’s parade theme is “Celebrating 175 Years of Irish Pride.” It’s the 30th year for the parade to be held in Akron.
The event has always been a way for the local Irish community to join with others to celebrate the March 17 holiday for Ireland’s patron saint, he said.
“A lot of people that are in it, they may not have any connection at all to the Irish community, but they are community oriented,” he said.
The coming of spring and everything green also helps make it a popular event, he added.
“This is the first event of the year where you can get a little bit of the snow behind you and get out and do a little bit of celebrating,” Stalter said.
This year, parade organizers expect to have about 120 units participate.
Irish-themed participants include the MacConmara Irish Dancers, the Archbishop Hoban High School Pipe and Drum Corps and a group of Irish wolfhounds and their owners.
Also, St. Vincent Parish in West Akron will be represented with several entries, which will note the church’s 175th anniversary in 2012, Stalter said.
Costumed mascots from Acme Fresh Market; Metro Parks, Serving Summit County; Akron Public Schools; Aluminum Cans for Burned Children; and the Akron Racers also are expected to appear.
Car groups such as the Rubber City Model A Club and Buckeye Corvettes also will participate, Stalter said.
Other participants will include Civil War re-enactors the Seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Springfield High School cheerleaders and the Spartan Sparkles cheerleaders, Rubber City Roller Girls, The Cleveland Fusion women’s football team, Tuslaw Lions miniature train, Chesty Pullers Young Marines and Special Olympic athletes from Summit County.
Following the parade, awards will be presented at Lock 3 Park.
The AOH will sponsor celebrations following parade events at the South Akron Knights of Columbus Hall, 2055 Glenmount Ave., and at the New AOH Clubroom at 2000 Brown St. The events will feature local Irish entertainment, food and beverages.
For more information about the parade and events, contact Stalter at 330-882-3174.
