A 43 member Hibernian delegation is arriving in Ireland this week for a 10 day fact-finding mission that will include a key meeting with family members of murdered Gaelic Athletic Association official Sean Brown in Bellaghy, and presentation of nearly $150,000 in Freedom-for-all-Ireland grants at an event in the grounds of Holy Cross Church, Ardoyne on Saturday, April 11.
According to a release, grant presentations will be broadcast live from the Houben Centre in Belfast via AOH Youtube, allowing Hibernians across the U.S. to hear directly from the 17 successful applicants, about each group's work, and how much they count on American help.
The visiting group, which includes senior members of both the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Ladies AOH, drawn from 14 states, will travel across the Six Counties for briefings on issues like legacy justice and Irish reunification as well as meeting with organizations doing vital work on these issues.
The webinar broadcast will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern Time or 3 p.m. in Ireland. The Youtube link is https://aoh.com/2026FFAIgrants.
In Bellaghy, Hibernians will meet members of the Brown family and inspect sites where the GAA official was abducted and murdered.
British Secretary of State Hilary Benn is appealing the Brown case to the London Supreme Court, after the Belfast High Court and Court of Appeals upheld the Coroner’s actions in acknowledging that intelligence reports linked multiple British agents in the murder, and ordering a Public Inquiry.
Victims’ relatives in Ireland, continued the release, are now deeply concerned that Benn’s approach will end their hopes for truth and force them to seek justice in the European Court.
Hibernians will also get a full overview on legacy justice issues from Mark Thompson of Relatives for Justice and Grainne Teggart of Amnesty International, including a preview on the upcoming verdict in the Springhill-Westrock Massacre.
In Tyrone, Hibernians will hear a program on the Troubles from photo-journalist Oistin MacBride and historian Brian MacDonald at the newly opened Benburb Priory, near the scene of the famous victory by the O’Neills at the Battle of Benburb. They will then get a presentation about Benburb, visit the new Martin Hurson Museum and the Carrickmore Republican Memorial Garden.
In Derry, the delegation will receive a briefing from SDLP Party Leader Colum Eastwood, meet the Bloody Sunday Families and the family of Martin McGuinness at the Museum of Free Derry before a tour of Bogside Murals with the Bogside Artists. The delegation will also meet Derry native and Irish political deportee Matt Morrison.
Added the release: "Each year the AOH makes a special Christmas Appeal to raise funds for groups working for freedom for all Ireland. Members again set a new record and will be presenting nearly $150,000. FFAI Chair Martin Galvin and Deputy FFAI Directors Bob Bollbach and Bill McKinney will lead the presentations.
"Once again the broadcast will come from the grounds of Holy Cross, where 25 years ago Catholic girls were subjected to a vicious campaign of sectarian abuse on their way to attend the primary school. The Houben Centre has been a major recipient of FFAI Christmas Appeal support.
"Again awarded grants this year were the Ballymurphy Massacre Campaign, and the Bloody Sunday Trust, in recognition of their respective campaigns for justice for more than 50 years. Other grant recipients fighting for legacy truth are Relatives for Justice and the Witness Project. The EALU Center was awarded a grant for its work with Republican ex-political prisoners in Tyrone.
"Ireland’s Future was awarded a grant for its work in seeking Irish reunification, while the Ardoyne Youth Club was awarded a grant for its work in that area of Belfast.
"A heritage grant was awarded to the St.Patrick Centre. Belfast National Graves and Tyrone National Graves were awarded grants.
"Green Cross, Duchas-Oriall, Greater New Lodge Commemoration Committee, Bridges Beyond Boxing, the Martin McGuinness Foundation and the O’Neill-Allsop Memorial Band will also be grant recipients.
"Also in Belfast Hibernians will hear a talk on Irish reunification by human rights activist Andree Murphy and Claire Mitchell, author of 'Ghost Limb: Alternative Protestants and Spirit of 1798. In Belfast Hibernians will also meet with veteran Irish Republicans, Tom Hartley, Fra McCann, Seamus Delaney and Malachy McAllister."
The FFAI mission will spend its final two days in Dublin, where speakers addressing the visitors will include historian Ruan O’Donnell.
AOH Freedom-for-all-Ireland Chair Martin Galvin stated: “Hilary Benn’s actions in trying to prevent families like the Browns from getting even a gist of the truth about British crown collusion, raise serious doubts about how he would interpret any new British legacy legislation.
“Irish America has a critical role to play on issues like legacy justice and Irish reunification. We are bringing a high level AOH-LAOH delegation to the north to highlight American support for those like the Brown family and so many others still fighting for legacy truth.
"It is crucial now more than ever that we bring the facts back across America and do more nationally to support those still denied justice and freedom."
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