This Memorial Day, we honor and appreciate all who gave their lives in service to the United States. But we hold a special place in our hearts for the Irish immigrants who wore the uniform of a new nation—many of them young, far from home, and fighting for a country they had only just begun to call their own. Some are buried in distant fields, with no family to mourn them and no descendants to carry their names. But we remember them. They left everything behind for a better life, and gave that life in return. Their courage, loyalty, and sacrifice are part of the story of both Ireland and America. We remember them not only as courageous soldiers, but as our lost brothers and sisters. (fb)

On May 22nd, we mark the birthday of Michael Doheny—a name every Hibernian should know. Born in 1805 in County Tipperary, Doheny was a leader in the Young Ireland movement. After the failed 1848 Rising; he escaped British capture and made his way to the United States, where he got back to work. Doheny joined the Ancient Order of Hibernians in New York and quickly saw its potential—not just as a social group, but as a force for organizing Irish immigrants with purpose. With fellow Hibernians, he co-founded the Emmet Monument Association. Despite the name, it wasn’t about building statues, but rather about brining into being the memorial Emmet has asked for from the dock: a free Ireland and preparing Irish-American men to one day fight for Ireland’s independence. Out of this effort came the formation of the 1st Irish Regiment—what would become the 69th New York Militia. Doheny helped organize it in 1849, was elected lieutenant colonel in 1851, and soon after took command. The regiment trained hard, marched proudly, and made it clear that Irish Americans were ready to defend their new home—and remembered the unfinished business in the old one. Doheny later helped found the Fenian Brotherhood, carrying forward the idea that Irish freedom was still worth fighting for, and that the Irish abroad had a role to play. He died in 1862. But the institutions he helped shape—the AOH, the 69th —endure. So did his message: Irish identity is something to be defended, developed, and passed on. #MichaelDoheny #Fighting69th #AncientOrderOfHibernians #IrishAmericanHistory #KnowYourHeritage (image colorized by HotSpot) (fb)