2009 Press Releases

March 9, 2009
The Ancient Order of Hibernians condemns the killing of two British Soldiers at Massereene Barracks outside Belfast

The killing of two British Soldiers at Massereene Barracks outside Belfast last night is condemned by The Ancient Order of Hibernians and condolences go out to their families. Whoever carried out this act can only be trying to undermine the peace agreement which has been voted on by a vast majority of the people of Ireland. For ten years now people are living a peaceful life and the children of tommorow deserve to be raised with that peace for the first time in over 40 years. The AOH Preamble states that we should "aid and advance by all legitimate means the aspirations and endeavors of the Irish people for complete and absolute independence, promoting peace and unity for all Ireland". We have and continue to live those words and were a big force in achieving the agreement of peace we have today. There are those still out there who for whatever reason are determined to undermine that Good Friday agreement. We have supported republicanism for centuries and will continue to do so to achieve our goal of complete freedom from foreign rule.We now have a vehicle to attain that end and that is a peaceful,democratic political machine to reach our goal and those who want to destroy it must not succeed. We have changed from the bullet to the ballot box and we as Hibernians must work diligently to support the peace process and defeat those who's aim is to destroy it. Pray that this is not the start of a campaign of killing and maiming by those responsible for the killings of those soldiers last night.

Seamus also gave an interview to Jim Dee from the Belfast Telegraph Newspaper in Ireland on the killings which appeared in Mondays edition of the newspaper as follows:
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph from his hometown of Philadelphia, Ancient Order of Hibernians President Seamus Boyle echoed Fr McManus's sentiments.

"There would be no support among the Ancient Order of Hibernians for any of these splinter groups," he said

"This attack happens at a time when the peace process has been in place for about 10 years now, and people were just starting to get used to it."

Mr Boyle said the AOH is "always concerned about the peace process because it is so fragile", but he added that he believed dissidents will not succeed in derailing it.