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Irish ladies mix fun with charity* Ckby Peg SchmidtCatholic TelegraphCINCINNATI - In a town heralded for its Teutonic heritage, often the only time those Greater Cincinnatians of Gaelic descent are noticed is on St. Patrick’s Day. Theneverybody’s Irish.Two Irish groups, the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, and the Cincinnati Irish Cultural Society, have different methods of pursuing the same objective — the preservation of Irish heritage.Founded in 1963, the cultural society’s main purpose is promoting Irish step dancing by encouraging young people to learn the artform and sponsoring an annual international competition of Irish step dancing held each year at Summit Country Day School in late June. About 50 boys and girls from the Greater Cincinnati area ranging from 4-22 years old are members of the McGing dancers, the cultural society’s dance group.While being Irish is not a requirement to join the Irish dancers, most do have some Irish background. Several of the McGing dancers qualified to compete in world championships in Irish dancing, which is the highest honor a dancer can achieve. The championship competition is held in Ireland.Charitable causesOriginally founded to aid Irish-Catholic immigrant girls, the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians were auxiliaries to men’s Hibernian groups. In the early 1900s there were three ladies divisions in Cincinnati but as immigration slowed the groups disbanded. In 1967, Rita McDonagh, Margaret Hannon and several other Cincinnati women of Irish descent decided to reorganize a LAOH division and focus on charitable activities.“We’re an informal group,” said former president Mary Anne Weber, who now serves as the organization’s treasurer “We are dedicated to love, friendship and charity.”The division, which now has 86 members, raises funds for the poor of Cincinnati’s Millvale area through St. Xavier Church; for Our Daily Bread, a soup kitchen in Over-the-Rhine; and for the Columban Missions. The group also serves as volunteersThe McGing traditional Irish dancers will perform at two events this month. Shown left to right, front row: Tara Rider, Maureen Stephan, Heather King; middle row: Heather Mc-Claoahan,. Allison McClanahan, Michelle Hamm, Teresa Home, Angie Metz; back row: Erin Rider, Jenny Duffy.at Drake Hospital, holding parties and bingos for the patients.Weber, a member of St. Ann’s, Groes-beck, said the division isn’t all work and no fun, however. Each February, the 86-member group attends a St. Brigid’s Mass at St. Xavier Church, downtown, followed by a dinner at an area restaurant and of course they’re represented in Cincinnati’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade lt;scheduled this year for Sunday, March 20).Their biggest social and fund-raising event of the year, however, is the Annual St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance, which will be held Friday, March 11, at the Carrousel Inn, 8001 Reading Rd. The evening includes fine food (including Irish soda bread) and music ranging from popular, polka to Irish.For information on the dinner dance or how to join the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, call Sharon McDermott, 231-1833.Later on in the month, the Irish Cultural Society will hold a ceili to raise funds for the annual Irish step dancing competition. The ceili (prounced kalee) will be held on Saturday, March 26, at 8 p.m. at King’s Hall, 7617 Reading Rd.Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians' St. Patrick’s Day dinner dance co-chairpersons Katie Hessler, left, and Mary Jo Daly, center, plan the event with Treasurer Mary AnneThe Rutherford Family Irish Show Band from Rochester, N.Y., will provide the music and the McGing Irish Dancers will perform. Tickets are $6 pa* person or 120 for a group of four. For more information call 491-3863.
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