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Mayor snubbed from St. Patrick’s Day celebrations due to Hibernian Society male only rules

No girls allowed at official society banquet marking 200th year

By
BERNIE MALONE,
IrishCentral Staff Writer
Published Saturday, March 17, 2012, 8:22 AM
Updated Saturday, March 17, 2012, 11:51 AM

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Mayor Edna Jackson
Mayor Edna Jackson
Photo by Google Images


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Visit our special St. Patrick's Day section here

Mayor Edna Jackson has said she will not challenge the all-male policy for the Savannah Hibernian Society’s 200th banquet on St. Patrick’s Day. Having the mayor present would go against their tradition of having a private, all-male group the Mayor Pro Tem Van Johnson will attend in her place.

Speaking to Savannah Now she said “I will not break their tradition…This year it is more important to build relationships, respect tradition and concentrate on moving forward.

“Maybe in the future they will extend an invitation.”

Jackson preemptivly released she would be excluded from the celebrations because of her sex and sent Johnson in her place.

Over the last 200 years the mayor of Savannah has not been invited to their banquet on two occasions -in 1992, when Susan Weiner was mayor, and this year.

The Society has hosted the banquet since its founding in 1812. In the past presidents, senators and archbishops have been invited but always males.

Peter Muller, chairman of the board of stewards, said “We fully appreciate her valuing our tradition on that point.”

Michael Foran, general chairman of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, pointed out there are other organizations where a “keep out” rule applies to the opposite sex including female sororities.

He added “She is more in line to unite people and not divide people…I think she’s a first-class lady.”

Visit our special St. Patrick's Day section here

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12 Comments

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snakehips | Mar 19, 2012, 01:11 PM EDT
How stupid of the Savannah Hibernian Society, especially when we all know that women are the driving force in Irish and American Irish families. Shame on you "Old Farts"!

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lee01702 | Mar 18, 2012, 08:07 PM EDT
Yes, ridiculous indeed in the day and age. However, rather than making a stink about it, she sent a male in her place. What a gracious and classy lady. Whether she knows it or not, she made these louts look utterly ridiculous!

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occassio | Mar 17, 2012, 02:50 PM EDT
colkelley, I beg to differ. The NAACP and many other black groups/organizations have been all-inclusive since their inception. White men, women and Catholic,Protestant and Jew marched with the early civil rights groups and were jailed,beaten and killed. Please don't presume to know if you don't know. If the AOH don't allow females in their organization, I agree with Mayor Jackson's stance. It is paying respectful to the criteria of a 176 year-old organization. However, the Mayor would not have been invited to join, only to speak. As the Mayor of Savannah, it should be her title that is honored and not her sex.

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Searlit | Mar 17, 2012, 12:32 PM EDT
It's one thing to have a club for men, but to have a rule that women may never attend. That's extremism! I agree with Michael Foran's comment, I think the Mayor is taking the high road here. What road do these Hibernians want to be taking?

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pilib04 | Mar 17, 2012, 11:09 AM EDT
Sad news from my brothers in Savannah. Hopefully they will change these archaic rules soon.

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Eschetic | Mar 17, 2012, 11:03 AM EDT
One of the worst myths inflicted on the rest of the world to maintain the limited power of a small bigoted group is the idea that St. Patrick's Day Parades are somehow insular "religious" (read traditional Roman Catholic) events rather than the celebrations of Irish Heritage - ALL Irish Heritage - that they have always historically been. Given their years of mismanagement across the U.S. isn't it time the "Ancient Order of Hibernians" were relieved of duties which are obviously too much for them to manage in a responsible manner and have them given to a group which would unify all of proud Irish descent? The commenter who alleged that no one would challenge "all-female" or "all-Black" groups needs to come into the 21st Century - or at least the 20th! Men are now admitted to Vassar and most if not all of the great State Universities in the U.S. have long since merged their once separate Men's and Women's Colleges. The NAACP has long welcomed white members - I was one for years. Working together and not pretending that bigotry is somehow admirable accomplishes so much more.

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Portia777 | Mar 17, 2012, 10:43 AM EDT
Well, maybe it is because the fear complete fe males and they are just males?

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colkelley | Mar 17, 2012, 10:06 AM EDT
If an all-female society banned men no one would complain and no one would even make it an issue - ONLY white males MUST be forced to be "inclusive." Now if this were an all-Black social group any white (male or female) demanding to be allowed membership for"inclusiveness" would be tarred, feathered, and ridden out of town on a rail. Women and racial minorities are allowed to have exclusive organizations/events. Only white males are forbidden to have "non-inclusive" organizations or gatherings. Sounds sort of like discrimination, doesn't it?

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Murph46 | Mar 17, 2012, 09:45 AM EDT
Hibernians have actively tried to recruit me for years -I always give them the Mark Twain refrain -I refuse to join an organization who would accept such as me a member!

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ciaradexy | Mar 17, 2012, 09:41 AM EDT
If a similar society banned irish people youd all be up in arms but because its women, no ones arsed!

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donal1951 | Mar 17, 2012, 09:33 AM EDT
Another act of stupidity from the Ancient Order of Hibernians. I got annoyed with them when they tried to ban dog walkers from the Irish cemetary in Portland, Maine. No self-respecting culchie would mind if a dog pooped on his grave, and overall the dog keepers were keeping the place up.

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hollabackgurl | Mar 17, 2012, 09:21 AM EDT
Old conservative white dudes sure don't like women or gays, do they? What century do they think this is?

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