The Ancient Order of Hibernians in America (AOH) has announced the return of its long-running History Essay Contest, reviving a tradition that stretches back more than a century and placing a renewed spotlight on the often overlooked role of the Irish in the founding of the United States as the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence.
The contest, once a cornerstone of AOH educational outreach, had been paused in recent years as the organization pursued other history initiatives. Its revival comes at a particularly symbolic moment, as the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence.
“We recognize the importance of engaging young people in one of our core missions—the perpetuation of the history and traditions of the Irish people,” said AOH National President Sean Pender.
“Bringing back our traditional essay contest allows students to sharpen their research and writing skills while exploring the profound impact of Irish men and women on America’s founding.”
Open to eleventh- and twelfth-grade students enrolled in public or private high schools across the United States during the 2025–2026 school year, the contest invites participants to examine the contributions of individuals of Irish heritage to the birth of the United States. While essays need not focus directly on the Ancient Order of Hibernians, submissions should align with the organization’s mission, values, and traditions. They must be grounded in documented historical evidence, including primary sources where available.
According to AOH National Historian Dan Taylor, Irish support for American independence was rooted in lived experience. Many of the ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and later the U.S. Constitution—natural rights, equality before the law, and representative government—had long been denied to the Irish under British rule. This year’s contest, according to Taylor, allows students to examine Lord Mountjoy’s famous lament that the British had lost the American Colonies “by Irish immigrants” whose “valor… determined the contest.”
“The foundational assertion that all men are created equal stood in stark contrast to the Penal Laws imposed on Ireland,” Taylor notes, citing Edmund Burke’s famous description of those laws as having been crafted “for the debasement [in the Irish people] of human nature itself.”
Taylor also points to President John F. Kennedy’s observation that “freedom is the commodity the Irish have valued most highly—and the commodity that Ireland has exported most widely.”
Students are encouraged to explore these themes by focusing on a specific Irish man or woman whose actions or ideas helped shape the United States at its founding, illuminating the often under-told Irish dimension of America’s revolutionary story. Essays will be judged based on historical accuracy, adherence to topic, originality, organization of material, grammar, and spelling.
Entries must be submitted by June 15, 2026, with winners to be announced on Independence Day. Two essays will be selected for scholarship awards: $3,000 for first place and $1,500 for second place.
Complete contest rules and the official entry form are available on the AOH website.
Visit AOH.com for more information and to submit your essay!
Check out the AOH's video "At America’s Founding, Irish Hands Were at Work":
