Irish Benevolent Society of London, Ontario
Encyclopedia
The Irish Benevolent Society of London, Ontario
is a philanthropic organization founded on March 1, 1877. Its purposes are to provide opportunities for Canadians
of Irish
descent and their friends to engage in benevolent activities and to preserve their Irish heritage.
The Society was unique at the time of its foundation in accepting both Roman Catholic and Protestant members. In much of Ontario
sectarianism
ruled, and continued to rule until well into the twentieth century, with the Orange Order
pitted against Roman Catholic and other organizations. In fact, the constitution of the Society provides that presidents (who are elected for one year) must be alternately Roman Catholic and Protestant. The discussion of Irish politics has also been forbidden at meetings since the Society's inception. The Society was immediately popular, and as a result of its popularity the importance of separate Protestant and Roman Catholic organizations in municipal politics was markedly reduced.
The Society's chief fundraising event benefits the Lawson Health Research Institute
, but it also helps many other institutions and individuals.
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
is a philanthropic organization founded on March 1, 1877. Its purposes are to provide opportunities for Canadians
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
of Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
descent and their friends to engage in benevolent activities and to preserve their Irish heritage.
The Society was unique at the time of its foundation in accepting both Roman Catholic and Protestant members. In much of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
sectarianism
Sectarianism
Sectarianism, according to one definition, is bigotry, discrimination or hatred arising from attaching importance to perceived differences between subdivisions within a group, such as between different denominations of a religion, class, regional or factions of a political movement.The ideological...
ruled, and continued to rule until well into the twentieth century, with the Orange Order
Orange Institution
The Orange Institution is a Protestant fraternal organisation based mainly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, though it has lodges throughout the Commonwealth and United States. The Institution was founded in 1796 near the village of Loughgall in County Armagh, Ireland...
pitted against Roman Catholic and other organizations. In fact, the constitution of the Society provides that presidents (who are elected for one year) must be alternately Roman Catholic and Protestant. The discussion of Irish politics has also been forbidden at meetings since the Society's inception. The Society was immediately popular, and as a result of its popularity the importance of separate Protestant and Roman Catholic organizations in municipal politics was markedly reduced.
The Society's chief fundraising event benefits the Lawson Health Research Institute
Lawson Health Research Institute
Lawson Health Research Institute is large hospital based research institutes located in London, Canada. Lawson is the research institute of London Health Sciences Centre and St...
, but it also helps many other institutions and individuals.