About Us
The Order of the Knights of St. Columbanus
The Order of the Knights of Saint Columbanus (Irish: Ridirí Naomh Cholumba) is an Irish national Catholic fraternal organisation. Founded by Canon James K. O'Neill in Belfast, Ireland, in 1915, it was named in honour of the Irish saint, Columbanus. Initially established as a mutual benefit society for working class Catholics, it has developed into a fraternal benefit society dedicated to providing charitable services to all areas of the Irish community.
There are 68 councils across all 32 counties on the island of Ireland. Membership in the order is open to all practising Catholic men 18 and over. There is a youth division of the order open to younger men ages 16 and up, called the Associate Knights of St Columbanus. The Order is a founding member of the International Alliance of Catholic Knights.
Pope Francis Update
“Catholics around the world will have been delighted at the news that Pope Francis is now recovering from his ailments. Progress has been slow, his doctors concede, but it seems to be measurable. No date has yet been set for him to leave Rome’s Gemelli hospital. Yet the presumption is certainly that he will do so. Given the touch-and-go nature of Francis’s condition during February, the sense of relief is palpable..."
Synodal News
Letter to the Bishops and the People of God of the whole world Vatican, 15 March 2025 The General Secretariat of the Synod has sent to all Bishops and Eparchs, and through them, to the whole “Holy People of God” entrusted to their care, ...
March For Life 2025
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Our Story
The Order was founded in Belfast in 1915 by Father James Kearney O’Neill. James K. O’Neill was a native of Ballycastle, where he studied at the Classical School in Downpatrick. He enrolled in St. Malachy’s Diocesan College in February 1872 and entered Maynooth in September 1875. In 1906 he was appointed parish priest of the Sacred Heart Parish, Oldpark Rd., Belfast.
The Supreme Executive is elected every three years at the Orders Stated Annual Meeting in October. All Grand Knights, Deputy Grand Knights (or their representative), Provincial and Deputy Provincial Grand Knights, members of the Council of Directors and Past Supreme Knights are all entitled to vote. This year the Supreme Council was held in October in the Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney and the following Brothers were elected for the 2023-2026 period.
