A prominent member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) in Co Tyrone has been expelled from the organisation.
In a letter the organisation’s The Tyrone County Board told pro-life campaigner Catherine Sewell that she was being dismissed.
The campaigner was also told that the branch she belonged to, Tyrone based St Joseph’s Division, was also being dissolved.
Ms Sewell is well known for her anti-abortion work and just last week publicly thanked Coalisland based priest Fr Eugene O’Neill after he banned Sinn Féin from a church run hall over the party’s position on abortion.
In a letter signed by senior AOH figures in Tyrone it was alleged that Ms Sewell spoke to the media on two occasions on behalf of the AOH without permission.
It is also claimed that she provided a non-member with an email which was then put on Facebook.
Ms Sewell dismissed the move last night.
“The whole procedure is totally illegal in terms of AOH rules, none of which have been cited," she said.
"Nor have I been asked to appear before a tribunal or given any right of appeal.
“It's no wonder that most of the divisions that existed last year have folded and joined the pro-life movement instead."
The move comes after former Tyrone president Gerry McGeough was also expelled from the organisation last year.
He warned last night that the organisation “is heading for a split".
