There were also present:- the Provincial Grand Masters of Armagh, North Connaught, South Connaught, Down, Londonderry & Donegal, Meath, Midland Counties, North Munster, Tyrone & Fermanagh, Wicklow & Wexford; the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board; R.W. Bros. R. Stanley Johnston, Geoffrey G. Ashton, Arthur Keppel, Robert J. Armstrong and George Miskimmins, Past Provincial Grand Masters; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Antrim, Armagh, North Connaught, South Connaught, Down, Londonderry & Donegal, Midland Counties, North Munster, Tyrone & Fermanagh and Wicklow & Wexford; and the Deputy Chairman of the Metropolitan Area; R.W.Bro. Cyril R. Foster, Past Provincial Deputy Grand Master; R.W.Bro. Michael W. Walker, Past Grand Secretary; R.W.Bro. the Rt. Rev. Samuel J. Poyntz, Past Senior Grand Chaplain; R.W.Bros. the Rev. Richard H. Bertram, the Rev. Charles McCurdy and the Rev. Selwoode There were also present:- the Provincial Grand Masters of Armagh, North Connaught, South Connaught, Down, Londonderry & Donegal, Meath, Midland Counties, North Munster, Tyrone & Fermanagh, Wicklow & Wexford; the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board; R.W. Bros. R. Stanley Johnston, Geoffrey G. Ashton, Arthur Keppel, Robert J. Armstrong and George Miskimmins, Past Provincial Grand Masters; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Antrim, Armagh, North Connaught, South Connaught, Down, Londonderry & Donegal, Midland Counties, North Munster, Tyrone & Fermanagh and Wicklow & Wexford; and the Deputy Chairman of the Metropolitan Area; R.W.Bro. Cyril R. Foster, Past Provincial Deputy Grand Master; R.W. Bro. Michael W. Walker, Past Grand Secretary; R.W.Bro. the Rt. Rev. Samuel J. Poyntz, Past Senior Grand Chaplain; R.W.Bros. the Rev. Richard H. Bertram, the Rev. Charles McCurdy and the Rev. Selwoode Graham, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; V.W.Bros. Terence O. Read, J. Noel Millar, Robert J. Robinson and Frank R.L. Arnold, Past Grand Deacons; V.W.Bros. Samuel H. Boyle, Arnold J. Cooke, Raymond A. Leadbeater, Gordon Bradshaw, Anthony J. Darlison and Cyril F.A. Quigley, Honorary Past Grand Deacons; V.W.Bro. Ralph B. McGuckin, Past Grand Superintendent of Works; V.W.Bro. Samuel Scott, Hon. Past Grand Steward; V.W.Bros. Reginald Mack, John Torley and Robert S. Morrow, Honorary Past Grand Sword Bearers; V.W.Bros. Arthur W. White, Trevor Monteith, William J. Johnston and Samuel J. Patience, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; V.W.Bros. Bernard V.A. Woods, David Lovesy and William T.H. Balmer, Past Grand Almoners; V.W.Bros. Norman Jackson, Robert T. Bashford, Samuel A. Mackenzie, William J. Dixon, Brian Kearon, Brian Kershaw and James Copes, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers; and R.W.Bros. Henry M. Robinson, D. Jack Long, and Nigel S. Tyney, Past Grand Representatives.

SISTER CONSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED
The following Grand Lodges were represented:- Manitoba, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Victoria, Western Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia, Cuscatlan El Salvador, Argentina, Brazil G.O., Mato Grosso, Chile, Venezuela, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, China, The Philippines and the Prince Hall Grand Lodges of Colorado.
Massachusetts and Ohio.

APOLOGIES FOR NON-ATTENDANCE
Apologies for non-attendance were received from:- the R.W. Grand Registrar; V.W.Bro. Rev. Richard W. Moore, Junior Grand Chaplain; V.W. Junior Grand Deacon; the R.W. Provincial Grand Masters of Antrim, Munster, South Eastern and New Zealand; R.W.Bros. Robert J. Thomson, T. Noel Bownes, and William T. Shortland, Past Provincial Grand Masters; the R.W. Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Meath and South Eastern; R.W.Bro. Allen G. Megarry, Past Grand Director of Ceremonies; R.W.Bros. The Ven. R. Clayton Stevenson and the Rev. W. Warren Porter, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; V.W.Bro. Gordon Morrison, Past Grand Deacon; V.W.Bros. Mervyn W. Morrison and William Beveridge, Honorary Past Grand Deacons; V.W.Bro. Cecil Taylor, Past Assistant Grand Treasurer; V.W.Bro. S. Gordon Leathern, Past Grand Master'Sir Knt. Standard Bearer; the Representatives of the Grand Lodges of Alberta, New Zealand, Andorra, Hungary, Turkey, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Montana, Oklahoma, Mato Grosso do Sul, Ecuador, Peru, Sao Paolo, Benin, Guinea and Dominican Republic; and R.W.Bros. Douglas Wakefield and William McKelvey, Past Grand Representatives.

DELEGATIONS FROM SISTER CONSTITUTIONS
Prior to the opening of Grand Lodge, the Grand Director of Ceremonies escorted delegations from visiting Sister Grand Lodges into Grand Lodge:-
The Grand Lodge of Ghana was represented by R.W.Bro. Nana Herman A. Mould, Assistant Grand Master.
The Grand Lodge of Scotland was represented by M.W. Grand Master Mason, Bro. Charles I.R. Wohige Gordon of Esslemont and R.W. Grand Secretary, Bro. David Begg.
The United Grand Lodge of England was represented by M.W. Pro Grand Master, Bro. Peter Geoffrey Lowndes and V.W. Past Senior Grand Deacon, Bro. Derek Dinsmore.

WELCOME TO DISTINGUISHED VISITORS
Grand Lodge being opened, the Grand Master formally welcomed our distinguished visitors and the Senior Member of each delegation suitably replied.

OBITUARIES
The Grand Master referred to the recent deaths of R.W.Bro. James Kirk, Past Provincial Grand Master, Down, Past Senior Grand Warden and Past Foreign Representative; R.W.Bro. Edwin Florence, Past Provincial Grand Master, Zambia and Hon. Past Grand Deacon; R.W.Bro. Bryan P. Stone, Provincial Assistant Grand Master, Southern Cape and Hon. Past Grand Deacon; R.W.Bro. Alexander McLernon, Past Foreign Representative; V.W.Bro. Rev. Canon Edward Austin Carry, Past Junior Grand Chaplain; V.W.Bro. Kingsley H. Oorloff, Hon. Past Grand Deacon, South East Asia; V.W.Bro. John G. Mitchell, Hon. Past Grand Superintendent of Works; V.W.Bro. Cecil G. Oakes, Past Grand Almoner and V.W.Bro. Richard J. McQueston, Member of the Grand Lodge of Instruction.
The memory of our departed distinguished Brethren was saluted.

MINUTES
On the proposal of the R.W.Brother Senior Grand Warden, seconded by the R.W.Brother Junior Grand Warden, the Minutes of the March 7`" 2009 Communication of Grand Lodge, which had been circulated, were taken as read, confirmed and signed.

NOMINATION OF THE GRAND OFFICERS FOR 2010
In accordance with Grand Lodge Law No. 43, the Grand Lodge Board of General Purposes nominated the following Brethren to be the Grand Officers for 2010:

         
                                                                                                              
W.Brother Peter H. Mullock FCA, Past Master of Lodge No. 395, Dublin, was nominated as the Auditor of Grand Lodge
Accounts for the year 2009.

REPORT OF THE GRAND LODGE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES
Read Memorial for the issue of a new Warrant to establish a Lodge in Kuala Lumpur to be called Harmony Lodge and to be numbered 937. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.

Read Memorial for the issue of a new Warrant to establish a Lodge in Nigeria to be called Awka Lodge. In light of the large debt long outstanding from the Province to Grand Lodge, the Board was not recommending the issue of the Warrant. Noted by Grand Lodge.

The Board considered a request for Dispensation under Grand Lodge Law No. 118 for a Brother to serve as a Principal Officer in two Lodges in 2009:‑ Lodge No. 427 & Lodge No. 545. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.

Read letter from the Grand Lodge of Ghana regarding Togo: the Grand Secretary will raise this issue with Scotland at the upcoming annual Tripartite meeting in July.

A vacancy having arisen in the Representation of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of North Carolina, the Board recommended the name of V.W. Bro. S. Ian Gourley be sent forward for consideration to act as a suitable Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.

A vacancy having arisen in the Representation of the Grand Lodge of Romania, the Board recommended the name of W.Bro. Andrew I. McDermott be sent forward for consideration to act as a suitable Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.

The Board considered a charge of unmasonic conduct against a Brother of Connor Lodge No. 189, Kells Co. Antrim, in that at the Petty Sessions District of Ballymena, he was indicted and convicted on seven counts of having in his possession a controlled drug of Class A with intent unlawfully to supply others, in contravention of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

Read report thereon from the Standing Committee of the Provincial Grand Lodge Board of General Purposes of Antrim, which met on 12th March, 2009, to consider the case, recommending that a Brother be expelled from the Order. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.

The Board noted a charge of unmasonic conduct being brought against three Brethren of the Province of Antrim by the Standing Committee of the Provincial Grand Lodge Board of General Purposes of Antrim: and countercharges being brought against members of it by the self‑same three Brethren. As members of the Standing Committee are protagonists in this dispute, it will be referred to and dealt directly by the Grand Lodge Board itself per Grand Lodge Law No. 16.

The Board considered a breach of Grand Lodge Law No. 32 by a Brother of Lodge No. 339, Metropolitan Area. The Board directed the Grand Secretary to seek the advice of the Grand Registrar and to write to the Brother concerned.

Read letter from the Masonic Trust Company recommending the addition of three new members to the Board: Bros. Rodney McCurley, Thomas R. McDowell and Henry J. Irvine. Agreed and recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.

At the conclusion of the Stated Meeting of the Board, a Special Meeting was held in accordance with Grand Lodge Law No. 66, at which were submitted the Accounts of Grand Lodge for 2008. The Accounts were considered in detail and explanations given by the Assistant Grand Treasurer. Following the presentation, the Board agreed unanimously that the Accounts, as presented, be recommended to Grand Lodge for adoption.

Thus, the Grand Treasurer indicated that copies of the accounts were available within Grand Lodge and pointed out salient features to do with same. He wished to thank V.W.Bro. Smith and Bro. Lyall, in the accounts office, ably assisted by Janet Smith. He was most happy to propose the adoption of the accounts which were seconded by the Junior Grand Warden and passed unanimously.

GRAND LODGE OF INSTRUCTION
Read letter from the Grand Lodge of Instruction seeking Grand Lodge approval for the re‑election of R.W.Brother Michael J. Ward as Grand Secretary for Instruction and the re‑election of V.W.Brother James McFarland, as Assistant Grand Secretary for Instruction; and also for the election of W.Bros. Eric M. Ferguson of Lodge No. 597, Samuel S. McIntyre of Lodge No. 747 and William T. McCoy of Lodge No. 336, as members of the Grand Lodge of Instruction. Confirmed.

INVESTITURE OF FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVE
W.Bro. Ian A. Kirkpatrick being in attendance and having produced his Patent of Appointment, was presented to the Grand Master for Investiture as Representative of the Grand Lodge of Burkina Faso. The newly Invested Grand Representative was conducted to his seat and saluted.

PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES
V.W.Bro. Robert S. Morrow being in attendance was presented to the Grand Master to receive his Certificate of Honorary Past Grand Deacon.

R.W.Bro. Charles W. Olden being in attendance was presented to the Grand Master to receive his Certificate of Past Grand Treasurer.

THE GRAND MASTER'S QUARTERLY ADDRESS
The Grand Master in a short Address to Grand Lodge (the full text of which is included in the master minutes) reported on a number of Lodge visits he had made since March; and made the following points:

'Our last Grand Lodge Communication was held in Armagh Royal School, on Saturday 7th March, the principal business of which was to install R. W. Bro. Wilson Mark as the new Provincial Grand Master; I am confident that he will maintain the previous standards set by his predecessor, R. W. Bro. George Miskimmins who has been an excellent Provincial Grand Master and has served the post with distinction.

On 11th March, I was honoured to attend the Installation of M.W. Bro. Peter Lowndes as Pro. Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England. The M.W. Grand Master Mason of Scotland and I were privileged to join his Royal Highness, the Duke of Kent at the banquet which followed.

I attended Glittering Star Lodge 322 in Birmingham on 14th March with R.W.Bros. John Rowden and John Smith at which the Lodge presented me with a £10,000 cheque for the Grand Master's Festival. I welcome them to Grand Lodge today, in their 250th Anniversary year.

As regards the Grand Master's Festival, I would formally thank all the Brethren for raising the magnificent sum of £600,000 (currently valued at €660,000). My thanks also, of course, go to the Samaritans, the LauraLynn Childrens' Hospice and the NI. Childrens' Hospice who were always willing to involve themselves in our promotion. The overall Chairman, R.W. Bro. Richard Ensor, the Vice‑Chairmen, R.W. Bros McCurley and Fenton and their Festival Committees deserve my heartfelt thanks for driving the project to such a successful conclusion.
On 2nd May we were hosted by the Taoiseach in Leinster House, Dublin, where he met the representatives of the beneficiaries and assisted me in handing over the cheques.
A subsequent presentation was made in Belfast on 23rd March in Rosemary Street where we failed to attract any government ministers. However, many photographs were taken and I was accompanied by two wellknown stars of Local TV, namely Olivia Nash & Alexandra Ford, sponsors of the N.l. Childrens' Hospice and the Samaritans respectively, in presenting the cheques.

Finally Brethren, the Grand Secretary and I attended the 2nd International Conference on the History of Freemasonry, in Edinburgh last week , which was preceded by an evening of music, when three excellent students competed in the final of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland Young Musician of the Year Award for 2009. The event was sponsored by The Grand Lodge of Scotland'.

WELCOME TO VISITING BRETHREN
The Grand Master welcomed Brethren from overseas who were attending, including the large delegation from Glittering Star Lodge No. 322, celebrating its 250th Anniversary, as mentioned above in his address.

The Association of Atholl Lodges delegation and members of QC Lodge No. 2076; V.W.Bro. Philippe Laventure, Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the Grande Loge Nationale Francaise; R.W.Bro. Alfred Camilleri‑Gaglione, Past Senior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Malta; R.W.Bro. Peter Gobel, our Representative at the United Grand Lodges of Germany; M.W.Bro. Jules S. Tepper, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Washington DC, and member of Leinster Lodge, No. 141; W.Bro. Robert W. Waldron, Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Tennessee and W.Bro. Rashid Hossen, Worshipful Master of Lodge No. 925, Mauritius.

APPOINTMENT
The Grand Master announced also that he had appointed W.Bro. Philip Daley as the new Chairman of the Metropolitan Board and that he would Invest him at the October Communication.

CHARITY COLLECTION
The Charity Collection amounted to €1,441.21.

GRAND LODGE CLOSED
Later that evening 125 Brethren and their companions enjoyed a buffet supper, at the conclusion of which the GrandMaster made a short address.