GRAND LODGE
of
ANTIENT, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS
OF IRELAND 

QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION ‑ SATURDAY 4th MARCH, 2006
at
The Sligo Park Hotel, Sligo

Present:‑

SISTER CONSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED
The following Grand Lodges were represented:‑ Scotland, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, New South Wales, Western Australia, Victoria, Andorra, Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece (National), Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Askansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, Ohio, Texas, South Dakota, West Virginia, Costa Rica, Cuscatlan El Salvador, Argentina, Venezuela, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mali, South Africa, China, India, the Philippine Islands, the Dominican Republic and the Prince Hall Grand Lodges of Colorado and Ohio.

APOLOGIES FOR NON-ATTENDANCE
Apologies for non‑attendance were received from:‑ the R.W. Grand Treasurer; the R.W. Grand Registrar; the V.W. Senior Grand Deacon, the V.W. Grand Superintendent of Works; the V.W. Grand Steward; V.W. Brother Peter H. Mullock, Grand Steward of Charities; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Down, Londonderry & Donegal and Meath; R.W. Brother Adam J. McKinley, Past Provincial Grand Master, Antrim; R.W. Brothers Daniel B. Fincher, William W. Hughes, Robert Campbell, Stanley Johnston and Robert J. Thomson, Past Senior Grand Wardens; R.W. Brother The Rt. Rev. Samuel G. Poyntz, Past Senior Grand Chaplain; R.W. Brothers The Ven. R. Clayton Stevenson, The Rev. Canon Richard H. Bertram, The Rev. Charles McCurdy, The Rev. W. Warren Porter and The Very Rev. Philip J. Knowles, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; V.W. Brother Arnold J. Cooke, Past Grand Deacon; V.W. Brother Gordon Morrison, Honorary Past Grand Deacon; V.W. Brother Cecil Taylor, Past Assistant Grand Treasurer; V:W. Brothers Samuel H. Boyle, William J. Johnston and Herbert A. Walsh, Past Grand Stewards of Charities; V.W. Brother Bernard V.A. Woods, Past Grand Almoner; V.W. Brothers Thomas A.D. Martin, David M. Wright, Samuel A. Mackenzie and Donald H. Finlay, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers; and The Representatives of the Grand Lodges of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Tasmania, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Switzerland (Alpina), Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Brazil G.O., Sao Paulo, Ecuador, Peru, Burkina Faso; the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Connecticut and R.W. Brothers Harold Ross, Thomas G. Anderson and Douglas Wakefield, Past Grand Representatives.

WELCOME BY THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER
Grand Lodge being opened, the Grand Master, Grand Officers and members of Grand Lodge were welcomed to the Province of North Connaught by R.W. Brother George Ginnelly, Provincial Grand Master. OBITUARY The Grand Master referred to the recent deaths of R.W. Brother Patrick J. Hope, Past Grand Inspector, Far East; R.W. Brother David Benson, Past Grand Director of Ceremonies and Past Grand Deacon; V.W. Brother Henry G. Ashton, Past Grand Steward of Charities; V.W. Brother Patrick L. Kearney, Honorary Past Grand Deacon, South Africa Northern and V.W. Brother Charles N.D. Ridden, Honorary Past Grand Steward. The memory of our departed distinguished Brethren was saluted. MINUTES On the proposal of R.W. Brother T. Noel Bownes, Senior Grand Warden, seconded by R.W. Brother Charles R. Knipe, Junior Grand Warden, the Minutes of the December 1st, 2005, Communication of Grand Lodge, which had been circulated, were taken as read, confirmed and signed.

SALUTE TO THE ASSISTANT GRAND MASTER
The Assistant Grand Master, who had been unavoidably absent from the Installation of Officers Meeting in December, 2005, was proclaimed and saluted. INVESTITURE OF THE GRAND MASTER'S STANDARD BEARER The incoming Grand Master's Standard Bearer, V.W. Brother Brian Kershaw, also unavoidably absent from that meeting was invested and saluted. REPORT OF THE GRAND LODGE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES It was proposed, seconded and passed unanimously that R.W. Brothers George Ginnelly and Charles Hatch along with V.W. Brother David T. Young be elected as the three Grand Lodge Board Representatives on the Grievance Committee. Confirmed. It was proposed, seconded and passed unanimously that R.W. Brothers Dennis R. Millen, G. Ginnelly and D.A.R. Lovesy and V.W. Brothers Rodney L. McCurley, David T. Young, Brian Kershaw and Alan R. Crowe be elected members of the Finance Committee for 2006. Confirmed. It was agreed that the By‑Laws Committee and the Library Committee would comprise the Assistant Grand Master, R.W. Brother D. Barry Lyons, W. Brother Morgan McCreadie with Ms. Rebecca Hayes being a member of the latter. Confirmed. The Board noted with regret for reporting to Grand Lodge the return of the following Warrants: Lodges Nos. 36, 378, 406 and 798, Belfast; and 338, 391 and 710, South Africa Northern. A vacancy having arisen in the Representation of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of the Caribbean and Jurisdiction, the Board recommended that the name of W. Brother Norman T. Reid, Past Master of Lodge No. 217, Ballina, be sent forward for consideration by the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Caribbean and Jurisdiction, as a suitable Brother to act as their Grand Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.  request received for the use of the Grand Lodge Coat of Arms on the Masonic Hall in Hong Kong, to be displayed alongside those of the United Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Lodge of Scotland, on a stained glass window, was considered. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed. The Board considered a submission on behalf of Lodge No. 180, Newtownabbey, concerning a breach of Grand Lodge Law No. 141, paragraph 3. The Grand Secretary was directed to issue a letter to the Lodge on the matter. , The Board considered and granted a request for Dispensation under Grand Lodge Law No. 123 for Lodges Nos. 360 and 873, Southern Cape, who wished to appoint a Brother as Secretary, not yet a Past Master. Designs were submitted for a jewel and banner on behalf of Munster Past Masters' Lodge No. 1011 and were approved by the Board. Approval for the design of a Centenary Jewel by Curragh Emerald Lodge No. 397 was granted.

INSTALLATION OF THE PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER OF NORTH MUNSTER
R.W. Brother G. Hugh Milne, being in attendance, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented him to the Grand Master for Obligation, Investiture, Installation, Proclamation and Presentation with his Patent of Appointment as Provincial Grand Master of North Munster. R.W. Brother Milne thanked the Grand Master for his appointment and was conducted to his seat and saluted according to ancient custom. INSTALLATION OF FOREIGN GRAND REPRESENTATIVES R.W. Brothers James Jones, Harry R.J. Bonner, Robert T. Bashford and Victor E. Bownes, being in attendance and having produced their Patents of Appointment, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented them to the Grand Master for Investiture as Representatives of the Grand Lodges of Estonia, Iceland, Portugal and New Hampshire, respectively. The newly invested Grand Representatives were conducted to their seats and were saluted. GRAND LODGE CHARITY GRANT Read report from the Grand Lodge Committee of Charity recommending a grant of €700 to the wife of a Brother of Sphinx Lodge No. 107, Sri Lanka and Grand Master's Lodge, Dublin, the Committee having already awarded the maximum permissible of €500. Confirmed. CONFERRAL OF HONORARY RANKS The Grand Master with the concurrence of Grand Lodge also conferred the following Honorary

Ranks:‑