GRAND LODGE
of
ANTIENT, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF IRELAND

QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION ‑ THURSDAY 7th MARCH, 2013
at
FREEMASONS' HALL, MOLESWORTH STREET, DUBLIN
           
    Present:‑

There were also present:‑ The Provincial Grand Masters of Antrim, Armagh, North Connaught, Down, Midland Counties, North Munster, South Eastern, Wicklow & Wexford and the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board; R.W.Bros. J. Kenneth Dunne, Robert J. Armstrong, Charles W. Olden, Robert S. Hackett, George Miskimmins, Harvey F.J. Heavener and R. Arthur Keppel, Past Provincial Grand Masters; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Armagh, South Connaught, Down, Meath, Midland Counties, South Eastern and Tyrone & Fermanagh; and the Deputy Chairman of the Metropolitan Board; R.W.Bros. Cyril R. Foster and John Hadden, Past Provincial Deputy Grand Masters; R.W.Bro. Samuel G. Poyntz, Past Senior Grand Chaplain; R.W.Bro. Allen G. Megarry, Past Grand Director of Ceremonies; V.W.Bro.s Robert J. Robinson, John O. Dunlop, Frank R.L. Arnold and Alan Stewart, Past Grand Deacons; V.W.Bro. Ralph McGuckin, Past Grand Superintendent of Works; V.W.Bro. William J. Johnston, Past Grand Steward of Charities; V.W.Bros. Victor Whyte, Bernard V.A. Woods, Maurice Lee and William T.H. Balmer, Past Grand Almoners; V.W.Bros. Robin E.W. Newenham and John J. Ramsay, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers.  Also ‑ other Senior Brethren; and the Masters, Past Masters, Wardens and Brethren of many Lodges.

SISTER CONSTITUTIONS REPRESENTED
The following Grand Lodges were represented:‑ Scotland, Canada in Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, New South Wales, Victoria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia. Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota. Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Cuscatlan El Salvador, Mexico (York), Gabon, Senegal, South Africa, China, the Philippines, Mauritius, Israel and the Prince Hall Grand Lodges of the Caribbean, Massachusetts, Ohio and Ontario & Jurisdiction.

APOLOGIES FOR NON‑ATTENDANCE
Apologies for non‑attendance were received from:‑ the R.W. Junior Grand Chaplain, the Rev. Noel H.L. Regan; the V.W. Junior Grand Deacon, the V.W. Grand Superintendent of Works and the Grand Inner Guard; the Provincial Grand Masters of South Connaught, Londonderry & Donegal and Munster; the Provincial Deputy Grand Masters of Antrim, Munster and Wicklow & Wexford; R.W.Bros. Robert J. Thomson, Thomas C.B. McBain and William W.T. Shortland, Past Provincial Grand Masters; R.W.Bro. Charles R. Knipe, Past Senior Grand Warden; R.W.Bro. Michael W. Walker, Past Grand Secretary; R.W.Brother William J. Dyer, Past Grand Director of Ceremonies; R.W.Bros. the Rev. Richard H. Bertram, the Very Rev. Philip Knowles and the Rev. W. Warren Porter, Past Junior Grand Chaplains; V.W.Bros. Gordon Morrison, Robert J. Robinson and John L. Frazer, Past Grand Deacons; V.W.Bro. Rajiv Dave, Hon. Past Grand Deacon; V.W.Bro. Cecil Taylor, Past Assistant Grand Treasurer; V.W.Bro. David Lovesy, Past Grand Almoner; V.W.Bros. David Penpraze and Donald H. Finlay, Past Grand Master's Standard Bearers; and The Representatives of the Grand Lodges of Alberta, Andorra, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Rhode Island, Texas, Argentina, Chile, Columbia (Cartagena), Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Burkina Faso, Japan and Madagascar; and R.W.Bro. Neville K. Irvine, Past Grand Representative.

OBITUARY
The Grand Master referred to the recent death of R.W.Bro. James I.A. Davison, Representative of the Grand Lodge of Colorado and Past Grand Steward of Charities. The memory of our departed distinguished Brother was saluted.

WELCOME
The Grand Master welcomed all Brethren present, and said personally he was delighted to see R.W.Bro. Norman Humes in attendance, following his recent serious illness; his remarks were greeted with acclaim.

MINUTES
On the proposal of R.W.Bro. Selwyn S. Davies, Senior Grand Warden, seconded by R.W.Bro. Geoffrey G. Ashton, Junior Grand Warden, the Minutes of the December 27th 2012, Communication of Grand Lodge, which had been circulated, were taken as
read, confirmed and signed.

REPORT OF THE GRAND LODGE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES
It was proposed, seconded and passed unanimously that Brothers David T. Young, Roger Matthews and Cecil Tilson be elected as the three Grand Lodge Board Representatives on the Grievance Committee for 2013.

It was proposed, seconded and passed unanimously that Brothers David T. Young, Brian Kershaw, William T.H. Balmer, Ivan Conner, Ian Kirkpatrick, John E.V. Smith and Ivan Boreland, be elected members of the Finance Committee for 2013.

It was agreed that the By‑Laws Committee and the Library Committee would comprise the Deputy Grand Master, R.W.Bro. D. Barry Lyons and W.Bro. Morgan McCreadie; with Ms. Rebecca Hayes being a member of the latter.

A vacancy having arisen in the representation of the Grand Lodge of Slovakia, the Board recommended that the name of W.Bro. Melville C.D. Goodchild, Past Master of Metropolitan Lodge Victoria No. 4, be sent forward for consideration to act as their Grand Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.

The recently recognised Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas having agreed an Exchange of Foreign Representatives, the Board recommended the name of W.Bro. John S. Haynes, Past Master of Metropolitan Lodge No. 397, be sent forward for consideration to act as their Grand Representative here. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.

The Board considered and approved a request for Dispensation under Grand Lodge Law No. 118 for a Brother to serve as Junior Warden in one Lodge, whilst Worshipful Master in another. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.

The Board approved a request for permission to move the Warrant of B.W.D. Montgomery Lodge No. 434 from Arthur Square to Crumlin Road.

The Board heard a report from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Down meeting held at The Mount, Belfast on Tuesday 29th January, to hear charges of Un‑Masonic conduct against a Brother and a former Brother of the Province. The charges being confirmed, the report advocated expulsion in both cases. Recommended to Grand Lodge. Confirmed.

Before the commencement of the next item, the Antrim delegation requested permission to absent themselves. This was granted and the delegation left the room. In their absence the Chairman asked the Board's permission to set up a new rehearing committee in the matter of certain Brethren and charges against them by senior figures in the P.G.L. of Antrim. The Chairman said he wished the committee to comprise Bro. Derek Brennan, as Chair, and Bros. Jack Tchrakian and Jim Stanley. The Board agreed unanimously and the Antrim delegation were readmitted, informed and thanked by the Chairman for withdrawing when they did.

Some Board members queried the TLC, Teddies for Loving Care, project and R.W.Bro. Philip Daley explained some matters on the development of the scheme.

INSTALLATION OF PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER OF TYRONE & FERMANAGH
R.W.Bro. Norman Humes, Provincial Deputy Grand Master of Tyrone & Fermanagh, being, as noted earlier by the Grand Master, in attendance, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented him to the Grand Master for Obligation, Investiture and Installation as Provincial Grand Master of Tyrone & Fermanagh. R.W.Bro. Humes' sponsors were R.W.Bro. Canon T. Henry Trimble, Provincial Grand Chaplain and V.W.Bro. Derek W.M. Nixon, Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies; his Chain Bearer was W.Bro. William R. Wallace. On having him placed in his chair, the Grand Master proclaimed Bro. Humes as follows: "Brethren, I hereby proclaim that this day R.W.Bro. Norman Humes, Provincial Deputy Grand Master, has been duly Obligated, Invested and Installed as the R.W. Provincial Grand Master of Tyrone & Fermanagh"; and he was saluted. R.W.Bro. Humes suitably replied and was acclaimed.

INVESTITURE OF FOREIGN GRAND REPRESENTATIVES
W.Bro. Thomas M. Yarr, Past Master of Lodge No. 602, Derriaghy, being in attendance and having produced his Patent of Appointment, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented him to the Grand Master for Investiture as Representative of the Grand Lodge of Croatia.

V.W.Bro. Derek W.M. Nixon, Past Master of Lodge No. 744, Enniskillen, being in attendance and having produced his Patent of Appointment, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented him to the Grand Master for Investiture as Representative of the Grand Lodge of Illinois.

W.Bro. Norman J.E. Close, Past Master of Lodge No. 636, Newtownabbey, being in attendance and having produced his Patent of Appointment, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented him to the Grand Master for Investiture as Representative of the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel.

W.Bro. Trevor G. McCaughey, Past Master of Lodge No. 575, Rosetta, being in attendance and having produced his Patent of Appointment, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented him to the Grand Master for Investiture as Representative of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Alaska & Jurisdiction.

W.Bro. John S. Traill, Past Master of Lodge No. 389, Belfast, being in attendance and having produced his Patent of Appointment, the Grand Director of Ceremonies formed a procession and presented him to the Grand Master for Investiture as Representative of the Grand Lodge of Mexico (York).

The newly invested Grand Representatives were conducted to their seats and saluted.

GRAND MASTER'S ADDRESS
The Grand Master, in the course of his quarterly address, said

Brethren All,

I have not really had the time over the last couple of months, which have been hectic, to prepare an address for this occasion, but I will incorporate it into my few words at our June Communication. I will just mention, en passant, my trip, along with the Grand Secretary, in January to participate in the annual Festival of Light at the Icelandic Order of Freemasons ‑ Grand Lodge of Iceland, in Reykjaviek. We had been booked to go last year but of course my knee operation intervened and we had to cancel at the last minute. It was a marvellous occasion, in a stunning country and the weather really only turned seasonally nasty when we were safely back at the airport, preparing to depart.

I am delighted to recognise in our midst this afternoon, the recently installed Supreme Grand Master of Great Priory, W.Bro. Brian Bradshaw, and his Great Seneschal, R.W.Bro. Robert Quigley; our congratulations and best fraternal wishes go to both of them.

Finally Brethren, a rerninder to all our Provincial Grand Masters, and their Secretaries to dash off their various Annual reports and send them into our Grand Secretary for compilation and publication.

CHARITY COLLECTION
The Charity Collection amounted to €945.81

GRAND LODGE CLOSED