I would thank you all for your attendance here today and express my sincere thanks for your commitment to Grand Lodge and your personal support which you tender to me.

My visitations to lodges during the latter part of 2008 were most enjoyable and proved most enlightening. The enthusiasm and vibrancy was truly infectious and was ably matched by generous hospitality and kindness, giving me much satisfaction and hope for the future of Irish Freemasonry.

I attended a service in Ardclinis Parish Church to mark the 200thanniversary of Lodge 216 Carnlough on 28th September, being most impressed by the fine turnout and the excellent sermon of the visiting preacher.

Grand Lodge met in Coleraine on the 2nd October, 2008 which was up to the usual Londonderry & Donegal Standard. I compliment the Provincial Grand Master R.W. Bro. Robert Quigley on a wonderful turnout, good management and a most enjoyable communication. In November, I paid a courtesy visit to the PGL of Londonderry & Donegal and found everything in pristine condition. I congratulate the Provincial Grand Master and his team on the quality of their work.

St. Georges Lodge No.168 commemorated their 100th Anniversary on Sunday 19th October in St. George’s Parish Church, High Street, Belfast.  R.W. Bro. Rt. Rev. Sam Poyntz delivered the sermon, my son Rev. Terence Dunlop conducted the service and I read one of the lessons and the Acting W. Master read the other.  It was indeed a wonderful day.

A visit to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Bermuda was a breath-taking experience and we were treated magnificently. I was delighted to witness the expert work of the brethren and very impressed by the Provincial Grand Master. R.W. Bro. Brinkworth Tucker whose management of the Province and oversight of the Lodges was of the highest standard, which significantly raised my expectations for the future of freemasonry in Bermuda.

I attended at Ballycarry Masonic Hall to receive a most generous donation to the Grand Master’s Festival from Lodges 154, Prince of Wales, 162, St. John’s Islandmagee and 260, Redhall, Ballycarry. I thank these Lodges for their commitment to the Grand Master’s Festival and to the valuable contribution they have made.

I also visited with the Third Lodge of Ireland in Cork to celebrate their 200 years of existence.  The ritual was interesting and exceptional, in many ways, but very enjoyable. I thank the Brethren for treating me so well and for the welcome they accorded to me. Especial thanks to R.W. Bro. Charles Olden and his wife Jean for looking after my basic needs.

On 21st November, I visited the Spa. and met with the Brethren of Ballynahinch Lodge 301,Dromara Lodge 498, Spa Lodge 703 and Eden-na-vadia Lodge 717. I was accompanied by R. W. Bro. Richard Gray and we both enjoyed a very special night.  The following day I attended and opened the R.W. Provincial Grand Lodge of Down and dined with the principal officers in the evening.

My key event of the autumn was the installation of the Most Worshipful Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland held on the Festival of St Andrew at which I was the Principal Guest. I was accompanied by the Grand Secretary and Past Grand Secretary and we were treated most generously by both the outgoing and incoming Grand Master Mason.

The Grand Secretary and I were, once again, invited to the National Grand Lodge of France (GLNF) which met in Paris in early December.  Our accommodation costs were met by GLNF and we were the oldest Grand Lodge represented. We were accompanied by the new Grand Master Mason of Scotland and his Grand Secretary, enjoyed meeting with the Grand Maitre, M.W. Bro. Francois Stifani and renewing acquaintances.

Fund-raising will continue as before on the basis of a proportional approach to Outreach and In-reach respectively. Firstly, we are committed as freemasons to help the distressed, widowed and fatherless within our Order, which we do most generously through our Charity Funds and I would compliment the members of the various Charity Committees and their Officers for their excellent support in this regard.

We are also committed to help society in general, and again, we have not fallen short in this task. Poor image and negative publicity have plagued us for some years and our current policies and strategies have impacted much on the progress made in this regard.

I am glad to report that the Grand Master’s Festival in support of the Samaritans and Children’s Hospices has done wonderfully well and that the final figure will give us much satisfaction. We will, of course, have a special event, probably in April, 2009, when the funds can be distributed to the beneficiaries.

I compliment the National Chairman and two Regional Chairmen and their respective committees for the tremendous work put in to the Festival.

Brethren, we may gain some plaudits for our charity work in the community but we must always remember that the most important image is the one we personally portray in public, being proud to be Freemasons and never denying our membership. As Freemasons, we must not only convince ourselves that we are a force for good but we must be seen to be so; this can be successfully achieved without compromising the Order’s historic principles and integrity or jeopardising its ancient mysteries.

As you are aware, the membership losses in Belfast have engendered closer study and analysis and these results will come to hand in the early part of 2009.  Membership losses and associated financial issues do cause concern, not only in Ireland, but worldwide. In view of such losses, I believe that the total energies of all Brethren should ideally focus on the salvation of their own lodge rather than seek dual memberships. I also trust that the future of the Provincial Grand Lodge Hall in Rosemary Street will be resolved soon, so that the Lodges may move forward with certainty and confidence.

Our close relationship with the United Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Lodge of Scotland is well founded and I look forward to safeguarding the future of Freemasonry, during my watch, through the medium of our Annual Tripartite Meetings and other regular contact. I am sad that the Pro. Grand Master of the U.G.L.E. has announced his retirement and also that the Grand Master Mason of Scotland has retired. They will both be dearly missed.

I was interested to discover that the Grand Lodge of Scotland has a mandatory rule that the Declaration agreed originally in 1938 between the Home Constitutions should be read at the Installation Communication of Lodges. I have consistently maintained that a good proportion of our members are not aware, as they should be, of the aims and core principles of Freemasonry and do not know why they are members of our Order.

The Grand Secretary read a synopsis of the Declaration earlier, which meets the need to understand these basic statements, without reading the complete Declaration. I believe that we should adopt this practice in our Lodges and have instructed the Grand Secretary to process my proposal through the necessary Grand Lodge Committees for final approval by Grand Lodge.

Brethren, good communication is vital to any organisation and I would appeal to all brethren to read the Grand Lodge Newsletter regularly, keep house-bound and elderly brethren informed, submit meaningful articles and keep abreast of Masonic events which regularly affect us.

Brethren, I stand here today as your Grand Master and assure you that I will do all in my power to maintain and enhance the status and dignity of our Order in Ireland. As I have indicated on a previous occasion, I will not predict my tenure of the office but I will faithfully serve you on a yearly basis until you decide otherwise or until I, or the Great Architect, determines that my course is run.  I wish you much success in 2009 and may the Great Architect bless you in your Masonic endeavours.

M.W. Bro. George Dunlop
Grand Master