Formation | Before 1725 |
---|---|
Location |
|
Region | Ireland |
Website | freemasons.ie |
Part of a series on |
Freemasonry |
---|
The Grand Lodge of Ireland is the second most senior Grand Lodge of Freemasons in the world, and the oldest in continuous existence. Since no specific record of its foundation exists, 1725 is the year celebrated in Grand Lodge anniversaries, as the oldest reference to Grand Lodge of Ireland comes from the Dublin Weekly Journal of 26 June 1725. This describes a meeting of the Grand Lodge to install the new Grand Master, The 1st Earl of Rosse, on 24 June. The Grand Lodge has regular Masonic jurisdiction over 13 Provincial Grand Lodges covering all the Freemasons of the island of Ireland, and another 11 provinces worldwide. Although there are some artefacts which suggest the existence of freemasonry in Ireland prior to this date, namely a chair with Masonic symbols and the Irish harp in lurgan Masonic hall dated 1681.