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Grand Lodges in Ireland
Following on from last month’s article about the various grand lodges in England, Ireland also had a couple. There was a Grand Lodge of Munster from 1726—33 and a 'Seton breakaway' Grand East of Ulster 1805—14.
The Grand Lodge of Ireland was formed in 1725, but at least as early as 1726, there was also a Grand Lodge to the South, in Cork, Munster, which was absorbed by the Dublin Grand Lodge in about 1731 under the guidance of the Grand Master, James King the 4th Earl of Kingston (possible portrait shown). So by all accounts, it was not a rival GL, but just another body which accepted the primacy of Dublin. For this act of generosity by the Munster brethren, the GL issued letters and patents to give the PGM of Munster various powers.
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However, the formation of the Grand East Ireland, sometimes styled the Grand East of Ulster, was no less important an event than an actual revolt from the properly-constituted authority, The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Ireland. Bro. Alexander Seton, Dep G Secretary was sacked from office due to carrying out his duties in an unsatisfactory manner in 1806. Seton, being a barrister, went to court against Grand Lodge who levelled charged against the former.
The causes of this dispute appear to be of a twofold nature - the ostensible causes being abuses on the part of the Grand Lodge of Ireland in the selection of its officers, threatened interference on the part of that body in the working of the higher Masonic Orders, and a system of finance both faulty and extravagant. Therefore a new body was formed based on the model of the Grand Orient of France.
The Freemason is believed to be Bro. Hippolyto Joseph da Costa (1774–1823), a Brazilian journalist and diplomat, was imprisoned for being a Freemason by the Portuguese Inquisition in 1802, but escaped to England in 1805 by English brethren "who got him under the protection of the British flag.” The style of his regalia dates this portrait to around 1815.
As author of History of the Dionysian Artificers, published posthumously in 1820, he attempted to draw parallels between masonic initiation and those of the Orphic mysteries of Eleusis.
