Sir, - Pat Mullin of Drumcondra, writes to you (February 7th) in response to my letter of January 22nd. I am indebted to him for again so clearly and correctly detailing the attitudes of the Masonic Order in his first paragraph.a
However, in paragraphs two and three he refers to "the Bishops of Ireland", though he omits to state of which denomination; and he refers to "many experts" but again these illuminati are not identified. The principal experts that the Catholic hierarchy, if that is what he refers to, could have interviewed on the aims and principles of Freemasonry, had they been interested in that subject, would have been the Freemasons themselves; but as I stated in my letter of January 22nd, our request - to meet the Catholic Primate was turned down two years ago and my latest one is still unanswered.
All Frenchmen celebrate Bastille Day each year on July 14th, to commemorate the fall of that hated and feared symbol of despotism and autocracy, on that date in 1789 - not just French Freemasons. In any case, does Mr Mullin know that most soi disant Francmacons in France are not accepted as such and that regular Masons world wide will have no contact with them.
All this took place over 260 years ago - even in the 10 Commandments, continuing blame for the sins of the fathers is only visited upon three or four succeeding generations (Exodus 20 v.5) - but Mr Mullin still seeks vengeance after seven or eight generations! At that very time however, probably more than 50 per cent of Irish Freemasons would have been Roman Catholics including senior clergy such as Most Rev Patrick McDonogh, Coadjutor Bishop of Killaloe. Bishop McDonogh resided at Ennis and was a member of Ennis Lodge No 60 whose proceedings relate his preaching an excellent Sermon on the subject of Masonray" (sic) at a Service for the Lodge in the Chapel at Ennis on June 24th, 1800, after the Lodge had paraded through the town.
Daniel O'Connell quit France in January, 1793, and on leaving French waters is said to have torn off the Tricolour he had been compelled to wear there, on hearing of the execution of Louis XVI and the treatment of Queen Marie Antoinette. O'Connell later, as a member, referred to Freemasonry as "Philanthropy, unconfined by nation, colour, sect or religion". It is unlikelyl that either of these eminent persons would have been so deeply involved in an organisation with the aims and deeds attributed to it by Mr Mullin.
Nonetheless it is just as silly to say that all those executed in the wild excesses following the French Revolution, were done to death by the Freemasons, as to say that because Irish Freemasons drink the health of the President of Ireland as the first toast at dinners in Freemasons Hall, that Irish Freemasons must have been the mainspring for the Easter uprising in 1916 and the eventual institution of the Presidency here. If we must argue, at least let it be done in a rational way.
Mr Mullin seems to doubt our charitable ethos but, in addition to our own charities which distribute about £1m annually, the Freemasons of Ireland Medical Research Fund has supported, in recent years, two research projects into causes of arthritis amounting to £130,000 - £50,000 of this to Professor Barry Bresnihan at St Vincent's Hospital, Elm Park; and we are currently supporting research at University College Galway's Community Health Department over three years amounting to £65,000.
In addition to this the Freemasons of Ireland are presently supporting a charity festival with the aim of raising £1/2m, all of which will be donated for the relief of sufferers from Alzheimers Disease in Ireland and those who care for them, by provision of day care centres and ambulances/minibuses. The first minibus costing £25,000 was handed over to the Raheny Respite Care Centre, at Christmas.
My reply to Mr Mullin is that I will not leave the stage until choose to do so myself; and that until then I will stride it proudly.
- Yours, etc.,
Grand Secretary,
Grand Lodge of A.F.&A.
Masons of Ireland, Grand Secretary's Office, Freemasons' Hall, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2.