En: Irish masonic medals

Irish masonic medals

Some of the most interesting artefacts associated with Irish Freemasonry are the various medals struck to commemorate special events in the history of our Masonic Lodges. Here we have details of a number of examples which were issued by Lodges under the Irish Constitution.

Source: Irish Masonry

MEDALS OF THE IRISH CRAFT

Introduction

It is my intention in this short address to place on record my thoughts on the collection and classification of Irish Masonic Medals and to provide examples of same with some details of their purpose, design and distribution.

Medal

Piece of metal, usually in the form of a coin, struck or cast with an inscription, armorial illustration or device to commemorate an anniversary or event. Produced to order, by many companies including The Royal Mint, they cannot be used as coin of the realm. Larger medals go under the name of Medallions. In Craft Lodges we normally see medals used to show membership of a particular Lodge, commemorate the foundation of a Lodge, a special event in its history or the achievement of a significant anniversary. Medals are also issued to commemorate the opening of new buildings and occasionally personalities.

Medals in the Early Days

The first references to Masonic medals in the Irish Constitution date from the earliest surviving records of Irish Craft Masonry, which are to be found in the columns of “The Dublin Weekly Journal” for the 26th June 1725. Most of you will know that this is the first written record ( so far found ) of the existence of The Grand Lodge of Ireland and details the Installation of “The Earl of Rosse” as Grand Master for the ensuing year. Our interest in this event stems from one part of the newspaper report which reads as follows : “ The Brothers of one Lodge wore fine badges painted full of crosses and squares, with this motto – Spes Mea in Deo Est.”

This medal comprises the portrait of the Earl of Rosse, Grand Master on the obverse with the dates 1725 – 2000, and on the reverse, the coat of arms of the Grand Lodge of Ireland. The medal was manufactured in silver or with an antique bronze finish and was suspended on a white ribbon with a red St Patrick’s Cross emblazoned thereon, or alternatively it could be purchased as a medalet in an antique bronze finish. The silver jewels, five hundred in total were individually numbered and have the millennium assay stamp from Dublin for the year 2000. I was fortunate to acquire No 280, the number of my Mother Lodge.

I wonder how many of you recognise the motto – “My Hope is in God”. However this written report is indisputably the first record of medals being worn at a Masonic meeting. Many of you will know that this event was commemorated by Grand Lodge with the issue of a medal in the year 2000 to commemorate the 275th anniversary of the investiture of our first recorded Grand Master.

Sadly, our next piece – The Sackville medal is not so plentiful. Struck in 1733, the Sackville medal has been the cause of much debate over the years as to its authenticity. However independent research carried out at the end of the 19th century by Bro W Begemann for his paper published in AQC (Volume 12 page 204) and Rt Wor Bro Chetwode Crawley, LLD ( Notes on Irish Freemasonry Vol 5 ) both clearly confirm that this is the earliest known Irish Masonic medal.