Irish Constitution

In Ireland, in addition to the Craft degrees granted by the Grand Lodge of Ireland, there are a number of degrees and orders that are administered separately and are offered to Master Masons either by petition or by invitation.

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• The Royal Arch in Ireland is one of a kind, and it is usually considered as the world’s oldest operating Royal Arch. Members of the Royal Arch in England, Scotland, or America would note significant changes in the degree’s topic from what they are accustomed to. In Ireland, Royal Arch Chapters can convene as Lodges of Mark Master Masons to confer the Mark Degree on a candidate. This must be completed before a candidate may be awarded the Royal Arch Degree. The Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Ireland governs Irish Royal Arch chapters, and both the Mark Master Masons and Royal Arch degrees are recognized by Grand Lodge as being part of “pure, ancient Freemasonry.”

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• The Knight Mason degrees are the last component of “Universal” Irish Freemasonry. They are open to all Craft and Royal Arch members. They are commonly referred to as the Red Cross Degrees in other constitutions, especially, Knight of the Sword (formerly Red Cross of Babylon or Red Cross of Daniel), Knight of the East (officially Jordan Pass), and Knight of the East and West (formally Royal Order). Previously, these degrees were administered by Knights Templar Preceptories and a few Royal Arch Chapters. The Grand Council of Knight Masons was formed in 1923 to maintain and protect the Degrees and the Councils that bestow them.Irish Knight Masonry is currently an international masonic organisation that is expanding. The Degrees bestowed by the Grand Council of Knight Masons are conferred in the exact historical order and in considerably greater detail than any other similar organisation in the world. It is invitational in other jurisdictions.