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"The Head O'the Road" Tartaraghan Masonic Lodge 789 1793 was a momentous year, for not only were the Connaught Rangers raised by the Hon. Thomas de Burgh, later Earl of Clanricarde, in the counties of Connaught, but the Grand Lodge of Ireland granted a Warrant of the 7th November to Masonic Lodge 789 to be held at Portadown in the County of Armagh. The grantees were named as Michael Obins, Rev. George Maunsell and Thomas Dickson. There is no official title of the Lodge recorded except in a return to the Clerk of the Peace in 1842 in which the name is given a St. John's Royal Blue Masonic Lodge. According to the Minutes of 3rd March 1904 it was passed that 789 be known as Tartaraghan Masonic Lodge. It is affectionately known by local Masons as "The Head O'the Road" and it is generally held that your Masonic experience is never quite complete until you have visited Lodge 789. The Lodge meets in Freemasons Hall, Tartaraghan on the Thursday on or before the Full Moon at 8.00pm each month except July. A warm welcome awaits each and every guest. An entry in the Minute Book dated 7th March 1834 was famous throughout all the neighbouring Lodges for its last statement quoted exactly as follows:- "Lodge 789 met in John McGowans in dew form. No Bisness done all parded in Good Harmony and All the Money drunk" Apparently the minutes frequently recorded that the money was spent but this is the only occasion that the worthy Secretary specified the object to which they had been devoted! All visitors will be made very welcome and our Hall is fully available for use by both Masonic and Non-masonic groups, pending availability, dates etc. Contact Thomas Lawson on 028 3885 1322 for details. |
