MacDermot Roe
Encyclopedia
MacDermot Roe is the name of a sept
of the MacDermot
Kings of Moylurg
.
Tracing their origin to 1266, the MacDermots Roe (MacDiarmata Ruadh) of Ireland
served as Biatachs General of the Kingdom of Connacht
and were the principal patrons
of the Irish composer Turlough Carolan, 1670-1738. The MacDermots Roe exemplify the role played by a leading Irish family under the old Gaelic order
and its fate after the consolidation of English rule in the early 17th century.
, 1218-1244. Moylurg was an ancient kingdom in what is now northern County Roscommon
, Ireland and lay within the Kingdom of Connacht which included the modern counties of Galway
, Leitrim
, Mayo
, Roscommon
and Sligo.
In 1266, Dermot Roe MacDermot, the grandson of Cormac MacDermot, King of Moylurg, was blinded by the Aedh mac Felim Ua Conchobair
, King of Connacht. Thereafter, Dermot was known as Dermot Dall (Dall meaning blind in Irish). Dermot Dall had a grandson, Dermot Roe whose descendants adopted the surname Mac (son of) Dermot Roe to distinguish themselves from other members of the MacDermot family.
Some sources state that the position of Biatach included responsibility for providing victuals to the chief’s soldiers. Thus, MacDermot Roe’s responsibilities as Biatach General may have been comparable to a modern Quartermaster General
, as well as, head of social welfare services.
Positions of this nature in Ireland were passed down within a given family. For example, the head of the MacDermot family was the hereditary Marshal
of Connacht. Such was the case with the MacDermots Roe and the office of Biatach General of Connacht.
In addition to their charitable duties as Biatachs General, the MacDermots Roe were church leaders serving as bishops
, abbots
and priors
. Additionally, in 1385, the MacDermots Roe established the Dominican
Priory of the Holy Cross
at Cloonshanville, near modern day Frenchpark
in County Roscommon.
.
While the family eventually spread, not only, throughout Moylurg, but also, further south in County Roscommon, their headquarters remained in Kilronan at Alderford, formerly Camagh, near Ballyfarnon. By the end of the Gaelic period, the MacDermots Roe accounted for about one third of the MacDermot Clan.
The MacDermots were vigorous supporters of Ireland’s Nine Years War against England and were conspicuous in the Irish victory at the Battle of Curlew Pass
in 1599. However, the MacDermots Roe were more cautious. In a report dated September 1597, Sir Conyers Clifford, English President of Connacht, wrote that the MacDermots Roe had come to him and were living about Boyle Abbey
.
elected under the Gaelic brehon legal system, surrendered MacDermot Roe lands in Kilronan to King James I and received them back in fee simple
as a grant from the King. In the grant, Conor is referred to merely as a “representative” of the family.
The 1607 surrender and re-grant
to Conor MacDermotRoe was illustrative of the eclipse of the Gaelic order. The English abolished the lrish brehon legal system and along with it the Irish system of clan land ownership and the Irish practice of electing clan chiefs. Henceforth, the chief’s property and his title passed to the eldest son under primogeniture
.
The MacDermots Roe were Jacobites
, supporting James II
against William of Orange
following the 1688 English Revolution
. Sir Terence Dermott served as Lord Mayor of Dublin
in 1689 under James II. Later, Sir Terence followed James II into exile at Saint-Germain-en-Laye
, France where the King made him a captain of a privateer
vessel. Henry MacDermot Roe was a Jacobite captain in the army of James II.
Despite their support for the Stuarts, the MacDermots Roe of Alderford continued to have substantial landholdings in Kilronan while remaining Catholic. However, following the death of Charles MacDermot Roe in 1759, Charles’ brother John, who had become a Protestant, evicted Charles’ family from Alderford.
John’s descendants became officials of the Anglo-Irish
government. Thomas Charles MacDermot Roe was High Sheriff
of County Roscommon and Justice of the Peace
in Counties Roscommon and Sligo in 1875. His line went extinct in 1917.
and is considered by many to be Ireland’s national composer.
The MacDermots Roe patronage of Carolan was particularly significant since it came at a time when Gaelic culture was vigorously suppressed by English measures such as the Penal Laws
. Since ancient times, Irish bards
played an important cultural role preserving Irish myths, histories and genealogies in the oral tradition
. Bards served as officials of kings and chiefs and, like Carolan, they traveled the kingdom composing songs for notables.
of the MacDermot Roe of Alderford was:
While the motto
of the MacDermot Roe of Alderford was “Honor Probataque Virtus”, an American branch of the MacDermots Roe has published the motto “Justice and Charity” reflecting the family’s Biatach tradition.
and Australia
have retained the appellation in their name. One branch of the family who emigrated to the United States in the late 19th century dropped the MacDermot and the family become known as Roe. To the extent the name has survived in modern times, it is expressed as one word:
(reformed Augustinian
) monastery
on Trinity Island in Loch Ce
in northern Roscommon.
at Cloonshanville in 1698 when he was forced into exile.
to Pope Clement XI
. Ambrose, who served as Bishop 1708-1717 during the Penal Laws, reported in 1714 that he had ordained 32 priests in his Diocese
.
, 1747-1751.
Laurence Dermott
Laurence, 1720-1791, was the principal organizer and long time Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of England
known as the Antients
. The Antients founded some 200 masonic lodges
in London, the provinces and overseas. In 1756, Laurence published the freemasonry treatise Ahiman Rezon
.
.
organization. During the French Revolution
, Thomas joined Lord Edward Fitzgerald
and other Irish nationalists in Paris to enlist French support for Irish resistance to English rule.
mason at Mount Vernon
from 1784 to 1788. After leaving Washington’s service, Cornelius was hired to lay the foundation for one wing of the United States Capitol
but did not complete the project due to a contract dispute.
Sept (social)
A sept is an English word for a division of a family, especially a division of a clan. The word might have its origin from Latin saeptum "enclosure, fold", or it can be an alteration of sect.The term is found in both Ireland and Scotland...
of the MacDermot
MacDermot
Mac Diarmata is an Irish surname, and the surname of the ruling dynasty of Moylurg, a kingdom that existed in Connacht from the 10th to 16th centuries.-Overview:...
Kings of Moylurg
Kings of Moylurg
The Kings of Magh Luirg or Moylurg were a branch of the Síol Muireadaigh, and a kindred family to the Ua Conchobair Kings of Connacht. Their ancestor, Maelruanaidh Mor mac Tadg, was a brother to Conchobar mac Tadg, King of Connacht 967-973, ancestor of the O Connor family of Connacht...
.
Tracing their origin to 1266, the MacDermots Roe (MacDiarmata Ruadh) of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
served as Biatachs General of the Kingdom of Connacht
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
and were the principal patrons
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
of the Irish composer Turlough Carolan, 1670-1738. The MacDermots Roe exemplify the role played by a leading Irish family under the old Gaelic order
Gaelic Ireland
Gaelic Ireland is the name given to the period when a Gaelic political order existed in Ireland. The order continued to exist after the arrival of the Anglo-Normans until about 1607 AD...
and its fate after the consolidation of English rule in the early 17th century.
Origins
The MacDermots Roe descend from Dermot Roe (the appellation Roe or Ruadh meaning red in Irish), grandson of Cormac MacDermot, King of MoylurgMoylurg
Magh Luirg or Magh Luirg an Dagda, Anglicised as Moylurg, was the name of a kingdom located in the north-east of Connacht, the western province of Ireland, from c.956-1585...
, 1218-1244. Moylurg was an ancient kingdom in what is now northern County Roscommon
County Roscommon
County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland and lay within the Kingdom of Connacht which included the modern counties of Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, Leitrim
County Leitrim
County Leitrim is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Leitrim. Leitrim County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
, Roscommon
County Roscommon
County Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
and Sligo.
In 1266, Dermot Roe MacDermot, the grandson of Cormac MacDermot, King of Moylurg, was blinded by the Aedh mac Felim Ua Conchobair
Aedh mac Felim Ua Conchobair
Aedh mac Felim Ua Conchobair was an important King of Connacht, credited with turning the tide on Norman expansion into Connacht.-References:* Annals of Ulster at at * Annals of the Four Masters at at * Chronicum Scotorum at at...
, King of Connacht. Thereafter, Dermot was known as Dermot Dall (Dall meaning blind in Irish). Dermot Dall had a grandson, Dermot Roe whose descendants adopted the surname Mac (son of) Dermot Roe to distinguish themselves from other members of the MacDermot family.
Biatach General
Cormac MacDermot Roe, who was killed in battle in 1365, was the Biatach General of Connacht. As Biatach General, Cormac was responsible for the welfare of the poor and homeless and for the provision of food and shelter to travelers throughout Connacht.Some sources state that the position of Biatach included responsibility for providing victuals to the chief’s soldiers. Thus, MacDermot Roe’s responsibilities as Biatach General may have been comparable to a modern Quartermaster General
Quartermaster general
A Quartermaster general is the staff officer in charge of supplies for a whole army.- The United Kingdom :In the United Kingdom, the Quartermaster-General to the Forces is one of the most senior generals in the British Army...
, as well as, head of social welfare services.
Positions of this nature in Ireland were passed down within a given family. For example, the head of the MacDermot family was the hereditary Marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
of Connacht. Such was the case with the MacDermots Roe and the office of Biatach General of Connacht.
In addition to their charitable duties as Biatachs General, the MacDermots Roe were church leaders serving as bishops
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
, abbots
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
and priors
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
. Additionally, in 1385, the MacDermots Roe established the Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
Priory of the Holy Cross
Christian cross
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity...
at Cloonshanville, near modern day Frenchpark
Frenchpark
Frenchpark, historically known as Dungar , is a village in County Roscommon, Ireland on the N5 national primary road. It was the home of Douglas Hyde, the first President of Ireland....
in County Roscommon.
Expansion of the MacDermots Roe
In 1455 and again 1471, the MacDermots Roe are described as Lords of Coilte Conchoghair, a small territory between the Feorish and Arigna Rivers, now the northern portion of Kilronan Parish, County Roscommon. By the 16th century, the MacDermots Roe, apparently displacing the MacManus family, controlled all Kilronan including valuable iron mines and iron works around ArignaArigna
Arigna is a village in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is near Lough Allen , on a designated "scenic route" between Keadue and Sliabh an Iarainn .-Arigna coal mine:...
.
While the family eventually spread, not only, throughout Moylurg, but also, further south in County Roscommon, their headquarters remained in Kilronan at Alderford, formerly Camagh, near Ballyfarnon. By the end of the Gaelic period, the MacDermots Roe accounted for about one third of the MacDermot Clan.
The MacDermots were vigorous supporters of Ireland’s Nine Years War against England and were conspicuous in the Irish victory at the Battle of Curlew Pass
Battle of Curlew Pass
The Battle of Curlew Pass was fought on the 15th of August 1599, during the campaign of the Earl of Essex in the Nine Years' War, between an English force under Sir Conyers Clifford and a rebel Irish force led by Hugh Roe O'Donnell. The English were ambushed and routed while marching through a pass...
in 1599. However, the MacDermots Roe were more cautious. In a report dated September 1597, Sir Conyers Clifford, English President of Connacht, wrote that the MacDermots Roe had come to him and were living about Boyle Abbey
Boyle Abbey
Boyle Abbey was the first successful foundation in Connacht of the Cistercian order which had opened its first Irish house at Mellifont, County Louth, in 1142.-History:...
.
English Colonial Period
In 1607 Conor MacDermot Roe, a cousin of Ferghal, the last MacDermot Roe chieftainIrish clans
Irish clans are traditional kinship groups sharing a common surname and heritage and existing in a lineage based society prior to the 17th century.-History:...
elected under the Gaelic brehon legal system, surrendered MacDermot Roe lands in Kilronan to King James I and received them back in fee simple
Fee simple
In English law, a fee simple is an estate in land, a form of freehold ownership. It is the most common way that real estate is owned in common law countries, and is ordinarily the most complete ownership interest that can be had in real property short of allodial title, which is often reserved...
as a grant from the King. In the grant, Conor is referred to merely as a “representative” of the family.
The 1607 surrender and re-grant
Surrender and regrant
During the Tudor conquest of Ireland , "surrender and regrant" was the legal mechanism by which Irish clans were to be converted from a power structure rooted in clan and kin loyalties, to a late-feudal system under the English legal system...
to Conor MacDermotRoe was illustrative of the eclipse of the Gaelic order. The English abolished the lrish brehon legal system and along with it the Irish system of clan land ownership and the Irish practice of electing clan chiefs. Henceforth, the chief’s property and his title passed to the eldest son under primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
.
The MacDermots Roe were Jacobites
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
, supporting James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
against William of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
following the 1688 English Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
. Sir Terence Dermott served as Lord Mayor of Dublin
Lord Mayor of Dublin
The Lord Mayor of Dublin is the honorific title of the Chairman of Dublin City Council which is the local government body for the city of Dublin, the capital of Ireland. The incumbent is Labour Party Councillor Andrew Montague. The office holder is elected annually by the members of the...
in 1689 under James II. Later, Sir Terence followed James II into exile at Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the centre.Inhabitants are called Saint-Germanois...
, France where the King made him a captain of a privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
vessel. Henry MacDermot Roe was a Jacobite captain in the army of James II.
Despite their support for the Stuarts, the MacDermots Roe of Alderford continued to have substantial landholdings in Kilronan while remaining Catholic. However, following the death of Charles MacDermot Roe in 1759, Charles’ brother John, who had become a Protestant, evicted Charles’ family from Alderford.
John’s descendants became officials of the Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
government. Thomas Charles MacDermot Roe was High Sheriff
High Sheriff
A high sheriff is, or was, a law enforcement officer in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.In England and Wales, the office is unpaid and partly ceremonial, appointed by the Crown through a warrant from the Privy Council. In Cornwall, the High Sheriff is appointed by the Duke of...
of County Roscommon and Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in Counties Roscommon and Sligo in 1875. His line went extinct in 1917.
Patrons of Carolan
The MacDermots Roe were the principle patrons of the Irish composer Turlough Carolan. Carolan is often referred to as the last of the great bardsFili
A fili was a member of an elite class of poets in Ireland, up into the Renaissance, when the Irish class system was dismantled.-Elite scholars:According to the Textbook of Irish Literature, by Eleanor Hull:-Oral tradition:...
and is considered by many to be Ireland’s national composer.
The MacDermots Roe patronage of Carolan was particularly significant since it came at a time when Gaelic culture was vigorously suppressed by English measures such as the Penal Laws
Penal Laws (Ireland)
The term Penal Laws in Ireland were a series of laws imposed under English and later British rule that sought to discriminate against Roman Catholics and Protestant dissenters in favour of members of the established Church of Ireland....
. Since ancient times, Irish bards
Bard
In medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
played an important cultural role preserving Irish myths, histories and genealogies in the oral tradition
Fili
A fili was a member of an elite class of poets in Ireland, up into the Renaissance, when the Irish class system was dismantled.-Elite scholars:According to the Textbook of Irish Literature, by Eleanor Hull:-Oral tradition:...
. Bards served as officials of kings and chiefs and, like Carolan, they traveled the kingdom composing songs for notables.
Coat of Arms
The coat of armsCoat of arms of Ireland
The arms of Ireland is blazoned as Azure a harp Or, stringed Argent . These arms have long been Ireland's heraldic emblem. References to them as being the arms of the king of Ireland can be found as early as the 13th century...
of the MacDermot Roe of Alderford was:
- Dark Blue: 3 boars’ heads
- Gold: Crosses, circles, boars’ tusks and bristles
- Red: Band or chevron, boars’ tongues
- White: Main part of shield
While the motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
of the MacDermot Roe of Alderford was “Honor Probataque Virtus”, an American branch of the MacDermots Roe has published the motto “Justice and Charity” reflecting the family’s Biatach tradition.
The MacDermots Roe Today
After the 17th century, the use of the appellation Roe went into steep decline and the Roe was generally dropped outside County Roscommon. While a substantial portion of the thousands of MacDermots living today descend from the MacDermots Roe, only a handful in Ireland, the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
have retained the appellation in their name. One branch of the family who emigrated to the United States in the late 19th century dropped the MacDermot and the family become known as Roe. To the extent the name has survived in modern times, it is expressed as one word:
- McDermottroe
- MacDermott-Roe
- MacDermotRoe
- McDermott-Roe
Manus MacDermot Roe
In 1380, Manus was the Abbot of the PremonstratensianPremonstratensian
The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...
(reformed Augustinian
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
) monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
on Trinity Island in Loch Ce
Lough Key
Lough Key is a lake in Ireland. It is located in the northwest of County Roscommon, northeast of the town of Boyle. The lough's name is believed to come from Cé, a druid; the lake was formed over his grave.-Derivation of name:...
in northern Roscommon.
Bernard MacDermot Roe
Bernard was Prior of the Dominican PrioryPriory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
at Cloonshanville in 1698 when he was forced into exile.
Ambrose MacDermot Roe
In April 1707, King James II of England, in exile at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France recommended Ambrose as Bishop of ElphinDiocese of Elphin
The Diocese of Elphin was established following the Synod of Rathbreasail in the year 1111. In that year the see for east Connacht was moved from Roscommon. Elphin was the traditional site of a monastic house established by St Patrick c.450, although there are no remains of that date.Following the...
to Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI , born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was Pope from 1700 until his death in 1721.-Early life:...
. Ambrose, who served as Bishop 1708-1717 during the Penal Laws, reported in 1714 that he had ordained 32 priests in his Diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
.
Thomas MacDermot Roe
Thomas, the third son of Carolan’s patrons, was Bishop of ArdaghRoman Catholic Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise
The Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise is a Roman Catholic diocese in Ireland.-Geographic remit:The diocese is spread over parts of seven counties in the centre of Ireland. It includes almost all of County Longford, half of County Leitrim and parts of counties Westmeath, Offaly, Cavan, Roscommon...
, 1747-1751.
Laurence DermottLaurence DermottLaurence Dermott was born in Ireland and became a Freemason in 1740. He held various offices before being installed as Worshipful Master of Lodge No. 26 in Dublin on the 24th of June 1746. He emigrated to London some time after this, possibly in the company of fellow journeymen painters for he is...
Laurence, 1720-1791, was the principal organizer and long time Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of EnglandUnited Grand Lodge of England
The United Grand Lodge of England is the main governing body of freemasonry within England and Wales and in other, predominantly ex-British Empire and Commonwealth countries outside the United Kingdom. It is the oldest Grand Lodge in the world, deriving its origin from 1717...
known as the Antients
History of Freemasonry
The history of Freemasonry studies the development, evolution and events of the fraternal organization known as Freemasonry. This history is generally separated into two time periods: before and after the formation of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717...
. The Antients founded some 200 masonic lodges
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
in London, the provinces and overseas. In 1756, Laurence published the freemasonry treatise Ahiman Rezon
Ahiman Rezon
The Book of Constitutions of this Grand Lodge or Ahiman Rezon was a constitution written by Laurence Dermott for the Antient Grand Lodge of England which was formed in 1751...
.
Owen MacDermot
Owen was the secretary of the Dublin Society of United Irishmen. The United Irishmen, a nationalist group led by Wolfe Tone, sparked the unsuccessful Irish rebellion of 1798Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
.
Thomas MacDermot
Brother of Owen, Thomas, born circa 1751, was Colonel of the Athleague Rangers, a Roscommon militiaMilitia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
organization. During the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, Thomas joined Lord Edward Fitzgerald
Lord Edward FitzGerald
Lord Edward FitzGerald was an Irish aristocrat and revolutionary. He was the fifth son of the 1st Duke of Leinster and the Duchess of Leinster , he was born at Carton House, near Dublin, and died of wounds received in resisting arrest on charge of treason.-Early years:FitzGerald spent most of his...
and other Irish nationalists in Paris to enlist French support for Irish resistance to English rule.
Cornelius MacDermot Roe
Cornelius was George Washington’sGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
mason at Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon
The name Mount Vernon is a dedication to the English Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon. It was first applied to Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate of George Washington, the first President of the United States...
from 1784 to 1788. After leaving Washington’s service, Cornelius was hired to lay the foundation for one wing of the United States Capitol
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
but did not complete the project due to a contract dispute.