The Warrant in Ireland has played a part in the esoteric ceremonies of one of the Craft Degrees and the document has always been held in extreme reverence. From early times it has become a canon of regularity and in open lodge the Warrant or Charter must always be displayed and without it the lodge cannot transact any Masonic business.
The first numbered Warrant, No. 1, was issued by the Grand Lodge of Ireland to Mitchelstown on 1 February 1732, but this became dormant in the 18th century. Lodge No. 1, the First Lodge of Ireland which now meets in Cork, commenced work under this Warrant in 1776. This lodge, however, is thought to have been meeting since 1726, making it one of the oldest Lodges still in existence.
According to Philip Crossle's Irish Masonic Records (Grand Lodge of Ireland 1973), there were un-numbered warrants issued even earlier. The oldest surviving Masonic Warrant in Ireland was issued on 24 October 1732. This is Lodge No. 2 which meets in Dublin.
The earliest Irish Warrants were careful to indicate the town for which each document was granted although there were instances of Warrants being transferred to varying localities and some early Warrants were actually sold for their seniority. Issuing a lapsed number was forbidden by a Grand Lodge Law of 5 December 1776 and this was nominally in force until 1816. An exception were the Army regiments who held military lodges and were permitted to hold their meetings wherever stationed.
In 1817, and arrangement was devised to enable lodges which found themselves reduced in membership or were affected by financial circumstances to return their Warrants to the Grand Secretary for safekeeping in order to prevent them from being suspended or cancelled. The advantages to the lodges involved were that they would not be liable for Grand Lodge fees while the Warrants were lying suspended nor would they lose precedence.
If at any time in the future a lodge was able to regain its strength, it was possible for the members to request the Grand Lodge to revive the Warrant so that they might carry on their old traditions under the same number.