The Ancient And Most Benevolent Order Of
The Friendly Brothers Of Saint Patrick
Current digitising of our archive grant-aided by
The Heritage Council of Ireland
Welcome to our Website
The Ancient and Most Benevolent Order of The Friendly Brothers of Saint Patrick is an Irish Order, founded in the West of Ireland some time prior to the year 1750.
The legislative council of the Order is called the 'General Grand Knot'. The word 'knot' signifies 'the knot of friendship' and each branch is called a Knot.
The Aim And Development Of The Order
The founding aim of the Ancient and Most Benevolent Order of Saint Patrick was 'to promote and encourage, amongst Men, the practice of all social virtues and to suppress the barbarous practice of dueling which was unknown 'to the politest and bravest nations." (Fundamental Laws 1750.)
The Order grew in the eighteenth century after the establishment of its governing body, the General Grand Knot, which issued Patents to form new Knots of Friendly Brothers in most market towns in Ireland and some in England.
Today the Order has nineteen Knots and each has its own meeting arrangements. As you might expect, on Saint Patrick's Day every year members of Knots from all over the universe gather to meet in Dublin, the capital city of Ireland, following a service in Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
The Friendly Brother's Insignia
The Order's device as described and engraved in the rules of 1763 is of great interest. At the centre are hearts bound together under a star-tipped 'Celestrial Crown' (Note, not a royal crown) surrounded by a Celtic-style endless knot, set with shamrock leaves.
These are flanked by heraldic dolphins, symbols of brotherly love. At the top stands a 'Wolf-Dog' on a helmet, which is symbolic of the gentry.
At the bottom, a heart on a cross pattée (a cross with arms that narrow towards the centre and have broad ends) surrounded by the motto Fidelis et Constans (Faithful and Reliable). The cross also bears a celestrial crown. Above that is the motto 'Quis Separabit' (Who will divide us?), which in 1763 had no political import.
The whole design is reflective of its time and is attractively embellished with swags and flourishes.
The Barbarous Practice of Duelling
The Friendly Brothers existed to stop this 'barbarous practice'. By definition an enlightened and progressive aim for all mankind.
Dueling over matters of honour defined the gentry and aristocracy in the early 18th century, but was really a relic of the Middle Ages, based on notions of chivalric honour.
Abandoning it for the Friendly Brothers' offer of arbitration of a dispute at all times, was progress indeed. And as such, the Order could be viewed as both progressive and enlightened in its thinking.
Philosophically, a reasoned solution to a dispute was becoming more acceptable than fighting about it, and this way of thinking was typical of The Age of Enlightement.
A Truly Unique Archive Collection
This Ancient Order's archive stands out as being one of the most continuous, substantial, and significant archives of its kind in Ireland. It comprises approximately 360 manuscript volumes and 13 boxes of largely unsorted material dating from the 1750s.
The membership of the County Kildare Knot reads like a ‘who's who’ of local life in the late 18th century.
The Duke of Leinster was the President of the Knot and Arthur Guinness was, for several decades, the secretary. Most of the entries in the Kildare Knot Minute Book were handwritten by Arthur Guinness.
Funded by The Heritage Council
The Order is both pleased and proud to announce that it has been successful in its application to The Heritage Council for a grant towards the cost of professionally digitising our unique Archive collection.
This digitising exercise is currently being carried out in Marsh's
Library.
Supported by The Heritage Council under the Community Heritage Grant Scheme 2024
A Fascinating Artefact Collection
Over the centuries The Ancient and Most Benevolent Order of the Friendly Brothers of Saint Patrick has collected an unusual number of artefacts... wine decanters, wine glasses, wine cooling bowls, portraits of esteemed members and many more.
This picture features a heavily decorated cedar snuff box decorated with the cross and the celestrial crown of the Order.
Other artefacts of considerable antiquity include 'Great Chairs' which the president of a knot (branch) sat on while chairing a meeting. These chairs have hugely impressive ornate carvings on them and traditionally would be carried by hand to the tavern or house where a knot meeting took place.
