This early mezzotint portrait of Mrs Elizabeth Aldworth (1695-1775) in masonic robes comes up at Fonsie Mealy’s auction in Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny on July 23.

The Freemasons have been in Ireland for 300 years and have 22,000 members. Stephen Rogers goes in search of what happens behind the doors of lodges where their meetings take place

It used to be the Freemasons who were famous for their handshakes — but that was before the Irish peace process came along.