28 January 2023
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Entertainment/History: ‘Doneraile Court – The Story of The Lady Freemason’
A New York journalist and former TV news producer (Fox News) Kathleen Aldworth Foster will travel to Ireland with her family this April to hold a book launch in Doneraile. The historical fiction novel hit bookstores in March 2022, and will enjoy its official Irish book launch at the well-known Cafe Townhouse Doneraile on Sat Apr 15th from 5-7pm. The author will be signing and selling books there with proceeds going to a donation to Tiny Towns Doneraile. There will be a lecture and dinner the prior evening of April 14th at Freemasons’ Hall on Tuckey Street in Cork. The author will sign and sell books there with all proceeds going to the Freemasons’ Hall Building Renovation Fund. The money will go toward needed upgrades and updated space for its exhibit dedicated to The Lady Freemason.
Doneraile’s ‘The Lady Freemason’ Elizabeth Aldworth, nee St. Leger (1693-1773) The new book brings to life the night when 17-year-old Elizabeth St. Leger was caught spying on a Masonic meeting being hale in her family’s stately home, Doneraile Court. Legend has it that because the organisation’s membership was made up of men only, the pragmatic solution was to make young Elizabeth the first-ever female Freemason.
The book is currently for sale in select spots in Doneraile, and at Philip’s in Mallow or Amazon.
The Provincial Grand Librarian and Archivist with the Provincial Grand Lodge of Munster Freemasons, Dr David J Butler who is also a UCC Lecturer and Ancestry expert, proofread the book and helped the author with research.