“Chosen Few” LOL 380 has been operating on Kirlish hill, close to the plantation Castle of Castle Kirlish outside Drumquin for almost 230 years. Historically Kirlish or Castle Curlews as it was previously known was constructed from 1610 by Sir John Davies Attorney General of Ireland. He also built the castle at Castlederg and constructed a straight causeway 7 miles long to connect them. Kirlish Castle was attacked and burnt in the Irish rebellion of 1641. The Rev. James Baxter a Protestant Minister of the parish was murdered at Kirlish during the rebellion.

Kirlish “Chosen Few” Loyal Orange Lodge (LOL) number 380 is one of the oldest continually operating Orange Lodges in County Tyrone. After the Orange Institution was formed following the Battle of the Diamond near Loughgall, County Armagh on the 21st September, 1795. Lodges quickly spread across Ireland and then throughout the world.

The first record of the Lodge operating can be found in the first Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland minute book dated March, 1798 when the Lodge had 30 Brethren and the Worshipful Master being Worshipful Brother John Irvine Kirlish.

The Lodge has had a very eventful history. Some of the Brethren took part in skirmishes on Kirlish Hill with the United Irishmen in the Rebellion of 1798 when an orange/green standard was flown. Later still Lodge members took park in skirmishes on the hill in the 1830s. The Lodge originally being a member of Killen District Orange Lodge would for a few years be a member of Omagh District Orange Lodge. Returning to Killen District Orange Lodge in the early 1840’s where the Lodge retains membership today.

placeholder image — The new Memorial Garden at Kirlish Orange Hall opened on the 8th May, 2025.

On the 30th June, 1918 at the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland meeting, the Lodge was given permission to add “Chosen Few” to the Lodge title. At that time membership would peak at 52 members, despite losing several Brethren in the Great War.

Kirlish Pipe Band would be formed in 1921 to replace the previous fife and drum band.

The Lodge would open Kirlish Orange Hall in 1931 that would be at the centre of Kirlish daily life running dances, meetings, fundraising and other cultural and religious events.

Like so many Orange Lodges it would lose Brethren in the Second World War. The first soldier from County Tyrone to be killed in the Korean War often referred to as the forgotten war was a member of the Lodge. The Lodge lost a brother who was murdered by fascist republican terrorists during the troubles. A number of Brethren also losing family members. Over 330 members of Orange Lodges would be murdered during the troubles.

In more recent happier times the Lodge built a new Orange Hall and a new Lodge Banner was unfurled to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland. A new upstairs extension to the hall was opened to mark the Coronation of King Charles III. The latest addition to Kirlish Orange Hall being a new Memorial Garden opened on the 8th May to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Over the years the Lodge like other Lodge’s has organised fundraisers for good causes and raised thousands of pounds for charities.

Kirlish Orange Hall as well as being home to the Lodge and Kirlish Pipe Band is home to Kirlish “Golden Lights” RBP 666, Kirlish Ulster Scots Association, and a number of other groups which regularly use the hall.

Membership is on the increase in Orange Lodges thanks to a recent Grand Orange Lodge recruitment campaign, with increases of Brethren, Sisters and juniors right across Northern Ireland. This is also the case with Kirlish “Chosen few” LOL 380 of which I am proud and honoured to be the Worshipful Master. In 2025 the Lodge will join with other Lodge’s and Districts in West Tyrone to celebrate the 335th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne.Our local Twelfth celebration of our religious witness and to give thanks for King William’s victory over King James that gained the liberty and freedoms we enjoy today will be at Sixmilecross. These freedoms of civil and religious liberties so hard win for us having sadly been eroded by the protocol and its framework that down treats us as second class citizens.

This year the membership of the Lodge has increased by 25% and for the Brethren of Kirlish “Chosen Few” LOL 380 the future certainly is Orange.