Star of the West No. 130

Constituted 2012

Meets at Templenoe Community Centre
4th Friday of every month, at 8.00 pm
(Sept to Nov and Jan to May)

Lodge Contact: lodge130kenmare@gmail.com

History of Warrant No. 130

130 Newmarket-Mallow-Cork-Bandon-Valentia Island-Waterville-Tralee-Kenmare

This number has had the most peripatetic existence of all those which have met in the province. The warrant was first issued 3 November 1742 to NEWMARKET, Co. Cork, and was meeting at MALLOW before July 1749. The register of No. 49 Charleville for 1775 shows a frequent visitor in Bro. Philpott of Newmarket Lodge 130, and lodge would appear to have moved to CORK in or about this time. It is listed at meeting there in a printed list of 1804, but was cancelled, 7 October 1813.

This number then had a brief existence as a military warrant, issued 4 December 1817 to 64TH FOOT, later the 1st Bn. North Staffordshire. On 3 March 1831, Grand Lodge dues were remitted, but the Colonel of the 64th prevented the lodge from meeting. It’s warrant was cancelled, 2 December 1858.

The warrant was reissued a second time to BANDON, Co. Cork, 26 August 1870, where it worked for almost ten years until 3 June 1880, whereupon the members joined No. 84.

The warrant was reissued a third time on 12 July 1880 to VALENTIA ISLAND, Co. Kerry, under the title ‘Star of the West Lodge’. The island was the centre for the Transatlantic Telegraphic Station and the source of considerable employment there until 1922, when the station closed. The meeting was transferred that same year to WATERVILLE and in 1960, in a bid to halt failing numbers, to TRALEE, both also in Co. Kerry. However, in 1973, the warrant was returned to Grand Lodge, in trust.

The warrant was reissued a fourth time on 31 March 2012 to KENMARE, Co. Kerry, retaining the title ‘Star of the West Lodge’, as formerly. The brethren meet at the Templenoe Community Centre, near the town of Kenmare.