We’re currently researching the history of our Scout Group ahead of our 40th anniversary. We’d like as many of our friends and former members as possible to get in touch with us to share stories and photographs. Please email CaherdavinScouts@gmail.com
The 23rd Limerick Scout Unit was founded on October 23, 1973 in the area of Caherdavin. The troop was part of the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland (CBSI). The Christ the King Parish, which was founded three years earlier, was very supportive of the Unit with Parish Priest Fr John Browne acting as the Sponsor. Originally the Unit’s neckerchief was a black and White “Halved” design. This was changed to a green necker with a red border sometime in the late 70s.
The first Scout Leader was Eamonn Fuller. The Scout Troop was originally made up of one Patrol (a small team of eight boys) but within a year it had grown to four Patrols. A Cub Pack was set up in 1974 with a Beaver Colony and Venturer Group started in 1983.
At its height the Unit had had 2 Beaver Colony’s (Chriost Rí and Shannonside), 3 Cub Packs (Clonmacken, Redgate and Thomond), 2 Scout Troops (Caherdavin and Sarsfield) and a Venture Scout Group. Over the years hundreds of boys have passed through our doors and gone on to pursue many interesting career paths such as teachers, solicitiers, gardai, Priests, entertainers, chefs and many more.
Here’s a brief article written in 1994 for the Unit’s 21st anniversary
Unit Milestones
| 1973 | The Unit is founded | ||
| 1974 | The first Cub Pack is set up | ||
| 1977 | Patrol Leaders attend Jamborra 77 in Mt Mellary Waterford | ||
| Chief Scout Visits the Troop’s Camp in Stradbally, Waterford | |||
| 1980 | The first overseas camp to Chirk Castle, Wales in 1980 | ||
| 1981 | Cubs win the Dom Dowell Trophy, the premier competition for cubs in the Limerick Diocese, for the first time | ||
| 1982 | The Scout Troop travelled to Laxey in the Isle of Mann | ||
| 1983 | The first Beaver Colony and Venturer Group set up | ||
| The Scouts qualify for the Melvin Trophy, CBSI’s National Scout Craft Competition, in Larch Hill for the first time | |||
| 1985 | Portumna Jamboree | ||
| 1988 | Cathal Galligan and Don Vaughan became the first Venturers in the Unit to achieve the Explorer Belt | ||
| 1991 | The Acid Patrol win the Cois Sionna Regional Shield for the first time | ||
| The Pink Panther Patrol win the Melvin Trophy for the first time | |||
| Peter Sheehan, Brian Kenihan, Alan McNamara, Eoin Kingston and Michael McNamara travelled to South Korea for the 17th World Scout Jamboree | |||
| 1992 | Eoin McMahon, Alan McNamara, Eoin Kingston, Brian Kenihan, Fergal Lynch and Shane Riordan Scouts presented the Chief Scout Award by Paul Ring, Chief Scout of CBSI | ||
| The Scouts become amongst the first in the Country to get a Full Set of Mountain Pursuit Challenge (MPC) badges | |||
| 1993 | The Unit’s new Scout Hall is officially opened by Chief Scout Joseph Lawlor | ||
| Scouts attend the Ballyfin Jamboree | |||
| 1994 | Six Scouts attend the International Youth Camp in Germany | ||
| 1995 | Peter Sheehan,John Minogue, John Harrison, Eoin Shinners and Trevor Connoly attend the World Scout Jamboree in the Netherlands | ||
| 1996 | The unit was visited by Scouts from Tonbridge in the UK. | ||
| 1997 | A small contingent of scouts went to the Lough Dan Jamboree, Co Wicklow | ||
| 1999 | Peter Sheehan, John Minogue and John Harrison attend the World Scout Jamboree in Chile | ||
| 2003 | Unit celebrates its 30th Anniversary by building a float for the St Patrick’s Day Parade. | ||
| 2004 | Scouting Ireland is formed | ||
| 2005 | Scouts travel to Zelhof in Austria | Venture Scout Unit restarted | |
| 2008 | Scouts win County Scout Challenge Day | ||
| Ventures travel to Scotland for the Sluaíocht na Sléibhte (SNS) | |||
| 2011 | The Group begins to implement Scouting Ireland’s ONE Programme, a major overhaul of the youth programme in Irish Scouting. This includes a realignment of the age ranges and the introduction of a Rover Section | ||
| 12 Venture Scouts, Rover Scouts and Scouters travelled to Scotland for an advanced Winter Mountaineering/Ice Climbing Expedition | |||
| The Beaver Colony holds its first ever Overnight event, in the Scout Hall and their first ever camp in Pallaskenry | Barry Kennedy attends the 22nd World Scout Jamboree in Sweden |
Unit/Group Leaders
• Eamon Fuller
• Denis Walshe
• Tom Mitchell
• John Giltenan
• Ollie Shinners
• Joe O’Halloran
• Mary O’Connor
• Marretti O’Connor
• Des McKeown
Chief Scout Award Recipients
| Eoin McMahon | 1991 |
| Alan McNamara | 1991 |
| Eoin Kingston | 1991 |
| Brian Kenihan | 1991 |
| Fergal Lynch | 1991 |
| Shane Riordan | 1991 |
| Seamus Hussey | 1992 |
| Eamonn Kenihan | 1993 |
Explorer Belt Recipients
| Cathal Galligan | 1988 | Italy |
| Don Vaughan | 1988 | Italy |
| Eamonn Kenihan | 1994 | Scotland |
| Philip Stack | 1994 | Scotland |
| Sean Sheehan | 1994 | Scotland |
| Shane Riordan | 1994 | Scotland |
| Trevor Connolly | 1996 | Wales |
| Eoin Shinnors | 1997 | Slovenia |
| John Harrison | 1997 | Slovenia |
| Padraig O’Rourke | 2000 | Czech Republic |
| Joseph Laffen | 2001 | Italy |
| Paul McNamara | 2001 | Italy |
| Barry Kennedy | 2007 | Poland |
To find out about the history of Scouting in Ireland check out this booklet written for the centenary celebrations in 2008.
Congratulations Barry and all involved in Caherdavin scouting on an excellent website. It is really great to know that the great scouting tradition still lives on in Caherdavin proudly…long may it continue!!
Hi Baz, As a former scouter with the 23rd Limerick Caherdavin Scout Troop aka “Friday nights” it good to see the website up and running! Mike
Cheers Mike, we’re currently putting together a small book about the history of Scouting in Caherdavin. If you have any stories/photos you’d like to contribute please get in touch
Baz
Hi Barry,
A couple of things in relation to the Group’s history:
1. The neckerchief for the first couple of years was a black & white ‘halved’ neckerchief. I’m not quite sure exactly when we switched to the Green Neckerchief with Red border. Maybe 1977?
2. The Venturer Group was set up about the same time as the Beaver Scout Colony – about the end of 1983.
3. 1983 was also the year that the scout troop first qualified for the Melvin National Scoutcraft Competition held in Larch Hill that year.
4. In 1996 Peter Sheehan was troop leader at the World Jamboree in the Netherlands along with scout John Minogue.
5. Ditto for the World Jamboree in Chile… with John Harrison also attending.
Maybe some of the ‘old timers’ should get together… would be the easiest way to recall details & names of who did what & when.
Will do Baz. Have sent an email to the address above with a scanned image of a brief history of the 23rd prepared in 1995. I was Scout Leader from 1986 to 2008.
The scout camp was at Stradbally, Co Waterford, in 1977. The patrol leaders visited Jamborora at Mt Melleray, and we received a visit from the Chief Scout.
The first overseas camp was to Chirk Castle, Wales in 1980.
Correction: Scout Leader until 1998
A small contingent of scouts went to the Lough Dan Jamboree, Co Wicklow in 1997.
Trevor conoly along witn one other achieved the explorer belt in Wales in 1996 i think, a few others attended the World Jamboree in Holand, John Harrison (patrol leader), Eoin Shinners, Trevor Connoly and Darragh ? and i think one more but im not sure, i will have to dig out the group photo.
Acid patrol led by shane riardan won the regional shield in 1991 shane went on to lead the Melvin winning team that year, the theme was Mountaineering and the first national MPC took place in the Mourne mountains, the MPC was concieved by Peter Sheehan, Caherdavin troop leader at the time. Titan Patrol were regional shield winners in 1993? the Melvin trophy record from 1991 to 1994 is, Tollymore forrest park county down 1991, 1st. ballincollig county cork 1992, 11th. Larch hill ? 1993. Pallaskenry county limerick 1994 5th.
i am sure i will think of more detail soon…
JH
Barry,
Just like to say what an excellant website this has grown into.Any help or information you require about the cubs I will give you.
Keep it up its wonderful
Thanks for all the feedback so far. Some of it has made it to the article above, the rest of it while be kept for the document currently being prepared.