The 23^rd 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 The Scout Troop was originally made up of one Patrol (a small team of eight boys) but within a year it had grown to four Patrols.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 was one of the largest in Ireland with two Beaver Colony’s (Chriost Rí and Shannonside), three Cub Packs (Clonmacken, Redgate and Thomond), two Scout Troops (Caherdavin and Sarsfield) and a Venture Scout Group.

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 after their Expedition to Italy
• A third Cub Pack (Redgate) was started in September 1988 with John O’Connor as Leader.

1990

• The Polaris Patrol is awarded the National Patrol Award.

1991

• Scout Leader Peter Sheehan organises a mountaineering weekend for the Scout Troop. This event would be the basis for the Mountain Pursuit Challenge (MPC) events which is launched the following year
• The Acid Patrol win the Cois Sionna Regional Shield for the first time
• The Pink Panther Patrol (the Acid 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

• Scouts Eoin McMahon, Alan McNamara, Eoin Kingston, Brian Kenihan, Fergal Lynch and Shane Riordan 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
• Scouts and Ventures attend the Ballyfin Jamboree

1994

• Eamonn Kenihan, Philip Stack, Sean Sheehan and Shane Riordan awarded the Explorer Belt in Scotland
• Six Scouts attend the International Youth Camp in Germany

1995

• Sarsfield Troop travels to Tonbridge in the UK
• 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.
• Trevor Connolly and Bryan Tobin awarded the Explorer Belt in Wales

1997

• A small contingent of scouts went to the Lough Dan Jamboree, Co Wicklow
• Eoin Shinnors and John Harrison awarded the Explorer Belt in Slovenia

1999

• Peter Sheehan, John Minogue and John Harrison attend the World Scout Jamboree in Chile

2000

• Padraig O Ruairc awarded the Explorer Belt in Czech Republic

2001

• Joseph Laffen and Paul McNamara awarded the Explorer Belt in Italy

2003

• Scout Troop restarted after being closed for two years
• 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

2006

• Cubs attend Cuboree, the National Cub Jamboree, in Pallaskenry

2007

• Barry Kennedy awarded the Explorer Belt in Poland

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 Overnight event in the Scout Hall and their first camp in Pallaskenry
• Barry Kennedy attended the 22nd World Scout Jamboree in Sweden in July and August and was then selected to be one of two Irish delegates to the International Peace Camp in Saudi Arabia

2012

• Scouts Andrew O’Neill, Conor Hempenstall and Michael Quigley take part in the first ever Scouting Ireland Crean Challenge Expedition in Iceland.
• Cubs come 10^th in the National Cub Challenge
• Andy O’Carroll, Kevin Dunne, Frank McDonagh, Glen O’Brien and Barry Kennedy attend Roverway in Finland
• Barry Kennedy attends International Rover Week in Kandersteg, Switzerland

2013

• Group celebrates its 40th Anniversary
• First ever Group Camp with all sections camping together is held at Ruan, Clare

2014

• Scouts and Ventures travel to Glencoe, Scotland for their annual camp and climb Ben Nevis

2015

• Cillian Hickey, Mark Graydon, Michael O’Halloran and Barry Kennedy attend the 23rd World Scout Jamboree in Kirarahama, Japan

2016

• Beavers & Cubs attended Jamoige in Pallaskenry

2017

• Venture Scout Cillian Hickey is Camp Chief for Camp Five, the fifth in a series of national scout camps
• Rover Scout Fursa Cavanagh and Scouter Barry Kennedy attend the 15th World Scout Moot in Iceland

2018

• The Cubs win the County Cub Challenge in Curraghchase and go on to National Cub Challenge in Killcully, Cork where they are awarded the Silver Standard (60-80% of the marks) and the Spirit of Scouting trophy
• Venture Scout Senan Cavanagh takes part in Roverway in the Netherlands
• Scouter Mike O’Halloran is part of the Jamboree Service Team at JamboRí 2018 in Stradbally

2019

• Venture Scouts Jordan O’Sullivan and Kian Guilfoyle and Rover Scout Senan Cavanagh (accompanied by Scouter Barry Kennedy) travel to London with other Ventures & Rovers from Limerick Scout County to take part in the London Monopoly Run
• The Cubs win the County Cub Challenge for the second year in a row and go on to National Cub Challenge in Portlick where they come 2nd Overall and get a Gold Award (80% or more of the available marks)
• Scouts Eoghan Halvey, Jack Wall, Jake Walsh and Tom McDonnell and Scouters Barry Kennedy and Michael O’Halloran attend the 24th World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia, USA.

2020

• The Group accepts its first female youth members
• Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Group had to move meetings online

2021

• Barry Kennedy is part of the Scouting Ireland delegation to the World Scout Conference which is held online due to the Covid-19 Pandemic
• Group holds its first camp after the pandemic

2022

• Eoghan Halvey is elected as a National Youth Rep for Venture Scouts
• The Pink Panther Patrol (PL Cian Halvey) takes part in the Phoenix Challenge for the first time, earning a Silver Standard Award
• Eoghan Halvey and Jack Wall are awarded the Dúshlán pin after a 60km expedition through the west of Ireland

2023

• Oisin McCarthy takes part in the Crean Challenge Expedition in Iceland
• Eoghan Halvey awarded the Explorer Belt in Germany
• Cillian O’Sullivan, Clodagh Walsh, Daire Wall, Eadaoin O’Sullivan and Oliver Ckron attend the 25th World Scout Jamboree in South Korea
• Group celebrates its 50th Anniversary with a Group Camp

2024

• Thomas Hickey takes part in the Crean Challenge Expedition in Iceland
• Venture Scout Clodagh Walsh (accompanied by Scouter Barry Kennedy) travels to London with other Venture Scouts from Limerick Scout County to take part in the London Monopoly Run
• The Pink Panther Patrol (PL Eadaoin O’Sullivan) takes part in the Phoenix Challenge in the Cork Showgrounds, receiving a Gold Standard Award (80%-100% of available marks)
• Venture Scout Clodagh Walsh travels to Portugal with other Venture Scouts from Limerick Scout County as part of a County Venture Camp

Unit/Group Leaders

• Eamon Fuller
• Denis Walshe
• Tom Mitchell
• John Giltenan
• Ollie Shinners
• Joe O’Halloran
• Mary O’Connor
• Marretti O’Connor
• Des McKeown
• Michael O’Halloran
• Barry Kennedy
• Bob Halvey