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The 13th Dublin unit is a Scout -group in Rathfarnham , Dublin . It is a member of Scouting Ireland which is the National Organisation for Scouting in Ireland . Its 'den' is situated on Nutgrove Avenue in Rathfarnham . HISTORY In the beginning Although the 13th is one of the oldest Groups in Dublin , Scouting in Rathfarnham didn't begin until 1943, 16 years after the founding of Catholic Boy Scouts Of Ireland (CBSI) in 1927. On March 28 1943 , the Parish Council wrote to Paudge O Broin , Scoutmaster of the 45th Dublin , Mount Argus , inviting him to attend a meeting to discuss the setting up of a troop in Rathfarnham . Paudge O Broin was persuaded to take on the job despite heavy commitments to the 45th Dublin. The Troop received its charter as the 13th Dublin. It was not the first troop to have that title. In the early days of the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland (CBSI) a number of troops had not survived the early enthusiasm of their founders. Some people thought that the new 13th Dublin would go the same way, and it indeed it wasn't easy at the start. There were difficulties with money, accommodation and indifference in the Parish towards the troop. The first troop consisted of one Patrol and subs was 2 old pence a week (quite a lot for some in those days). The Whit Weekend of 1943 brought the first Troop camp in Larch Hill (3 Miles Away). This was a weekend shared with the 45th Dublin as Paudge O Broin was Scoutsmaster (S/M) of both troops. During the "Emergency" of the 1940's money was scarce and the Rathfarnham Scouts helped out by cutting turf on the Featherbeds for the poor of the parish. They also made a tidy profit after Annual Camp in 1946 by bringing back butter (a scarce commodity) from Donegal and selling it in Dublin. In 1950 Frank Doolin became Scoutmaster. The troop was well established and there were no fears of it going under. Into the 1950s For most of the 1950s (1951 - 1958) M.J. Redmond was Scoutmaster. He is best remembered for his enthusiasm for Campfires and outdoor activities in all kinds of weather. In 1951 the 13th was represented on the Continent for the first time with the Dublin Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes . The Senior Leaders travelled by boat and train to the South of France . The troop had their first camp north of the Border in Cushendun Co. Antrim . In 1953 the 13th joined with another troop ( 7th Kildare ) for Annual in Courtown Co. Wexford . The only thing mentioned from this camp was the ''Pancake Epidemic''. We have no idea what it was all about. The most outstanding camp of the 1950s was probably Church Island on Lough Gill Co. Sligo in 1956. The weather was wet and windy. The lake was so choppy that the scouts were marooned. No supplies could be brought to the island for a few days. Rabbit stew was the order of the day. Mick Mercere from H.Q. Troop was stabbed through the wrist by a homemade spear meant for a rabbit. In the late 1950s, the Everest Competition encouraged patrols to climb the height of Mount Everest by accumulating the 29,000 feet by climbing the mountains of Dublin and Wicklow . There was increasing interest in Rathfarnham to get younger boys interested in Scouting and in 1957 a Cub ( Macaoimh ) section was set up by Myles Nolan from the High St. Troop under an invitation to do so by the 13th Troop Committee. Their first annual camp was joint with Artane Cubs in Portmarnock Co. Dublin . They will be best remembered for Mylie Nolans' ghost stories which were always told in the dark! The 1960s The 1960s were a time of change all around the world and Scouting in Rathfarnham was no exception. The decade started off well with another camp in the North, Rostrevor Co. Down . 1961 was the 1500th Anniversary of St. Patrick's death, and there were countrywide celebrations. Members of the 13th Dublin were among those in attendance at the Pro-Cathedral on June 17 for the arrival of the papal legate Cardinal Agagianian . Annual camp was in Oughterard Co. Galway and it cost £4. This was the first time the 13th had to abandon their tents and head for shelter, due to weather conditions. In 1962 members of the unit were asked to bring up the topic of "Long Trousers" at the first annual scouters' conference. Up until Frank Mooney took over from Ronnie Watt as Scoutmaster in 1963, the 13th Dublin had never featured well at the two annual events in scouting, the Diocesan Shield and the Melvin Trophy . Under Frank, this situation started to change and over the next few years an emphasis was placed on testwork as challenge and fun began to pay dividends. In 1966 the 13th Dublin came 3rd in the Diocesan Shield and 2nd in the Melvin Trophy. They went one better the next year and won the Diocesan Shield in 1967. The Melvin Trophy was not run that year, but by all accounts they would have had the double. 1967 was also the diamond Jubilee of world Scouting and a commemorative camp was held at Brownsea Island . The patrol leaders of the top two patrols from the previous years Melvin Trophy were sent to represent CBSI. They were Denis Ahearn from 2nd Cork and Paul Pakenham of the 13th Dublin. CBSI was also celebrating its 40th anniversary and a huge camp with 2,300 scouts was held at Lismore Castle Co. Waterford . By the end of the 1960s Rathfarnham was expanding to the south. The unit had over 100 members. In December of 1967 the unit, with a gesture of confident strength, released a nucleus of scouts under Frank Mooney to set up a new troop, the 14th Dublin in the Parish of Ballyroan . The 14th Dublin unit still exists and as a testimony their Neckerchief is not yellow with a black trim like 13th's but black with a yellow trim. It was in 1961 that the new background story of Fionn and the Fianna was introduced to the Wolf Cub section. The cubs were renamed Macaoimh after the young warriors of the Fianna . The leaders were renamed Fionn , Oisìn , and Oscar . The two Macaoimh sections were named Dùn Tara and Dùn Cashel ( Hill Of Tara and Rock Of Cashel ). The groups of young boys were called a Clan and were named after the Mightiest of the Ancient Warriors; Diarmuid, Conn, Caoilte and Cormac. By 1964 the White House in Nutgrove (adjacent to the current den) had become an established meeting place for the unit, and the Macaoimh had their own meeting room. In 1965 the An Òige Youth Hostel at Knockree , Co. Wicklow became the holiday venue for the first time. It was such an excellent location that, in fact, the Macaoimh Holiday has been held there ever since to this day. A tried and trusted program of activities and games has been in operation since those early days, and even though many different leaders have added their own spice and slant on the holiday, things have more or less stayed the same for nearly 40 years. As they saying goes ''If it ain't broke, don't fix it''. The 1970s In 1968 the unit ended its relationship with the Givens Family and Nutgrove House. The new Den was the Old National School on Wilbrook Rd. and there were the usual settling-in problems. It was in the early 1970s that orienteering really took off. Joe Dunne remembers one event in Wicklow where his patrol made it to the final control in record time by missing all of the rest. By 1972 Steve Donoghue had formally taken over as Unit Leader and Joe Dempsey was Scoutmaster. Joe's leadership skills were evident in the amount of leaders that emerged from his troop. In September 1975 there was enough interest in Rathfarnham Scouting to set up 2 sections ( Pearse and Emmet ).On February 8 1976 , a colour party from the 13th Dublin attended the official opening of the new den of the 14th Dublin . The 14th Dublin, by now in existence for 8 years was thriving and in friendly rivalry with its big brother troop. 1977 was the Golden Anniversary of CBSI and it was celebrated by Jamborora at Mount Melleray . 10,000 scouts and guides attended from all over the world and 59 scouts from the 13th Dublin attended. It was here that the 13th Dublin had their first contact with German Scouts when Richie Byrne captained a football team against a group from Bonnberg . This was the start of a connection with German Scouting that has given the unit some great memories. In September 1977, the 13th Dublin received letters from 2 girls wishing to become Macaoimh Leaders. They were turned down, but represented an idea whose time could not be delayed long and so within 4 years the first female scout joined the unit. She was Paula Fitzpatrick and she was closely followed by Mary Collette Healy. In 1978 the Parish Council was asked to allow the use of the den on Willbrook Rd. as the new district courthouse. It was time to end the roaming troop and brains were but into use to find a suitable long term home for the Scouts of Rathfarnham. 1979 was the International Year Of The Child . As its contribution, the unit ran a field day with Pioneering demos. It also gave the unit a great opportunity to publicise their forthcoming camp in Germany . It was a huge undertaking to organise, but Steve Donaghue did fantastic work to raise funds for flights, equipment, and insurance. The unit was twinned with a troop from the Black Forest in the South of Germany. They spent 2 weeks camping in mixed patrols of Irish and German. The scouts got a great surprise when they found female scouts in the German troop. Needless to say, socialising was high on the agenda. After the 2 weeks the Irish Scouts spent a week with a German host Family. The theme of the camp was ''Shake my hand and call me friend''. The hospitality of the Germans, Campfires, the ''Chaos Olympics'' and Costume Day are only part of what made up the German Experience. One of the Highlights of Venturing in the seventies was the cycling trip to Connemara in 1976. After a long and gruelling cycle to Killarney Lodge Hostel, the ventures were disappointed to find that there was no electricity and only basic facilities. Ben Malone was blamed for causing the whole group to crash while investigating too closely the aerodynamic effects of a slipstream. Mick Doolin took over as section leader in 1977 and fondly remembers the trip to Germany in 1979 as the highlight of this period. Upon arriving in Germany, the ventures joined with German senior scouts on a two-day hike. Unfortunately, the Germans forgot to arrange accommodation, and the hikers were left out in the cold, literally. This, however, didn't dampen spirits too much and as a matter of fact, the following year when the Germans came to Ireland , the 13th Dublin reciprocated and the overnight accommodation for the hikers was flooded. The Germans got to experience a true Irish Summer. To compensate for being wet all the time, there was a lot of swimming done. The 1980s The early 1980s were a time of unrest for the unit. They had received planning permission for our den at last in 1983, but had to shift between St. Mary's National School and the Court House on Willbrook Road. Many fundraising events took place including sales of work, fashion shows, open days and bridge tournaments. It was a testing time for the unit and in September 1982 they went back to having only one scout troop. In 1985 the Irish Scout Jamboree was run in Portumna Co. Galway . Along with a small contingent from the 13th Dublin, 8,000 scouts from all over the world endured days of near endless rain as the camp-site became a bog. Meanwhile fundraising and work for the new den were gathering momentum. Scouts and ex-scouts worked on the site. A team from Mountjoy Prison Services Community Group did superb work, and at last in April 1986 the new den was complete. There was an official opening by the Minister For Justice , Alan Dukes , and then a second for the parents and others who had helped so much. In 1988 Annual Camp was in Lough Key Forrest Park in Roscommon . As usual, when they go West of the Shannon , it bucketed down and the scouts were forced to abandon camp for a local scout hall. One scout remembers waking up as the ridge-pole of an Icelandic tent came crashing down, narrowly missing his head while he slept. The unit has not had an Annual Camp in the West since. It was also in the 1980s that the Senior Scout section came into being. After the trip to Germany in 1979, and seeing the German Senior Scouts in action, it was decided that Rathfarnham should also follow suit. Ben Keogh took up the reins and stayed as Section leader from 1980 to 1996. Over the years a relaxed program of games and adventure was put in place. Weekly meetings took place on Tuesday or Wednesday nights. A standard holiday of Cycling around the Ring Of Kerry was introduced with a sometimes more adventures holiday in the second year of the program before the scouts moved up to Ventures. The 1990s The 1989 scout year began with a surprise party for the Keogh twins, Ben and Ray, to celebrate their 25 years in scouting. They joined as Macaoimh in 1964 and helped to steer many young people up through the unit. In May of 1990, the 13th Dublin ran an intensive Leaders Workshop. It was a great success and was followed by another in November 1991. Annual camp in 1990 was in a favourite spot, Stradbally , Co. Waterford . It is remembered by some scouts for the leaders sitting around dicussing the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq . The leaders seemed interested in it, but it didn't help the scouts get their site tidy before inspection, so it went un-noticed by most. Campfires under the bridge and Baywatch impressions on the Beach are fondly remembered from this camp. The following year, 1991, the Troop went abroad for the first time since Freiburg in 1979. Wales was the destination and a great time was had by all, despite having to learn the Welsh National Anthem during a treasure hunt. 1992 was taken up with the upcoming 50th Anniversary of the troop. Ben Malone was Section Leader. There were many events to mark the year. They included parents night, a family camp, Regional Mass, Field Day, Anniversary Book. The Highlight was on March 10 , when Her Excelency, President Mary Robinson planted a comemorative tree in St. Endas Park . Annual camp in 1992 was in Fethard On Sea in Wexford . It was a great success with Ben Malone arriving down a few days late due to the birth of his son Ruaraì. Fethard was always a popular site for annual camps and the troop went back in 1996. Steve Donohue came out of retirement for one year and became Section Leader IN 1995. He took the scout section off to Germany again. By all accounts, it wasn't as successful as the trip in 1979, but it was still enjoyed by all. In 1997 a young group of leaders took over with the promise of support from the Unit Council. Colm Nolan as Section Leader and his assistants decided to go back to Castlefreak in West Cork for annual camp. It was the longest Annual in recent years (12 days) and had the fastest aerial ropeway ever seen on camp. In 1998, with the same leaders and scouts we headed for Culzean in Scotland. There was only a minimal kitchen staff on the holiday, but the patrols worked so well, it went almost unnoticed. The following year, 1999 saw the emergence of a new troop in Ballyboden . With some help from past 13th Dublin Scouts the troop got organised and came on a joint annual camp with the 13th Dublin to Stradbally . Unfortunately the Ballyboden troop didn't last much longer, but it allowed for a return to the 13th Dublin of some new leaders. During the 1990s the Venture Scout and Senior Scout sections went from Strength to Strength, Ben Keogh handed over the Senior Scouts reins to Ronan O Reilly in 1996 and he handed over to Gearo Doyle in 1999. The ventures went on Holidays in France , Spain , Holland and Belgium . From the various venture groups of the 1990s there was a solid flow of leaders who are now section leaders in all four sections. The 21st century In the first year of the new millennium, the troop was concerned mostly with the annual camps of the Scouts, Ventures, and Senior Scouts. The scouts and ventures were off to Spain. Again they were joining with a troop, but this time they were Spanish . The Spanish scouts brought the whole troop on holiday together and so there was plenty for the mixed patrols to do. They were divided in to older and younger groups. There was a lot of fundraising done to help reduce the cost. The highlight of which was a fashion show in the Spawell. The Senior Scouts were taken into the millennium by Brendan Dempsey who had assisted Colm in Scouts and Gearo in Seniors. They wanted to do something exceptional to spark the imagination of the section and so it was decided to have annual in Croatia . It was difficult to organise with the language barrier and misconceptions of parents as to how safe the country was, but the leaders did an excellent job and it was the highlight of scouting lives so far for those involved. They even came back with a trophy from an International Scout Event. There was a mass exodus from Rathfarnham to Brisbane and Sydney as 6 Leaders headed off late in 2000 for a year in the sun Down-under. Fortunately there were enough Venture and Senior Scouts to fill the void. Sean Bollard took over as Section Leader with a young team of leaders. Seans style of leadership is tough, but fair and it helped to bring the Regional Shield to Rathfarnham for the first time in 2002 and winning the County Cup in 2004 and 2005. Sean decided it was time for another annual abroad, so in 2003 he organised a camp in Denmark with the Ventures assisting like they did in Spain . It was another great success with over 30 scouts attending. In 2004 there was another annual camp in Stradbally and in 2005 to Cappoquin Co. Waterford {Link without Title} . SECTIONS The 13th Dublin is divided in 4 sections.
Each section is run by a Section Leader and there is a Group Council to over see the running of the whole Group. LOCATION The 13th Dublin's ''Scout Den'' is located on the Rathfarnham end of Nutgrove Avenue. The Den is beside the Esso Garage in Dublin , Ireland . There is a small car park in front of the building. Everyone is encouraged to use it instead of parking on the road. ACTIVITIES OF THE SCOUTS The Scouts meet every Thursday from 19:30 to 21:30. The Scout Section is for young people between the ages of 12 and 15. Our Scout program is a progressive one which encourages social interaction through the Patrol System. The Scout Troop is made up of four or five Patrols. Each Patrol is made up of up to eight scouts with a ''Patrol Leader'' (PL) and ''Assistant Patrol Leader'' (APL) in charge. Each Patrol works together during the year at weekly meetings, hikes, camps and other activities. The Patrols name themselves after Animals e.g. Stag , Cougar , Woodpecker , Cobra etc. At the weekly meetings, the scouts participate in games and test-work e.g. Pioneering (Knots), First Aid and Map Reading. All of these skills (hopefully with the exception of First Aid) are put into practice on the weekend trips away and Hike s. The Scout Section encourages young people to respect the outdoors and each other. Hikes The Scouts normally go Hiking in the Wicklow Mountains . The hikes normally take place on Saturdays. On the hikes the scouts can put into action some of the skills that they have learned during their weekly meetings. As these hikes are a bit further into the mountains than the Macaoimh hikes, lifts from parents or buses are normally required there and back. This is where the group asks all parents to assist as best they can. Once or twice a year, the scouts go on a night hike. This offers a bigger challenge to navigation skills and is a little different. If Patrols are working well together, then sometimes they are allowed on patrol hikes. The leaders check the route card before they go and offer any other help that the scouts might need on their hike. Hiking is an integral part of the Scouting ideology as it gets young people out and about in nature. Through spending more time in the outdoors, young have a much greater respect for the environment. Camping Camping is where the Patrol System really shows the best that Scouting has to offer. Each Patrol arranges transport, food, and equipment from the den stores. Each Patrol must build their own campsite with a fire, table, dresser, and of course pitch their own tents. The tents that they use are 8-man Icelantics. These offer more than enough space for the scouts. The camps normally run from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon during late Spring and Summer . The Scouts must work out between them who is doing what job e.g. cooking, gathering fire wood or fetching water. They must all work together to achieve a common goal. The camps are also a great opportunity to brush up on knots, axemanship, and other skills. It's not all work though. The leaders assure you that they have lots of fun! There is usually a specific activity on the Saturday afternoon that the scouts would have to prepare for, wheather it is a first aid scenario or a go-kart race. Recently the group has introduced ''Family Weekend Camps''. They are lots of fun and parents and family members get to see what Scouting has to offer. Parents are often amazed by what can be achieved with a few poles, rope, and imagination. Annual camp Annual camp is the highlight of the Scouting year. It usually takes place in July, after the Macaoimh Holiday to Knockree. In 2005 the Macaoimh had their Annual Holiday in Knockree from the July 2 - July 5 and the scouts will go to Glenshelane in Co. Waterford from the July 6 - July 16 . The camp lasts on average for 10 days. We normally head for the Southeast of Ireland to get the sunshine, but every few years there is a trip abroad. In 2003 the Scouts went to Denmark . They are looking to go abroad in 2006. Other Camps have been held in Germany , Spain , Wales ,and Scotland . During the camp there are football and volleyball leagues, hikes, survival nights, day trips, commando courses, cooking competitions, swimming, patrol competitions, campfires and much more to keep the scouts occupied. The Leaders are assisted by the ''Kitchen Staff'' who are other leaders, past leaders and friends. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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