Scouting Update for Newsfour

Sea Scouts from 4th Port Dodder Scouts at the Poolbeg Boat & Yacht Club and 4th Port Cub Scouts experience sleeping in the bivouac

The Orion Beavers went to a summer camp at Portlick Scout Camp in County Westmeath.

It was attended by 20 beavers from the group. They participated in events such as “obstacle courses, climbing walls, water slides and zip lines,” all of which they did with “gusto” according to leader Dennis Markey.
The last event of the year was a barbeque, at which achievement badges were presented. The presentation was given by the Group Leader of Donnybrook scouts, Andrew Bishop. Beavers, Orion Scouters and parents were all present at the event. The group is now taking a break over the summer and will start their new year in September.

The Donnybrook Scouts were highly successful in fundraising in the mini-marathon, “doing the mini-marathon water station,” according to scout leader Eleanor Costello. The scouts are currently preparing for the Annual Camp in Denmark and also took part in Camp Five, earlier in July. Two of the Donnybrook Rover Scouts volunteered in a Refugee Centre in Greece to work with refugee children and to teach them “scout skills and about european/western cultures,” according to Costello.

The Celt Cubs spent a week in Wales. They swam in Llandudno as well as enjoying gorge walking and a visit to Conwy Castle. The Viking Cubs were in Northern Ireland where they enjoyed rock climbing, archery, a swimming obstacle course while they were touring Belfast and the Giant’s Causeway. The

Rover Scouts won two awards at the National Rover Scouts Ceiliuradh weekend. “Trudie Mitchell won for leadership and we won as a group for photography,” said Costello.
A Viking Cub scout designed a new group flag, which was voted on to be the new flag. There will be a Birthday Group Camp in September. Finally, tickets are now on sale for the 90th Anniversary Gala Dinner, which will take place in November.

Costello wished to make clear that the group is “flat out with work” and active in every section.She stated that the Donnybrook Scouting Group “are in dire need of adult members to support us in any way they can.” If people are interested they can contact the group by emailing Andrew at nzirishbishop@outlook.ie.

By Kevin McSharry

4th Port Dodder Scouts News

Members of 4th Port Dodder have many fond memories of scouting in the summer of 2017. Camping in glorious warm weather and sunshine, lots of boating, crab fishing, swanboreeing in the Dodder, sailing, cooking on an open fire, raft making and paddling, rowing, swimming, trip to Powerscourt, sleeping in a bivouac. For our younger members, and for some, the very first time away from home, our Beaver Scouts had a slumber night. The week previous they spent the day at the lifeboat station with the RNYI volunteers.

The new bivouac, which was built with assistance from the Aviva Community Fund provided such a fantastic resource to the group. Many evenings were spent cooking marshmallows on the firepit, telling stories and having campfires. But the real highlight occurred when some of the Cub Scouts and the Sea Scouts slept in it, a new way of experiencing outdoor living in Dublin 4.

Another fine resource of the group is the organic garden. As part of the menu planning in advance of activities and camping, members check what’s growing and pick fresh vegetables and salads to cook and eat. Youth members are now eating a lot more salads and vegetables.

The group took part in other initiatives including Green Ribbon Awareness programme and Darkness into Light. Each summer the scout group host a Water Activities Day for the past pupils of St. Augustine’s School for students with mild intellectual dis

By Geraldine Smith