Author: Barry Kennedy

Annual Camp 2022 (Scouts/Ventures)

Barry Kennedy

Our Annual Camp this year is heading to the International Outdoor Adventure Centre (IOAC) in Wexford. The dates are Wednesday 6th to Sunday 10th July. We’re still finalizing the details but the cost should be in the region of €160 per Scout. This includes camping fees, food and activities over the 5 days

Activities on-site include kayaking, high ropes, archery tag and raft building. We’ll also be running a few activities to finalise this year’s Patrol of the Year Award which will be presented on the Sunday of the Camp. 

In order to book a place, can each Scout/Venture bring up a €20 deposit this week (in an envelope with your son/daughter’s name on it)? If your son/daughter cannot attend this week, please let us know if they would like to attend the camp.

We’re currently looking into organising a bus to/from the camp but this will depend on the numbers attending. 

Survivor (Scouts)

Barry Kennedy

Our next Scout event is Survivor, the National Backwoods challenge. 

Important information

Start: Fri 1st April 8pm
Finish: Sun 3rd April 12 PM (TBC)
Location: Castleconnell Scout Campsite
Cost: €50pp

This event will be for teams of 4. There are three levels- Delta, Beta and Alpha. We will have 3 teams on the Delta Subcamp. Places have been filled based on previous expression of interest – if in doubt, message the Scouters

Required Personal Equipment:

  • Raingear (Jacket & Trousers)
  • Hat & Gloves
  • Boots
  • Warm fleece
  • 2 x Spare pairs of Socks
  • 2 x Spare Underwear
  • 1 x Spare Base Layer
  • (1 Change of Clothes in separate pack with Scouter and NOT presented at Check-in)
  • Sleeping bag
  • Sleeping mat
  • Survival bag/ bivvy bag
  • Torch (with spare batteries)
  • Bowl, Cup and Cutlery (NO utensils that can be used as Pots, etc)
  • Knife/Penknife (suitable for survival tasks)
  • Water Bottles – filled and in your Back Pack (To carry 2lt of water)
  • Toiletries – NO Deodorant/ Sprays, etc
  • Rucksack – ALL personal and Team equipment must fit into, or be attached to the Rucksacks. Participants will NOT be allowed to proceed beyond the check-in with items being carried – this is a Safety measure. Allow room for some team gear

Directions

Google Maps Link: https://goo.gl/maps/7T9HSgZbv9HeJJhz7

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County Backwoods Event (UPDATED)

Barry Kennedy

Our next Scout event is the County Backwoods Event.

Please note: We are aware that the change of dates to the 19th/20th March does not suit everyone. As this is a County event, the rescheduling of the event is outside of our control. We would ask that you confirm if your son/daughter can or can’t attend by 5pm Wednesday 9th March as we need to let the County team how many will be attending.

Important information

  • Start: Sat, Mar 19th 10 AM
  • Finish: Sun, Mar 20th 12 PM
  • Location: Castleconnell Scout Campsite
  • Cost: €30pp

This event will be for teams of 4.

Required Personal Equipment:

  • Raingear (Jacket & Trousers)
  • Hat & Gloves
  • Boots
  • Warm fleece
  • 2 x Changes of clothes (1 Change packed in rucksack, 1 left with Scouter)
  • Sleeping bag
  • Sleeping mat
  • Survival bag
  • Head Torch (with spare batteries)
  • Bowl, Cup and Cutlery
  • Penknife (suitable for survival tasks)
  • Water Bottles – filled and in your Back Pack (To carry 2lt of water)
  • Toiletries
  • Personal First Aid Kit
  • Rucksack – ALL personal and Team equipment must fit into, or be attached to the Rucksacks. Allow room for some team gear

Directions

Google Maps Link: https://goo.gl/maps/7T9HSgZbv9HeJJhz7

Backwoods Skills

This event will cover elements of stage 3 in Backwoods so Scouts should familiarise themselves with these skills over the next few weeks. We’ll be covering most of it during Scout meetings but we’ll also add some resources (links, videos) to this section

Group Weekend @ Curraghchase [Scouts/Ventures]

Barry Kennedy

We will be running our first camp since 2019 on the 24th – 26th of September. This will take place at the new County Campsite in Curraghchase (directions below). The cost of the camp will be €30 (which will include food and campsite fees) which must be paid next week (23rd September). The Beavers and Cubs will be joining us on Saturday for an investiture/award ceremony.

We will be meeting at the campsite at 7:00 pm on Friday and collection is 12 noon Sunday (returning to scout hall afterwards to help put away gear)

Tents for Scouts

Due to Covid-19, everyone will be in individual tents (Siblings may share). If your son/daughter has a tent, we would ask that they bring it along. This should be a small, 1-2 person tent, not a big family. If they don’t have a tent, let us know and we can supply one.

Venture Scouts will not require a tent – more details to follow

Investiture & Award Ceremony.

We will be holding the investiture for all sections on Saturday afternoon. We will be inviting parents of those getting invested to come out and join us for this. This will be between 3.30 pm and 5 pm on Saturday. This will be a great opportunity for you to see Scouting in action.

If your son/daughter does not have a neckerchief & woggle, please let us know ASAP and we will order them. This will cost €8.50

Gear list:

  • Rucksack
  • Tent (See above)
  • Sleeping bag
  • Pillow
  • Ground mat
  • Warm clothes (3 changes of clothes)
  • Rain gear
  • Hat/Gloves
  • Hiking boots
  • Mug, Bowl, Plate, Spoon, Knife, Fork
  • Tea towel
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Head torch

ELECTRONIC DEVICES ARE NOT PERMITTED

Directions

There is a one-way system in place at the campsite. See Google Maps instructions here https://goo.gl/maps/rMpJKXfSG5NipG8UA

1.       Head out the N69 (Limerick-Tralee Road) to Curraghchase

2.       Continue past the main entrance for Curraghchase Forest Park (DO NOT GO INTO THE FOREST PARK) for 1.2km

3.       Turn right at Killeen House B&B

4.       Continue for 1.6km until you get to a fork in the road, veer left here

5.       Continue for 2km until you reach a T-Junction. Turn right here

6.       The Scout Campsite is 500m up this road on the right

Hike for Hope 2021

Barry Kennedy
Hike for Hope

Last year, our Group took part in the Hike for Hope initiative which raised over €45,000 for Pieta House. This year, the Hike for Hope is back and it’s taking place this weekend. This year’s charity is Jigsaw, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health which is a great organisation doing fantastic work. This is a challenge for all the family to enjoy

1 Register

To register, all you need to do is make a small donation to Jigsaw on the link below. So far over €14,000 has been raised

https://www.idonate.ie/event/2781_hike-for-hope.html

2 Chose your Challenges

Choose a Mountain or a Trail below. Then walk/hike/cycle/swim/crawl the equivilant steps or stairs over the weekend. You can do this as an idividual or as a collective.

May be an image of text that says 'MOUNTAIN HEIGHT STEPS 342m Little Sugar Loaf Wicklow Diamond Hill Connemara Slieve League Donegal Croagh Patrick- Mayo Slieve Donard Ulster Carrauntoohil Munster STAIRS 442m 601m 764m 1,710 2,210 3,005 3,820 122 158 215 273 303 371 388 480 4,250 5,190 5,425 6,725 11,535 14,590 Snowdon Wales Ben Nevis Scotland El Capitan Yosemite, America Mount Olympus Greece Mount Fuji Japan Mont Blanc France Mount Kilimanjaro Tanzania K2 Pakistan Mount Everest 850m 1,038m 085m 1,345m 2,307m 2,918m 4,810m 46km 5,895m 8,611m 8,848m 824 1,042 18,880 24,050 29,475 43,055 44,240 1,349 1,718 2,105 3,075 3,160 HIKENFOR HOPE ElCap 2307 mts'
May be an image of text that says 'IncaTrail Trail 42km HIKE FOR HOPEΔ DISTANCE TRAIL Howth Cliff Path Loop Trail Glendalough Spinc Trail Benbulben Loop Trail Cliffs of Moher Coastal Walk 6km STEPS 9km 14km 7,872 11,808 18,368 23,616 Cuilcagh Boardwalk (Stairway to Heaven) Bangor Trail 18km 20km The English Channel Inca Trail (Peru) 24km 33km 26,240 31,488 43,296 42km 46km 90km The Great Western Greenway The Ballyhoura Way The Burren Way Hadrian's Wall (England) The Western Way The Ring Kerry Great Ocean Road (Australia) 55,104 60,352 118,080 114km 135km 179km 200km 149,568 177,120 234,848 262,400 318,816 243km'
May be an image of text that says 'EXTREME TRAIL DISTANCE STEPS Malir Head to Mizen Head Camino de Santiago (France to Spain) The Wild Atlantic Way The Appalachian Trail Route 66 (America) 601km 780km 2,500km 3,500km 940 km 788,512 1,023,360 3,280,000 4,592,000 5,169,280 Malin Head 601km Mizen Head HIKE FOR HOPEZ'

Set off

Once you’ve your challenge picked, head out and complete it. Why not bring the whole family. We’d love to see your photos throughout the weekend. On Sunday, we’ll ask everyone taking part to send us the total distance covered

If your posting on Social Media, use the hashtag #HikeforHope. You can tag us – @CaherdavinScouts on Facebook & Instagram and @CaherdavinScout on twitter.

Christmas Message from our Group Leader

Barry Kennedy

Dear Parents,

We have come to the end of what has definitely been the most challenging year many of us have ever experienced. While many of our usual Scouting activities have had to be put to one side this year, the core concepts of Scouting (doing our best, helping each other and facing challenges head-on) have never been so important. Watching our Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Ventures face the challenges of 2020 has been inspirational.

I’d ask you to take a moment to thank your child’s leaders. Despite everything, they continue to give up their time and energy so that the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Ventures get to experience the adventure of Scouting. Many Scout Groups simply shut their doors in March and haven’t reopened. This was never an option for the Scouters of the 23rd Limerick. They continue to look at ways to adapt what we do and keep the adventures going.

I’d also like to thank all of you for your support, patience and understanding this year, in particular your help with our fundraising campaigns. These efforts help keep our group active and are greatly appreciated.

I would like to wish you and your families a happy and safe Christmas. Let us all look forward to better times in 2021.

Yours in Scouting

Barry Kennedy
Group Leader

12 Days of Christmas

Barry Kennedy

This time of year is when we’d normally be selling our 12 Days of Christmas tickets in Dunnes or Mace. With the current restrictions, unfortunately, that is not possible this year. Instead, we’re moving ticket sales online this year with a new online ticket portal:

Buy a ticket

As always, the prizes are fantastic and with far fewer tickets being sold this year the odds of winning are greater than ever. We would ask you to please share this link with your family and friends. Your support, as always, is greatly appreciated.

Prizes

1st A week in Las Vegas for two with €3000 spending money to the value of €6500 or €6500 cash.

2nd A weekend break for two in Barcelona with spending money up to the value of €3000 or €3000 cash.

3rd A Laptop of your choice to the value of €1250 or €1250 cash.

4th A Smart TV to the value of €650.

5th A weekend in a Health Spa of your choice.

6th A one4all Gift Voucher to the value of €650.

7th A weekend break for two in a hotel of your choice in Ireland.8thMondello Supercar Experience.

9th A €650 voucher for an Irish International Rugby Game and accommodation.

10th Dublin Theatre weekend for two and accommodation.

11th A collection of kitchen top appliances to the value of €650.

12th Shannon Cruise weekend to the value of €650.

Thanks to Eoghan Calnan for his help setting up the online portal for this.

Scouts move up to Ventures

Barry Kennedy

Tonight our Scout Troop had its last weekly virtual meeting of the current Scout Year. We’ll be organising some outdoor activities in the next few weeks 😀 and will post the details on the Whatsapp group. We’ll also be dropping out some badges to the Scouts who’ve completed the next stage of the Crean Awards

Tonight’s meeting was also the last meeting for our Patrol Leaders Eoghan, Jack and Jake as they move on to Ventures. The three boys moved up to the Scout Troop when it was rebooted in 2016 and have been the driving force of the Troop over the past four years. Without them, the Scout Troop wouldn’t be as strong as it is today.

Along the way, they’ve participated in several County and National events including completing the MPC diamond and representing the Group at the World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia, USA in 2019. They are currently finishing off their Chief Scout Award. As part of this, they’ve been helping out with other sections passing on their skills to the Beavers and Cubs

The Group would like to thank them for all their efforts in Scouts and wish them the best of luck on the next step of their Scouting Trail.

Scouts Weekly Challenge – Homemade Stoves

Barry Kennedy

This week’s challenge is to make a homemade stove using either a tin can or two coke cans. Scouts can pick which of the two Stoves they make. There are several variations of these designs so we would suggest the Scouts do some online research to find the variation that suits them.

Remember to be careful during the making and use of the stove. Parental supervision is encouraged. Best of luck

Hobo Stove

Click to access Hobo-Stove-scouts.pdf

Soda Can Burner

How To Build a Coke Can Stove for Hiking and Camping