JOTA & Happy Halloween

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Jamboree On The Air

Cubs and Beavers took part in the annual Jamboree on the Air in Kilternan recently. This is the biggest international scouting activity of the year and over 250 young people were present with groups from Dalkey, Kilternan, Kilmacud, Balally and Oldbawn in attendance. The day offered an exciting lineup, including trebuchet building, first aid training (no injuries from the trebuchets, thankfully!), Morse code practice, rocket building, and, of course, scouting radio! Participants connected with Scouts across Ireland, the UK, Norway, and even reached as far as Japan and New Zealand. The 17th regularly took part in JOTA in the past and over the past few years we’ve been instrumental in developing this annual event. This year, 32 Scout groups across Ireland joined the JOTA weekend, sharing in similar activities and global exchanges.

A big thank you to our dedicated Scouters, who ensured the day’s success, even stepping up at the last minute to assist. Their support made the event possible and unforgettable!

Halloween Parties

To wrap up our first program of the year, all sections celebrated with Halloween parties full of festive fun!

The Cubs entertained leaders and parents with a lively “Pumpkin Patch” sketch, followed by traditional Halloween games that had everyone joining in the spirit.

The Beavers enjoyed a costume party where they played games, showed off their spooky outfits, and had a blast wrapping each other up as mummies!

Training Update

Andy and Sharon attended a camping skills weekend in Co. Tipperary. The course dealt with all aspects of scout campcraft including planning, site layouts, tents, pioneering and cooking.

Last weekend Albert took part in a backwoods training weekend in Larch Hill organised by the MPSE (Most Primitive Scouting Experience) Fellowship. This introductory weekend focused on knife and axe skills, shelter building, fires, cooking and drinking lots of tea 🙂

Parents and Friends group

We’re looking for more parents to join our Parents and Friends Group, which plays a vital role in supporting our scouting activities. This group helps with grant applications, fundraising, organizing events like table quizzes, and supporting family-friendly activities. We understand that not everyone has the time to volunteer as a Scouter, but joining the Parents Group is a wonderful way to get involved without a large time commitment.

In the coming weeks, we’ll send an invite to all parents via WhatsApp for an introductory meeting. If you’re interested or want to learn more, please reach out to us at [email protected]. Your support makes a huge difference!

Beaver Investiture

Last year we made an urgent appeal to you all to assist with the Beaver section, and thanks to new leaders coming on board we have been able to expand the section. In October held our investiture ceremony for 14 new beavers and three new leaders!

Well done to all on starting their scouting journey, and a special thanks to Rachel, Lucy and Dónal who were invested as scouters on the night! Well done to our Ruarc and Conn beavers for helping with the flags.

Want to see what being a Scout Leader is all about?

Wondering if being a Scout leader is the right fit for you? Interested in what goes on at a meeting or what it takes to build a scouting program? We’re offering a couple of introductory options so you can explore without any commitment or paperwork!

Start with the free Story of Scouting e-learning module, available online at scouttraining.ie/elearning. This short training session provides a great overview and is completely free to try.

If that sparks your interest, join us for a Story of Scouting Interactive Evening on November 18th, from 7–9 pm at Cooleven Scout Den (near Tesco in Ballybrack). This session will run like an actual section meeting, with games, activities, and patrol work. Email us to reserve your spot!

These courses will also count toward your official training if you decide to join as a leader. Give it a go!