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31st Dublin (Rathfarnham) Scout Group is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement through its membership of Scouting Ireland. It was formed in 1917 and has an illustrious history in its ninety years of existence. It is an open sponsored group under the patronage of Rathfarnham Parish Church which is a member of the Anglican group of churches. Its sections meet regularly in the War Memorial Hall, Terenure, Dublin. It has sections for Beavers (6-8 years), Cubs (8-11 years) and Scouts (11-16 years). All members of the troop wear a sky Blue and Black kneckerchief, the scout section securing theirs with a "Square Knot". Its unique adaptation of the conventional programme to meet the current community needs without abandoning traditional skills or values is widely regarded as the main reason for its production of so many people who are active on the Worldwide youth orginisation and political stage. What sets rathfarnham aside from all other scout troops is the way it addresses its responsibility to the community. Whilst many troops have moved away from the community scouting such as "helping old people across the street" Rathfarnham scouts have taken it one step further. They look at what the community needs, they look at what they are good at and they use their creativity and imagination to bridge the gap. Below are just some of the many examples of this that they have been involved in over time.

Current Leader team

Group Chairperson: Rev Anne Taylor

Troop Leaders

The following is a list of those who have held the post of Scout Leader (SL) or formerly Scout Master (SM):

Daniel O'Byrne

Justin McCormack

Robert Hilliard

Ronan Maher

David Long

Robert Jones

Cederic Heather

Conor O'Brien

Stephen Bailey (1987-?)

Andrew Campbell (1984-1987)

Richard Doherty (1982-1984)

Charles W E Richards (19??-1982)

Keith Trower

Alan G Graham

Desmond R Johnson

Pat Ewen

Brian Cooper

Ronnie Pope

Charlie Bowen

Summer Camps

The group have a great tradition of international travel for annual Summer Camps:
Camps have been traditionally named using a mix of the venue name.
Fuller details are available from the following website [920]
YEAR - CAMP NAME - VENUE

2005 Subinue Spain

2004 Hegyocras Hungary

2003 Barbecruse Chester England

2002 Isiltir, Holland

2001 Campignon, Nantes France

2000 Rathbergavic Germany, final city Prague

1999 Bielin - Scotland

1998 Argie Bargie - Warrickshire and Oxfordshire canal rings

1997 Gallozill - Cornwall England

1996 Rennestrix - Rennes France

1995 Inverscotia - Scotland

1994 Bargives - Rugby and the Warrickshire and Oxfordshire canal rings

1993 Wundercampf - Black Forest, Germany

1991 Rydale - Yorkshire

1992 Camp 75

1990 Redon, France (Redown)

1989 Kincraig, Scotland (Coil Albain) (final city: Edinburgh)

1988 Guernsey (Guernellium)

1987 Munich (Camp Artek Crimea, USSR)

1986 North Wales and Barges

1985 Broadstone Warren, (final city: London)

1984 Innsbruck - Austria, Czechoslovakia

1983 Glen Nevis (final city: Edinburgh)

1982 Oxford Nurox (National Union of Railwaymen & Oxford)

1981 Italy

1980 Cricieth, North Wales and Barges (Rugby; Leamington Spa, Warwick, all in Warwickshire)

1979 Appletrewick, North Yorkshire

1978 Woodstock Jamboree Kilkenny Ireland

1977 Saint Malo, Brittany, France (final city: London)

1976 Derbyshire (final city: Chester)

1975 Guernsey

1974 Cornwall

1973 Austria

1972 Scotland

1971 Devon

1970 Switzerland

1969 Scotland

1968 Westport

1967 Austria

1966 Westport

1965 Luxembourg

1964 Scotland

1963 Shropshire

1962 Scotland

1961 Switzerland

1960 Mohill, Ireland

Rathdown & Whitechurch

In September 1974 the scout troop had 58 members which was too large a group for the Memorial Hall. A decision was taken to split the Rathfarnham Scout troop in two. The members and Leaders were divided geographically into Rathdown which continued to meet in the Memorial Hall and Whitechurch which met initially in the old school hall in Whitechurch. In the early 80's Whitechurch accepted female members on an experimental basis with the blessing of the Scout Association. In the late 80's Whitechurch closed due to a leader shortage with its troop gear being passed on to 68th Whitechurch.

Baden Powell congratulates Rathfarnham PL

During a Patrol camp in Dundalk in the 1920's the troop aroused the attentions of the Irish Republican Army who believed them to be Brittish Spies. They raided their campsite, burnt all their camping equipment and instructed them to leave the area. They all returned home safely under the leadership of Patrol leader (PL) Motyer. On hearing of this unfortunate and testing event, Robert Baden Powell the founder of Scouting wrote to PL Motyer congratulating him on his ability to remain calm under such extreme difficulties and bringing his patrol home safely.

Duff House

Duff House was a house adjacent to Lough Dan near Roundwood, in the Wicklow Mountains which was made available to the Troop in the 70's. It was an ideal location for weekend Patrol camps and as a base for mountain hikes. The snooker table in the sitting room provided entertainment late into the night. The Lough although reportedly 600ft deep in spots was also used for swimming and canoeing. In 1974 three weeks before his death Erskine Hamilton Childers, the then President of Ireland (and who had a personal love of the area) visited the group at Duff House. The Cub packs formed a guard of honour from the gate to the front door as his Black Mercedes drove up the drive. He was taken across the Lough by Boat in some bitterly cold weather to a beach on the north side of the Lough where he observed a canoeing activity by the troop. An urban myth that his subsequent death at a function in the Royal College of Physicians from a coughing fit following the chill he contracted on the lake is totally untrue. During the recent release of government files under the 30 year rule a letter was published by the government that had been recieved at the time of his death,from Alan Graham on behalf of the Scout Association offering the troop to provide a Guard of Honour for the funeral. It had been annotated on the letter that by the Department Secretary that he had writen to decline.

U2 pull out of Troop Dance

In the Late 70's the troop regularly held dances in the Memorial Hall as a service to the community and a fund raiser. It was attended by the friends and class mates of the PL's and APL's of the troop. Although Discos were becoming very popular at that time The scouts often arranged concerts of live popular music. One of the ASL's Glen O'Brien was friendly with some of the members of an up and coming Band called U2 and they had secretly agreed to play one Friday night at such an event. However on the Thursday night they pulled out at the request of their Manager Paul McGuinness who was concerned that this would be a step down now that they were playing slightly larger venues. They kindly arranged for the Virgin Prunes to replace them and the night was a great success nonetheless.

Inmate

Inmate is the annual Publication of The Scout Group. It is a collection of writings and accounts by the members of the group inspired by the previous years activities and is compiled and edited by senior scouts. The publication became embroiled in contorversy when the 1980 edition had to be recalled following complaints about a poem "The pope and Ire" referring to the visit of John Paul II to Ireland in 1979. The 1987 edition, edited by Andrew Dunne PL, was launched at a press conference in Aras an Uachtarain by the then President of Ireland Patrick Hillery

An Cumman Cultortha

In 1979 a musical group was set up in the troop. Under the guidance of David Meredith (father of current ASL Tom) and Trevor Sargent (now the Minister for Food in the Irish Government)They played numerous popular songs including many Beatles hits. The instruments were mainly Guitars and tin whistles, Peter Sainsbury also played the piano during rehersals in the Oak room in the memorial hall on sunday afternoons.
The group performed at parents night, on trains and buses whilst on our way everywhere and at Numerous campfires also. However two public performances were of note(no pun intended).
Firstly on the train in Dublin zoo at the opening of the beaver enclosure. They did numerous laps of the zoo and entertained the many Beaver scouts who attended the event. When they eventually got off the train the driver charged them the full price.
Secondly having succeeded at audition, they were selected to perform on National television RTE. An irish Language programme "Trom agus Eatrom" hosted by Liam O'Muirchu was focusing on scouts. At the very start of the programme "Tuair dom do Liamh" was played as an accompanyment to a short video about a recent Jamboree, followed by "The Rocky Road to Dublin" campfire version.

Czechoslovakian Peace Camp 1984

In 1984 a delegation of five scouts and one leader were chosen to represent Irish Scouting at Camp Sitno, a peace camp organised by the Young Pionyr Orginisation in Czechoslovakia. Other delegations from Sweden and Tunisia (Palestenines in exile). * http://www.pionyr.cz Official page of Pionýr (english version)

Christmas trees

In the late 80's unemployment and economic emigration was a reality facing most young school leavers. In an attempt to provide the scouts with some "Vocational Training" numerous work experience projects were undertaken by the Troop. In the Autumn of 1986 a mini company was set up and run by the patrol leaders (PL) to sell christmas trees in the run up to christmas. They were fortunate to be given permission by the Parish to use the grounds of the Memorial Hall in Terenure as a sales pitch. Each PL had responsibility for different areas of the business and all the scouts were trained in the art of salesmanship. Patrols also took it in shifts to man the premesis. It was an ideal project for a workforce who would use their axemanship to fit the tree into your stand , carry the tree to your car and use their knotting skills to tie your boot lid down. In the first year the project was a financial success. To this date each Christmas, the project continues and the concept of Christmas trees by scouts is now a household phrase in south Dublin.

Members of distinction

Over the years many of the past or present troop members have held numerous positions of distinction some of which are listed below

Member of the World Scout Foundation

President of the European Youth Forum (EYF)

Secretary General of the European Youth Forum (EYF)

President of the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI)

Secretary General of the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI)

Chairperson of the Federation of Irish Scout Associations (FISA)

National Secretary of the Scout Association of Ireland (SAI)

International Commissioner of the Scout Association of Ireland (SAI)

Deputy International commissioner of the Scout Association of Ireland (SAI)

Numerous members have been awarded the Chief Scouts Commendation and one has been awarded the Prestigeous Silver Shamrock for services of a most distinguished nature to Scouting.

In the political world its most distingushed member is a current minister in the Irish Government with responsibility for food and is a former Leader of the Green Party

In the 1970s a scout was decorated for diving into the river Liffey on two separate occasions to save a drowning person. He is now a helicopter pilot in the Irish Air Corps and has hundreds of other rescues to his name through his involvement in Irish Air and Sea Rescue.