Larch Hill was the venue where, recently the Scout Troop enjoyed a fun packed weekend. As you may know camping under canvas can be cold even in the summer. But the brave souls of the 9th & 10th endured the elements in early March and were rewarded with a beautiful astronomical treat – the eclipse!

Last week they had an investiture ceremony which saw new members make their Scout Promise. The wearing of the Blue Neckerchief was their reward.

As you can see the Scouts are well and truly up and running in the Jubilee Year. Plans are well under way for Annual Camp 2007 which will take place in England. They will be attending a Jamboree with about 3000 other scouts. As part of the trip they will have a day out to the World Jamboree and also to Alton Towers.

With the Scout County Shield and Whit Camp to come before Annual Camp, here’s hoping all our summers’ will be as packed as that of the scouts of the 9th & 10th!

Hello to the Hill

Inside This Issue

1 Hello to the Hill

2 Cubs in the Cabin

2 Times Past

3 Scouting Memories

4 Photo of the Month

4 Upcoming Events

4 Den Cleanup

4 Contact details

Here’s hoping all our

summers’ will be as

packed as that of the

scouts of the 9th &

10th!

MARCH 2007 AUGHRIM STREET SCOUT UNIT – CELEBRATING 70 YEARS

PAGE 2 JUBILEE TIMES

The Cubs went away this month to the cabin in Glencree for the

weekend. 14 cubs went and fun was had by all.

The cubs learned how to backwoods cook, went on a hike and

learned map work. They had a campfire and each Arrow group

put on a sketch at the campfire for the rest of the Pack.

On the Friday night we arrived, we visited Chainsaw Charlie’s

and Mad Mary’s cottage in the woods. The leaders appeared

more scared than some of the younger cubs. Although it

wouldn’t be that hard with leaders like Gary (Oxberry) who aren't

that tough!

The bus ride home was fun as Richie and Gary had to stand due

to lack of seats but dived on the ground when we saw the

Gardai on the M50.

The next cub outing will take place to Bray Head soon.

Richie Reville Cub Leader

Cubs in the Cabin

From the Troop Logs - March 1957

Márta, an 17adh lá - Church Parade

The Holy Family Unit, Aughrim Street, 9th & 10th Troops

assembled at the Catholic Scout Hall 45b Ben Edair Road on

Monday 17th. March for the Annual Parade in honour of St.

Patrick. Attendance included Scoutmasters: J. Monahan (9th) T.

Treacy (10th.), Assistant scoutmasters, J. Madden & J. O'Brien

(9th. troop) N.McNaboe, G.Murphy, J.Connick, Liam Ennis (10th)

Assistant Cub masters F. Kirwan. F.Hudson. Leaving the Scout Hall

at 8.45am we marched to our Parish Church of the Holy Family.

Mass was celebrated and Holy Communion received by the

Scouts and Cubs. After Mass our Chaplain, rev. Fr. O'Higgins

blessed the shamrock and the Leaders passed it around to the

Unit members. We then marched back to the Scout Hall and

dismissed.

J.Monahan S/M

From the Unit Council Minutes: March 1982

Richard Armstrong was appointed Venturer Leader. Mick

Rooney appointed Scout Leader of the 10th. Troop. Decided

that the back of Den would be tarred. Position of Unit badge

decided. Annual Camp going to Chirk, N. Wales.

After Mass our Chaplain,

rev. Fr. O'Higgins blessed

the shamrock. Times Past

PAGE 3 JUBILEE TIMES

1984 was our first annual camp to the continent – more specifically Capella, Netherlands. There was great excitement before that camp as you can imagine. I was APL to David Lawlor in the Buffalo Patrol. Our patrol site backed onto one of the many smelly canals, which surrounded us in all directions. The leader’s site was two up from us opposite the entrance gate. The strategic location of the canal proved to be very useful. David Lawlor or Lollie as he was affectionately known was in a rebellious mood. One evening, Kiernan sat down and had a heart to heart with us. Many words were spoken over several cups of tea and chocolate Goldgrains. The upshot of it all was

that Kiernan accused us of being unimaginative. “Sure for God’s sake lads, you haven’t even tried to rob the sweet shop yet.” That was it; we upped our nightly search missions on the leader’s store tent but still to no avail. They had the sweet shop hidden in their sleeping tent - right next to their vicious guard dog Seamus

O’Cleirigh. The day we discovered its location, started while all the leaders were off site. Later that afternoon I decided to be daring and sneaked carefully along the backs’ of the sites toward the leader’s sleeping tent. After filling my jacket with cans of Coke and Mars bars I made my way coolly back to our site, not realising that Eagle Eyed (Eamonn) Moran was tracking my

every move – I was caught red handed. The decision, made by a meeting of the Leaders was to confine me to site for the up and coming trip to De Efteling Fun Park. My world was shattered. However, my comrades weren’t taking this kind of oppression lying down, so this resulted in an all out General Strike announced by the PL’s. After long serious negotiations, the leaders backed down – giving me a milder sentence. The fun park was absolutely fantastic, I think we went on the roller coaster at least 27 times – it was every kid’s dream come true. The most memorable moment though, was the return trip to our campsite by coach. Seeing that Kiernan was fast asleep, I

decided to polish him. I gave him a lovely black nose tip, some Indian stripes on his cheeks and a few lovely Celtic designs on his bald patch. I was now in serious bother. Super Grass trials were held on the leader’s site. The following day sentencing was passed (albeit on the wrong person): He was to be thrown into the rat infested, pike lurking smelly canal. I went to

offer my moral support to him, but found myself caught in a brutal trap. Kiernan suddenly rugby tackled me and sent me into those dark murky waters, head first! These are but a few happy memories from my days with the 9/10

Aughrim Street. Today I am living with my wife and five children in a small Bavarian village. I often think back to those times with pleasure. To the leaders of the Unit today, I wish you the ability to bring such happy memories to the minds of adults twenty or thirty years from now.

David ‘Stan’

McMahon was a

9th Trooper,

Venturer and later

an Assistant

Venturer leader

during his time

with the unit.

Scouting Memories: David McMahon

PAGE 4 JUBILEE TIMES

Photo of the Month

Keep up to date with the events we’ve planned to

celebrate the Jubilee year:

St. Patrick’s Day Church Parade March 17th

[** Please note change in time - 9 o’clock mass **]

Cabin work weekend March 24th / 25th

Group Council April 2nd

Scout County Shield April 20th – 22nd

Upcoming Events

The total lunar eclipse of March 3 2007 which was visible over the eastern Americas, Europe, Africa, and western Asia

Contact Details 9th & 10th Dublin Scouts

Ben Edair Road

Dublin 7

Phone: 838 0796

Web site: www.aughrimstreetscouts.ie

Medium sized renovations are going on in

the Scout Den to ensure that it looks its

best for the 70th Anniversary.

Quite an amount of electrical work was

carried out by Willie Fleming (a past

member). New lights were fitted in the

main hall and new electrical points

were installed as a result of the central

heating pipes being laid above ground.

Ger Fleming and his crew have added a

fresh coat of paint to brighten things up

while Ben McGarry and his team got stuck

into a new trophy cabinet in the Clan

Room. Margaret McGarry carried out

some restorative work on the former Unit

flag and it's now on display in the Clan

Room. Overall the Leaders and Rovers

should be well proud of themselves.

Unfortunately Kiernan Gildea has some

more ideas for the Den which will keep us

going for the rest of the year!! The Group

has recently received Euro 4,000 from the

Dormant Accounts Fund so some other

rooms may see changes in the coming

months...

Den Cleanup