Happy New year to all our members, families, friends and supporters.
Christmas Craft Stall for the Simon Community
We are delighted to be able to look back on a very active year and announce that we are celebrating our 60th anniversary with lots more plans for 2016. Our troop has over a hundred members with a strong leadership team to keep the show on the road and we are very lucky to be able to enjoy a wide range of scouting activities both on the water and on land, right on our doorstep.
Last year one of our big highlights was an international scout trip to Denmark, where our scout section attended a Sea Scout jamboree in Aarhus. This was a great adventure and we would thank all the local businesses that helped us with sponsorship. As part of our fundraising drive we also have a donation for the RNLI, which will help support them with their activities.
On the scouting skills front, we had a team compete in the Hamill Cup in September. They got a great result as well as reinstating Dalkey in this competition! Also, last Summer, two of our ventures Jeff Fahy & Brian Comerford, were selected for the Sea Scouts Tall ship race from Southampton to Belfast. Venture Brian Loakman, went to Japan as part of the Irish contingent at the international world Jamboree. Lastly, congratulations to Sarah Mc Donagh who won the DCC Cup this year. Sarah has been with the troop for a long time and is still involved now as a kayaking instructor.
In addition to all our scouting activities, it was particularly busy just before Christmas. Members of our troop collected the Peace Light, which is transported by the International scout organisation from Bethlehem to homes and destinations all over the world. We delivered to the local churches as well as to the Sue Ryder foundation.
Many members enjoyed a trip to the circus courtesy of Forsett’s circus and we also had a great turnout for our carol singing/craft sale, all in aid of the Simon Community. This annual event saw the cubs out in force, supported by scouts, parents and even helpful scouting dogs, at Writers corner in Dalkey. We were delighted to donate the proceeds, over a thousand euros to that very worthy cause, the homeless, at a particularly difficult time of year. Thank you to everyone who supported us.
This year, we will be starting our 60th celebrations with a Founders day Service on February 14th at 10:15am. This will be a family service, with a cup of tea afterwards and all are welcome. Our Group Camp will be held on the May Bank Holiday weekend in Lough Dan, which is a favourite venue of the troops, nestling in the Wicklow Mountains with access to the lake. We are also sharing the venue with the 8ú Calafort Gasóga Mara – 8th Port Dún Laoghaire Sea Scouts as they will be celebrating 50 years. So, we will have a very exciting camp to look forward to, as we will together be celebrating 110 years of scouting!
Then at the end of the summer, on Saturday 17th September, past members will be hosting an evening event for all members past and present, details to follow. All past members are welcome to share some of their fond memories…..
In addition to the above, all our usual activities are planned for the coming year….you will see the Beavers out and about on Killiney Hill, on the beach and beyond. You may see the Cubs sailing, climbing and hiking in the Dublin mountains and beyond. Our scout section will be on the hills and on the water, doing any number of activities as well as looking forward to a traditional summer camp this year, somewhere further west, destination to be confirmed.
This time of the year, our kayaking club are enjoying river kayaking and only recently did a trip from Rathdrum to the Meeting of the Waters.
Sailing in Denmark, Summer 2015
And on top of all that we are also expecting a visit from a troop from London, the 4th Streatham Sea Scout (Princess Marie Louises Own), who we met in Denmark. It will give us great pleasure showing them around Dalkey!
So, altogether a busy 2016 to look forward to.
Yours in Scouting
Donnchadh O Madagáin
Group Leader , 41st Dublin
Our website is www.dalkeyseascouts.ie or follow us on Facebook.