Welcome to the blog of the 3rd Waterford De La Salle Scout Troop for 2007. In 2007 the troop had a very active year which included an Annual Camp to Blackwell Court in England; plenty of hikes and weekends like the trip to Foulksrath Castle and the County MPC in the Comeraghs and troop members taking part in the World Jamboree in Chelmsford and the Sionnach in Donegal. The troop had a core of about twenty five scouts which were led by Cian O'hOgartaigh, Ciaran Purcell, Dean Purcell and Stephen Bailey. Click on the thumbnails to see full size images. Enjoy and you can also read our full Troop Blog for 2006, for 2005 and for 2004.
Above: Members of the 3rd Scouts on Camp 2007 at Blackwell Court.
Troop Blog 2007
Christmas Hike to Coumshingaun - 16th December 2008
Where was everybody for our Christmas Party? Coumshingaun in the Comeraghs was the venue where we hiked right up to the back cliff before dropping down to Kilclooney woods for our Christmas barbeque laid on by Emily and Ginter. Click to view a larger image of any of the photos below.
Troop Weekend at Foulksrath Castle 23rd - 25th November 2007
Above: The 3rd De La Salle Scout Troop on the outer walls of Foulksrath Castle.
Let's go somewhere different was the challenge and the An Oige Youth Hostel at Foulksrath Castle about 10 kilometres outside of Kilkenny was chosen as the destination for our second troop weekend of the new scouting year. There were 20 scouts along and we had an excellent weekend in the haunted castle. On Saturday we spend the day at Jenkinstown wood where we did a small hike, tree climbing, shelter building, fire lighting, relay races and stretcher building. A banquet was served on the Saturday night which was followed by games and a table quiz. On Sunday we did ropework, navigation and archery. The photos speak for themselves - it was a good weekend.
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Above: The 3rd De La Salle Scout Troop at their banquet at Foulksrath Castle.
Troop Overnight, Investiture & Award Ceremony - 2nd - 3rd November 2007
We were definitely a little bit lost on that midnight hike where we managed to find ourselves almost up to our waists in mud and bog at one stage. Well done to the leader who lost his way a bit who shall remain nameless. After a bit of haunted graveyard visiting we managed to find our way back to the den. We spend most of the next day sorting the place out before our investiture, award ceremony and review of the year that night. Thanks to all those who were here and helped out.
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Troop Halloween Meeting Night - 25th October 2007
We were in Faithlegg for the night, doing a bit of fire lighting and eating mostly. The winner of the fancy dress was the pirate although Gleb's boxer guy was definitely the weirdest. Alex wasn't far behind with Colm the creepiest and Ruairi dressed as Colm the nastiest. Hats off to Bob Marley too.
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Donegal Sionnach - 12th - 14th October 2007
Brian, Dean, Ruairi and Colm travelled through 16 counties to take part in the Donegal Sionnach - read the full account with lots of photos here.
Above: Ready to roll for Basecamp on the Donegal Sionnach 2007.
Top Hat Production Night - 11th October 2007
Who would have believed that you could create such cakes with a Trangia.
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County Mountain pursuit Challenge - 21st - 23rd September 2007
We had two teams take part in the 2007 Waterford Scout County Mountain Pursuit Challenge which was held this year at Coum Eag (The Valley of Death) in the Comeragh Mountains. Well done to everyone who took part and there is a full report and loads of photos on our County MPC 2007 page.
Above: The 3rd De La Salle Scout Troop at Coum Eag in the Comeraghs.
Good Luck to Cosmo - 26th July 2007
In 2006 history was also made with the investiture into the De La Salle Scout Group of Lee, a trainee guide dog for the blind who had been cared for in the past twelve months by troop member, Emlyn Farrell and his family. They had been acting as "Puppywalkers" who foster a six-week old pup in their own homes for 12 months. The puppywalker's job is to rear the puppy and educate it so that it becomes a well-mannered, well-adjusted, socially acceptable animal. This education forms an essential foundation for the future. All veterinary fees and feeding costs are covered by Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, and the puppy’s progress is monitored by regular visits from a supervisor. The Farrell family have just been joined by Cosmo- a Golden retriever/German Shepherd cross whose father (Lewis) is a brother of their first dog Lee! Best of luck to them from all at the 3rd and hopefully we will see him at some of our events in the next year.
Troop Archery Night - 26th July 2007
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Troop Hike to Creadon Head - 19th July 2007
Above: The 3rd De La Salle Scout Troop on Creadon Head.
Creadon Head overlooks the entrance to Waterford Harbour and juts very prominently out into the Waterford estuary - what a stunning place for an evening hike. Standing on the head you look to your right and the coastline runs down to Dunmore East where the many sailors of the Waterford Sailing Harbour club are out for their Thursday evening race. Moving out from there, the estuary itself is busy with container ships and fishing trawlers passing in and out while overhead fly two small propeller planes bound for Waterford airport. Looking straight across is the incredibly long Hook peninsula with its countless coves and beaches and jagged cliffs running all the way along from Duncannon out as far as the lighthouse itself. To our left is the secret Fornaught bay and Woodstown and a fine view of the river as it runs down from Waterford City. In the distance is Brandon Mountain and Mount Leinster and all of counties Wexford and Kilkenny. There are fences to cross and mad donkeys and skittish cows to avoid but there are few finer places to take an evening walk in the whole of County Waterford.
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Annual Camp - Blackwell Court Birmingham - 1st - 8th July 2007
Above: Colm, Jordan, Emlyn, Simon and Brian at the Bull Ring in Birmingham City Centre.
We had an excellent Annual Camp for 2007 at Blackwell Court in Birmingham. You can read the full account with loads of photos on our Camp 2007 page.
Group Weekend in Faithlegg - 18th - 20th May 2007
Above: Dean burns burgers on the Group Weekend in Faithlegg. There are more photos on our Gallery page.
Peak 2007 - 6th - 13th April 2007
Above: Cian, our
representative this year with his team from Peak 2007 on the summit of Ireland's
highest peak - Corran Tuathail (1039m).
See the Sionnach Adventure website for
more information.
County Fun Weekend - 23rd - 25th February 2007
Above: Stephen on the 2007 County Fun Weekend in Mellary. There are more photos on our Gallery page.
Comeraghs Hike - 6th January 2007
Above: Stephen with the cliffs of Poul na Madra Ruadh behind.
This was supposed to have been our Christmas Mince Pie Hike but as the weather was so lousy in December it was cancelled and cream cakes had to be brought instead. It was officially still Christmas though and nine souls left the track and made their way through the muck and cows to the first river crossing where only Paschal landed a boot in the river. We headed across Cutteen North to the spot height of 534m in the area of Poul na Madra Ruadh. From the spot height we ascended steep ground for 200 metres to the summit of Seefin. Aidan Purcell definitely enjoyed that bit the most. We sheltered for a bit of lunch behind the ugly old MMDS hut although Stephen and Brian had to get on top of it. Cian, Dean and Ruairi (Rue?) all managed to get their cream cakes to the summit unsquashed.
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image)
A bit of navigation was called for from Seefin across Leacanthimlay to the side of the Coumtay and Cian and Brian managed to get us there spot on. Having walked up a cliff earlier we decided to walk down a cliff to Ned Curran's cottage before we headed back onto the forest track (past the trees with the star shaped rings (why anybody?). We tore off in the cars to Mahon Bridge and halfway there Colm missed his phone, Cian having thrown it out the door of the car while opening the gate earlier. Peter or Paschal fortunately hadn't rolled over it. Next summit Corran Tuathail. (Hike Stats: Distance 8.6k. Height Ascended and Descended: 598m)
Above: Cian, Dean, Brian, Paschal, Aidan, Cian, Stephen and Peter on the summit of Seefin (726m).
Download our January 2007 Newsletter here.
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