"Scouts or not, all will be interested in this camping thriller of a unit pulling off an incredible victory, an account so stirring it will be put down only to obtain a moment's breather".
- The Sunday Times

"I know of no finer example of camping, of mind triumphing over matter".
- American Scouting Journal.

Above: The contingent from the 7th DLS on Corran Tuathail on Camp 97: Colm Ennis, Kevin McGrath, James white, Tom Whittle, Billy Collins and Owen Griffin.

That Great Odyssey

This account of the 1997 Unit Annual Camp or "Camp" as it is really known, is not for the lighthearted. In truth it is an epic tale which began far back in the mists of last January. A Unit Council and a subsequent Camp Leaders meeting despatched 3 Unit Researchers off to Co. Kerry. Their quest took them to the door of one Joe O'Connor of Glenbeigh who offered one of the rarest campsites in Kerry (flat, well drained and without protruding boulder fields). More meetings ensued, gear lists and menus were drawn up, tents were repaired, marquees retrieved, buses booked and Adventure Centres approached. Camp was to happen from July 30th to August 6th 1997 and happen it did.

Above: Paul Cunningham and Terence O'Neill on the bus to Cappanalea.

The Advance Camp

No Annual Camp would be complete without an Advance Camp. The Advance Camp is for those intrepid leaders who set out some days before the real camp begins, in search of food, meat and invariably high mountains to climb. This year Camp Chief Billy Collins accompanied by Colm Ennis and Camp Quartermaster Kieran O'Connor joined Scoutleader Tom Casey and his family at their surfing base at Inch Strand on the Dingle Peninsula. The Monday before the official Wednesday start of camp offered perfect weather for the completion of the spectacular Brandon Ridge walk. The route included Brandon Mountain, Brandon Peak, Ballysitteragh, finished at the Connor Pass and gave breathtaking views of Valentia, the Blaskets and both Dingle and Tralee Bays.

On Tuesday locations for overnight hikes and treasure hunts were sussed out as well as the camp shopping done. Wednesday morning included a well deserved lie in before the legions arrived.

Above: Billy Collins followed by Mark and Tom Casey feeling the heat on the way up Brandon Mountain.

In the Beginning.....

Everybody met at 8.00am in the den for the much loved but arduous task of loading the bus. No mean feat when you consider that the Marquee as well as all six sets of icelandics, shelters and patrol gear, all the personal gear, the fridge, the gas telly and the good old reliable paraffin tilly lamps simply cannot be left behind.

No four hour bus journey with a group of Scouts is ever adventure free. However Venturer Bernard Cunningham who drove down in his car provided the greatest entertainment by getting lost and ending up in Tralee and for saying that he found a McDonalds in Killarney. The bus had arrived in Glenbeigh by 1.30pm and soon all gear was unloaded and ready to be setup. Strong winds made pitching the tents and particularly the Marquee a bit more challenging but everything was completed in record time.

Above: Bernard Cunningham struggles with the wetsuits at Cappanalea.

The 1997 Camp menu had a number of new departures although one leader when asked before Wednesday's dinner if he liked Spaghetti he replied that he would eat anything green. Plenty of greens were required before the Great Glenbeigh Treasure Hunt that evening which was won in a record 27 minutes by Mark Casey of the 13th and Gavin Cooke of the 7th. That night saw the first in a thrilling battle for supremacy in the Brother Virgilius MegaQuiz. The MegaQuiz has been a feature of Annual Camp since the year dot and this year it had the added dimension of a 10 point music clip round. John Butler's patrol featuring Quiz expert Traolach O'Sullivan set an early lead and were eventually victorious but the "Spice Girls +3" Team which was led by Breda Collins, her family, some Casey's and assorted hangers on, fought it every step of the way.

Sand Amphitheatres and Sand Mermaids

"Remember Sand Attack?", "Sand Attack?", "Yeh! You know...the one in the Sand Amphitheatre in Rosbeigh!"
"The Amphy what?" , "Remember half the patrols had to get crystals into the captives in the middle of the sand dome!" , "The Sand Dome?"
"Yeh, if you got twenty crystals into the dome it collapsed but the defenders weren't allowed inside the dome", "The defenders?" , "Yeh sure didn't the patrols swap around after half an hour!"

After a good nights sleep and a walk to the beach in the morning there was a swim and a Tom Casey and Colm Ennis inspired Wide Game called "Sand Attack" in the middle of the sandhills at Rossbeigh beach. Lunch which was French Toast and sausages was also transported to the beach before more beach activities in the afternoon. These included the Annual Sand Sculpture competition. The sand was tough to work with but notable entries included Jimmy Hendrix, a map of Ireland, the Quay in Waterford, Mondello Park and an outstanding leaders entry of the first McDonalds on Mars. The overall winners were John Butler, Bryan Casey and Daniel O'Dwyer with an impressive and creative decapitated but otherwise anatomically correct sea mermaid.

Above: The first McDonalds on the moon.

The volleyball and soccer leagues which formed part of the "Supergames" also got into full swing on Thursday night. Marking also commenced on the Inter Patrol competition which included site cleanliness and patrol gear etc. The highlight of Thursday evening were the performance of six patrol sketches. Each patrol was given a scenario to act out and it had to be performed in a particular style such as the X-Files and Crimeline. Excellent performances were put in by all patrols but particularly by Eoin Griffin as Scully from the X-Files, Mark Casey's patrol as the cast of Glenroe and John Butlers patrol who acted out a late night camp leaders meeting discussing the discipline of some renegade scouts.

No Fear Part One

Cappanalea O.E.C. (Outdoor Education Centre) is one of the leading centres in the country for adventure sports. It was used as a base for a Regional Camp in 1992 and again for a Venturer Expedition in 1996. In 1997 the Unit made use of the excellent facilities and instructors there, for 3 activities spread over all day Friday and a half day on Monday. The 33 Scouts were divided into 3 groups for the Rock Climbing, Canoeing and Bouldering. Bouldering sometimes needs a bit of explanation. It is essentially rock climbing along the side of a lake, with an icy dip the penalty if you fall. It's a great challange and a good craic (it's worthwhile keeping the slogans on a few No Fear posters in mind however).
Cappanalea's address is Oulagh West, Caragh Lake, Killorglin, Co.Kerry. Telehone 066 9769244. You can also check out the Cappanalea Website which has some basic information.

Above: James White of the 7th Waterford abseils down the cliff face at Cappanalea O.E.C.

No Fear Part Two

It would have been impossible for the Unit to stay in Kerry without climbing at least one mountain and since we were in the area we decided to go for the highest. Corrán Tuathail at 1039m is the highest peak in the MacGillycuddy Reeks and also in Ireland. At around 3.20pm on Saturday the 2nd of August a contingent of 27 people from the Unit Camp were gathered around the cross at the summit. It was an impressive achievement (A Scouting Record?) but there is even more to tell.

Above: An impressive view of the descent from Cathair which is the final section of the Com Lothair horseshoe.

Saturday morning was bright, clear and warm, conditions which were to remain for the rest of the day. Before anything else it was ensured that all walkers would be given a good breakfast, in this case it was the traditional Pre-Hike Fry Up. Despite all those people who shout about getting thirsty there is nothing like a plate of sausages, mushrooms, rashers, fried eggs, tomatoes and black and white pudding to set you up for a good days walking. There were two routes completed on the day. The first was the Devils Ladder ascent of Corrán Tuathail which was led by Paschal Guilfoyle and Billy Collins. The second route was the classic Com Lothair Horseshoe which takes in the Ireland's three highest peaks of Binn Chaorach (1010m), Corrán Tuathail (1039m) and Cathair (1001m).

Above: The Unit contingent on the summit of Corran Tuathail.

The views along the Binn Chaorach Ridge and from the top of Corrán Tuathail itself were rare and spectacular. A Group photo of all 27 of us is shown above. For some of the group it was the bagging of the third or fourth of the highest peaks in the country. However for Tom Casey, Mark Casey and John Butler it was Cathair, further along the horseshoe which was most significant. for them it was the last Irish peak over 3000 feet they had to juggle on.

Above: Tom Casey, Mark Casey and John Butler juggle at the top of Cathair as Kerry stretches out behind them.

Back at the site the Venturers got lost with some of the younger Scouts on the signposted Kerry Way (ahem!). It was a hugely successful day overall however and we brushed off the fact that Met Eireann were about to get their weather forecasts for the next few days disastrously wrong.

It never rains but it...

Pours. It started raining Saturday evening on the way to the overnights and didn't really stop. There was a hasty retreat from the shelters at around 2.30am and by Sunday morning things were starting to get kinda wet. That didn't deter us from going to 11.30am mass however where we were told that it was exactly 11 years since the big flood (the same day apparently that Cork and Kerry played at the opening of the new GAA field in Glenbeigh!). There really was no option but to don the RayBans on Sunday afternoon and head to Tralee to see MIB (Men in Black) at the cinema. There were mixed reactions to the film which were voiced during attempts to keep the Marquee from falling down. The rain continued during the nail biting Sunday night game of "Jenga".

Above: On the overnight above Glenbeigh.

Actually it continued all Sunday night and into Monday morning. We are not fair weather Scouts but some leaders were seen to abandon their tents for the safety of their cars. (I mean 3 inches of water in the middle of your tent never did anyone any harm!!) Monday morning saw us return to Cappanalea for more activities, needless to say nobody minded getting wet at the canoeing. A hasty retreat from Glenbeigh was called for and duly arranged. It's unusual for a camp to be shortened but with only a day and a half to go we decided to get out while we could. The return bus journey to Waterford was eventful to say the least. (I won't report it here except to say that it involved the Gardai, lots of mobile phones and about 300 straws from McDonalds!)

Epilogue

All Annual Camps are remembered for something. Lough Dan for Hurricane Charlie, Inistiogue for being ten miles from anywhere, Blackwell for the heat, the great activities and the wasps, Stradbally for the shops of Wiley Barrett and the two inflatable ladies and who knows what we'll say about Glenbeigh '97. It was only for six days and despite the rain at the end there was a lot of activities completed. Even though Tom Casey was spotted with a Nepalese Visa application and regardless of the presence of a Budget Travel brochure in the Camp Chief's tent, 1998 saw us head back to Blackwell Court in Birmingham. Full details are available on our Blackwell Court '98 Page.

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