De La Salle Scout Group Leadership Team

Above: Members of the Leadership Team in the Mournes on the 2008 Leaders Weekend.
There are more photos on our Gallery 2008 page.

Over the past eighty years there have been hundreds of adult leaders who have given a huge amount of time, energy and commitment to the De La Salle Scout Group. With those leaders the Group has flourished and grown into the successful Group it is today catering for approximately 200 young people. The role of the Scouter is one that entails many responsibilities, including those to the young people, to parents, to Scouting Ireland and to themselves. De La Salle prides itself in providing, training and supporting a team of skilled and committed Leaders in all of it's sections.

Above: Members of the Leadership Team before their ascent of England's highest peak, Scafell Pike (977m)
on the 2007 Leaders Weekend in the Lake District.

Above (L-R): Ian Sinnott, Paschal Guilfoyle, Colm Ennis, Billy Collins, Tom Casey and John Kinsella on the summit of Ireland's highest point Corran Tuathail (1039m) in January 2004.

So what makes up a great Leadership team? Who are the men and women who give so much time and commitment to Scouting in De La Salle? It takes all types and we certainly have a strange mix in this group! Below is a list of the leaders on our team.

Above: Billy Flynn, Paschal Guilfoyle, Betty Guilfoyle, Robert Windle, John O'Donohue, Gary Sinnott, Tom Casey, Colm Ennis, Pat Murphy, Paul White, Ian Sinnott, Billy Collins, Bernard Cunningham and Aidan Ennis at the summit of Scotland's highest point Ben Nevis (1344m) in 1998.


Seamus Purcell -GL	Owen Riordan - Chairperson	Tom Casey - Treasurer

Seamus Purcell - Group Leader: The new chief. One of the many wild, unruly and inappropriately dressed members of our Pipe band.

Owen Riordan - Chairperson: It is hard to keep a straight face when "The Riordan" is around and nobody is safe from a slagging from him. While he hasn't been seen on a mountain in this century, he is very occasionally spotted in the outdoors. May well work as a secret agent.

Tom Casey - Group Treasurer: Better known as TC, he is an avid mountaineer, triathlete, runner, surfer, songwriter and musician. He is happiest when juggling at summits above 3000 feet having talked himself and everybody else to the top.


Pat Murphy - Pipe Major	Karen O'Neill - Secretary

Pat Murphy - Pipe Major: Pat or 'Murph' is responsible for ensuring that the Group makes lots of noise. As well as being involved at National level, he has also held at least 360 other posts in Irish scouting over the years. After many years we have still to figure out why it takes him so long to tune the pipes with that gadget at mass parades.

Karen O'Neill - Treasurer: Definitely the most stylish member of the committee although she has been seen in a kilt from time to time. Once compared to Mr Snuffleupagus, she keeps the best minutes in town.


Paschal Guilfoyle SL	Ian Sinnott ASL

Paschal Guilfoyle - SL: He was the one with the famous thick black(ish) beard (we miss it) and is the definitive all round Scoutleader. Definitely the mountainy type, Paschal was once seen in wetgear costing less than €10. He wrote the book on Scouting, has a strange stone altar in his garden and occasionally has difficulty remembering to put the handbrake on his car.

Ian Sinnott - ASL: Everybody calls him Sid. Not all of that grey in his hair is paint. Nearly pulled half the leadership team off the Aiguille du Tour in the French Alps. Be careful though he sometimes looks asleep, but he's not!

David Collins - ASL: Better and really only known as Ginter. Has been a leader in every section of the Group at this stage and is finally back with the 3rd. Has the group's worst pair of lungs and with his tattoos, sharing a tent with him is like "sleeping next to the Book of Kells".

Emily Ennis - ASL: Not married to Colm but rather and at long last to his brother. Imported from the Guides Her mission is to make us cook and bake and see beyond burnt burgers.

John Kinsella - ASL: Is he back? Famed for never getting up before lunch on camp.

Jim Doherty - ASL: He's from Faithlegg (strange place) so we make allowances

Robert Windle - SL: The Drum Sergeant who has done a few mountain rescues in his time, nobody can really figure out Roddy at all.

Keith Cunningham - ASL: We don't know where he has been for the last ten years but he has reappeared as a leader in the 7th too and unfortunately he has taken to wearing strange hats. He also set a new record for the highest amount of money ever spent on hiking gear in the group in just a half an hour.

Michael Kavanagh - ASL: Once carried 10 litres of liquid most of the way up a mountain on a Sionnach in the wild Maumturks. Recently lost about six troops on a County MPC and what's with all these blisters?

Tara Buggy - ASL: A very brave woman to venture in there but she's well able for them.


Ray Smith - BL	Leigh Cheevers - ABL	Veronica Murphy - ABL

Ray Smith - BL: "Smithy" - was a leader in the 7th Scouts for 14 years before he made the ultimate change and become a Beaver leader. He has been immortalised in the campfire song about Yogi bear.

Veronica Murphy - ABL: On sabbatical in Iraq or somewhere near there. Rumour has it Veronica may have strong connections with a rival scout troop. Alleged to have once thrown a dog out of a car.

Stasia Coughlan - BL: What can I say? Stacia is with our group for the last 15 years, being firstly with the cubs and is now section leader with the 7th Beavers. Stacia is the Charlie in this group of “Charlies Angels”.

Mary Winter - ABL and Assistant Group Leader: She really is "Scary Mary" and is the life and soul of the Group.

Gillian McKenna- ABL: She has a superb singing voice and is quite the Irish dancer.


Gillian McKenna - ABL	Clare White - ABL	Phil Purcell - ABL

Kate Murphy - ABL: This girl is not as quiet as she seems at all. One to watch.

Phil Purcell - ABL: This poor woman followed her four children into the Group.


Alan Parle ML	George Kavanagh AML

Alan Parle - ML: He's back and he still hasn't explained where he's been for all these years. Alien abduction has been mentioned and we hear now that he lives in a castle.

George Kavanagh - AML: Rumoured to have been on Brownsea Island. George has been the leader in the 3rd since it opened in 1966. His garden is about the size of the Phoenix Park.

Caroline Gauthier - AML: Another one who has apparently been on the water but with the Slua no less. A very quiet girl. May God help us all.

Eoin Kelly - AML: The new young fella of the leadership team. Scarily fast on the hills (is he the fastest?) and has a liking for the Clonmel Champagne. Knows how to get Gillian McKenna to clean a floor at 4.00am.


Billy Collins - ML	Peter Murphy AML

Billy Collins - ML: The "Hunca" escaped from the cubs after 19 years, spent 13 years in the 7th scouts and has now reappeared back in the 7th cubs again. He is best known for carrying a portable poultry farm onto the Irish Hills. The ideal man to be around for a weekend if you've no grub. Billy was designed for all conditions and situations.

Peter Murphy - AML: One of the faster moving Macaoimh leaders in the Group. Indeed before Peter we weren't sure if Macaoimh leaders could even walk, but this guy can even run. Has been known to drive the wrong way down one way streets. His renditions of "Everywhere We Go" are world class.


Siobhan Ryan - AML	Maureen Drohan - AML

Siobhan Ryan - AML: This one is well able to walk too and in fact holds the distinction of being one of the only Macaoimh leaders who has ever been up a really big mountain.

Maureen Drohan - AML: A mystery so far although we did here she has a tendency to drive her car into gates.

John O'Donohue - ML: Was in the Irish Navy, drives like a lunatic and is completely out of his tree. He's not afraid to join in with any section from time to time. Just remember his car has no brakes and keep him away from unattended glasses of any liquid or bags of sugar.

David Guilfoyle - AML: David was actually the Macaoimh leader of must of the current Scoutleaders but he'll never admit this. He's the official Group cameraman and someday he may even video something.


John O'Donohue - ML	Elaine Hayes - AML


Eric Whelan - VL	Gary Sinnott - AVL

Eric Whelan - VL: Eric is hard to classify. When he isn't breaking his teeth or breaking sledge hammers off people he is another one of our mountaineering consultants. We recommend him!

Above: Members of the De La Salle Leadership Team: Colm Ennis, Robert Windle, David Collins, Paul White, Gary Sinnott, John Kinsella, Kenneth Rouse, Ian Sinnott and Billy Collins with guests Jimmy Collins and Aidan Ennis on the summit of Wales's highest point Snowdon (1085m).

The team is also inclined to get out there and have a laugh, especially when they get left away on their own for a leaders weekend. 2007 saw us in the Lake District where we climbed England's highest peak, Scafell Pike as well as Helvellyn by the classic Striding Edge. 2006 saw us in the Wicklow Mountains having been in Glengarrif in West Cork in 2005. 2004 saw us in the Reeks and Killarney, Killary Harbour was the target in early 2003, Snowdonia in Wales was our destination for 2001, Dingle experienced us in 2000, Scotland was the target for 1999 while a cool 70 kilometres were clocked up over two days on the 70k hike in 1998. Find out more on our Leaders Weekend page.

Training is one of the ways by which people improve their natural abilities to carry out a particular job. All modern organisations provide this for their members and Scouting Ireland is no exception. Both formal and informal training are provided to adult members. Formal training is provided by Woodbadge training and also by specialist courses. The Woodbadge is the World Scout Movement's recognition of a trained Scouter. The badge, two wooden heads on a leather thong is derived from the original badge introduced by Robert Baden-Powell, founder of World Scouting. The Woodbadge and the exclusive Gilwell neckerchief is worn by trained Scouters throughout the world. Scouting Ireland woodbadge training has three stages. The basic stage consists of "Welcome to Scouting Induction" and "Scouting Fundamentals" courses. The Advanced stage consists of "Scouting Essentials" and "Scouting Leadership" courses and the final stage is a woodbadge project and an assessment. The training is provided by a nationwide voluntary National Training Team.

Above: Aidan Ennis, David Collins, John Sharpe, Billy Collins, Tom Casey, Paschal Guilfoyle, John Hennebry, Ian Sinnott, Billy Flynn and Jimmy Collins on an early Leaders Weekend in the Wicklow Mountains. Click to view a larger image.

Specialist courses include areas such as First Aid and Rescue and Emergency Care, environmental awareness and schemes such as the Mountain Skills and Mountain Leadership awards. Informal training is also a key element and many of a leaders skills are developed through working with other leaders in their Group.

Above: Members of the Leadership Team on the summit of England's highest point Scafell Pike (977m)
on the 2007 Leaders Weekend in the Lake District.

Alas, Poor Scapegoat, Thy name is Leader.

If a leader writes a letter.....It is too long.
If he sends a postcard.....It is too short.
If he sends a bulletin.....It is too expensive.
If he calls a meeting.....He is wasting time.
If he doesn't call a meeting.....He is a "know it all".
If attendance at the meeting is slack.....He should have phoned all the members.
If he does phone them.....He is a pest.
If he asks where the money went.....He is insulting.
If he does not.....He is not interested.
If a function is a huge success.....The Committee gets the praise.
If it is a failure.....He is to blame.
If he asks for advice.....He is incompetent.
If he does not.....He is trying to run the show.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust,
If the others won't do it,
The Leader must.

Leadership Training	The Leadership Team
Leaders Weekend	Poor Scapegoats