Irish Scout Jamboree

Cancelled jamborees

2001: Causeway 2001 was planned by The Scout Association to be held in Co. Antrim. It was cancelled due to the 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease after extensive preparations took place.

2013: Scouting Ireland's second jamboree was planned for 2013 in Stradbally Hall, home of the Electric Picnic music festival, in Stradbally Co. Laois. Deirdre Butler was the Camp Chief and in April 2013 Jamboree 2013 was cancelled due to lack of bookings.

Ballyfin '93

Ballyfin '93 was an Irish Scouting Jamboree which took place in the grounds of Ballyfin College, Co. Laois, between 27 July and 5 August 1993. It was hosted by the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland, with the support and assistance of Scouting Ireland SAI and the Scout Association in Northern Ireland (a branch of the Scout Association in the UK). It was the third of four such jamborees rotated among the three Scout Associations in Ireland. Portumna '85, and Gosford '89 preceded it, while it was followed by Lough Dan '97. The jamboree song "The Spirit Lives On" was a version of that used for the 15th World Scout Jamboree in Canada in 1983. The campsite was split into seven subcamps for Scout Troops, Cub Scouts and staff, each named after an Irish Lake/Lough:

Cara, (Lone-Patrols). Sub-Camp Chief: Dominic Byrne, CBSI

Conn, Sub-Camp Chief: Brian Meyers, SI SAI

Corrib, Sub-Camp Chief: Fra Cassidy, CBSI

Derg, Sub-Camp Chief: Declan McCann, SI SAI

Eske,Sub-Camp Chief: Barbara Scoutt, SANI

Ouler, Sub-Camp Chief: Gerry Glynn, CBSI

Strangford, Sub-Camp Chief: Dermot McCurdy, SANI.

Lein (Staff). Sub-Camp Chief: Myles O'Brien, SI SAI

One of the highlights of the jamboree was a charity fundraising day in aid of UNICEF. As it took place on visitors' day, troops and staff set up stalls to raise money by selling items of food, or with novelty competitions.

Jamboree 2008

Jamboree 2008 was Scouting Ireland's first international Jamboree that was held from 2 until 10 August 2008. It took place on the grounds of the Punchestown Racecourse, County Kildare, Ireland. The aim of the Jamboree was to celebrate one hundred years of Scouting in Ireland. Over 12,000 Irish and overseas Scouts attended. The camp chief for Jamboree 2008 was Christy McCann. The Jamboree was curtailed due to adverse weather conditions on the ninth of August, and no closing ceremony was held. Subcamps were evacuated at speed, with many foreign or long distance troop being forced to shelter in the Punchestown Racecourse bar.

Punchestown Racecourse was chosen to host the Jamboree, having previously hosted the Creamfields, Witnness and Oxegen music festivals, and as such has often been used as a campsite for large numbers, however never for a duration of 10 days.

The jamboree opened with a bang on the second, with the opening ceremony being held using the same stage as the World Jamboree 2007. The celebrations team kept everyone thoroughly entertained until the arrival of Camp Chief Christy McCann who travelled to the opening ceremony in a coast guard helicopter. The flags of the attending countries were raised and the ceremony finished with a fireworks display.

Jamboree 2008 had its very own official radio station, called "Jam FM". The station broadcast on 95.9 FM and online to Local Kildare and west Wicklow areas via Three Rock Mountain. The format of the station was mainly commercial pop/rock and indie and with some talk. The station was headed by Robbie Daly (Station Manager), David Kelleher and Denzil Lacey (Assistant Station Managers). Presenters included, Stephen Daly of FM104 and Dublin's Q102.

The campsite is split into a total of nine subcamps; six of these subcamps have been allocated to attending Scout groups and cub/macoimh packs. One subcamp has been allocated to Venture groups. One subcamp has been allocated to the families of staff. And the final subcamp has been allocated to Staff members.

Each subcamp is named after Irish geographical or heritage sites. Subcamp chiefs are also listed:

Giants Causeway-Tony Smith

Dún Ailinne-Jo Coy

Hellfire-Darragh O Briain

Newgrange-Yvonne Lawrence

Sceillig-Derek 'The Chief' Long

Crúacháin-Julie Malone

Tara (Venture Subcamp)- Eoin O'Mathúna

Tír Na nÓg (Staff family Subcamp)-Gerry Finnegan

Eamhain Macha (Staff Subcamp)-Michael-John Shinnick

The Beaver Day and Visitors Day were canceled due to torrential rain and flooding.

The Camp Chief Challenge was the most popular activity to take part in. This was a challenge set by the Camp Chief Christy McCann. It included doing activities in order to collect points. Anyone that managed to get 100 points or more was able to get the Camp Chief Challenge Pin. The easiest tasks were worth 5 points like getting the Camp Chief's signature, attending a Scouts' Own or visiting an information stand in the village. The hardest task, which was worth 20 points, was to have a meal with another troop/pack/unit.

JamÓige

A Beaver and Cub Scout event over a long holiday weekend in June. Cub Scouts camp over-night for 3 nights and Beaver Scouts join, initially for the last night, but since 2012 for 2 last nights.

JamÓige 2009: 29 May – 1 June. 4,250 attended in Dalgan Park, Co. Meath. Deirdre Butler was camp chief.

JamÓige 2012: 1–4 June. 4,600 attended in Ardgillian Castle, Co. Dublin. David Kessie was camp chief.

JamÓige 2016: 3–6 June. 4,500 attended in Pallaskenry, Co. Limerick. Stephen Halpin was camp chief.

Future events

2018: Jambo-Rí '18. In 2014, Scouting Ireland's National Management Committee announced the intention to hold a jamboree in 2018, in preparation for hosting the World Scout Moot in 2021. The name of the jamboree is a play on the word Irish: rí which means high king in Irish. Kiernan Gildea is camp chief and will take place over 9 days in July 2018 at Stradbally Hall near Portlaoise in the midlands of Ireland.

2020: JamÓige 2020.

2021: World Scout Moot hosted by Scouting Ireland.

2022: Jamboree/National Campsite Event.