Scouting in Northern Ireland

Overview

The Scout Association has seven Scout Counties covering the 6 counties that make up Northern Ireland plus the City of Belfast. These counties are overseen by the Northern Ireland Scout Council which is a registered charity in Northern Ireland with charity number 103542. The Scout Association, Northern Ireland is an observer member of the Federation of Irish Scout Associations (FISA).

Scouting Ireland is part of Northern Scout Province and has five Scout Counties. The Northern Province Commissioner is currently Wendy Morrow. During the Troubles the number entering the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland skyrocketed as parents were eager for their sons to participate in Scouting rather than join the Provisional IRA like many young men of the time.

The Northern Ireland Scout Council and Scouting Ireland are running a Scout Citizenship project to improve the relationship between the two Scouting associations in Ireland.

History

120 Northern Ireland Scouts, along with 12 leaders, took part in the 21st World Scout Jamboree to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Scouting at Hylands Park near Chelmsford, Essex in 2007.

County Antrim

The Scout County of County Antrim covers the County of Antrim in Northern Ireland. The four Scout Districts are Antrim and District, Lisburn and District, Mid Antrim, South East Antrim.

County Armagh

The Scout County of County Armagh covers the County of Armagh in Northern Ireland. The three Scout Districts are Lurgan and District, Armagh and District, and Portadown.

City of Belfast

The Scout County of City of Belfast covers the City of Belfast. The five Scout Districts are East Belfast, North Belfast, South Belfast, South East Belfast and West Belfast.

County Down

The Scout County of County Down covers the County of Down in Northern Ireland. The three Scout Districts are Strangford, South Down and North Down. The county has a current membership of 2279 young people and 445 adults. North Down district has a dedicated headquarters and training facility in Balloo Industrial Estate, Bangor.

County Fermanagh

The Scout County of County Fermanagh covers the County of Fermanagh in Northern Ireland. The County has no Districts and has nine Scout Groups. The County Commissioner is Katrina Armstrong. The county has a current membership of 437 young people and 128 adults.

County Londonderry

The Scout County of County Londonderry covers the city of Derry and the surrounding county of Londonderry in Northern Ireland. The three Scout Districts are Coleraine, Londonderry and Mid Ulster.

County Tyrone

The Scout County of County Tyrone covers the County of Tyrone in Northern Ireland. The four Scout Districts are Clogher Valley, Dungannon, Omagh, and Strabane.

Brian Boru Scout County

Brian Boru Scout County covers parts of County Armagh and County Tyrone with a total of 9 Groups.

Down & Connor Scout County

Down & Connor Scout County covers County Antrim, County Down and Belfast with a total of 15 Groups. The 2006 Phoenix National Patrol Challenge was held at Tollymore Forest Park Co. Down.

Erne Scout County

Erne Scout County covers County Fermanagh with a total of 7 Groups.

Errigal Scout County

Covers part of Counties Tyrone, Londonderry and Donegal with a total of 17 Groups.

North East Ulster Scout County

Covers part of counties Tyrone, Londonderry and Antrim with a total of 9 Groups.

The Scout Association

Crawfordsburn is the Northern Ireland Scout Centre, 12 miles from Belfast. Adjacent to the Crawfordsburn Country Park, it consists of 22 acres (9 hectares) of camping ground including several accommodation buildings. It is a National Scout Activity Centre. Originally part of the Sharman estate, it opened for Scout camping in October 1948.

Cladagh Glen Scout Centre is run by Fermanagh Scout Council.

Tipperary Wood Campsite is run by 1st Newcastle Scout Group from Newcastle, County Down runs .

Scouting Ireland

Castle Saunderson is being developed as a cross-border Scout campsite on the border of County Cavan and County Fermanagh. While it is in the Republic of Ireland, the estate has an entrance in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Sections

For details of sections in The Scout Association see The Scout Association Sections. Within Northern Ireland there is an affiliated feeder organisation, The Northern Ireland Squirrel Association, which is for young people aged four and five years living in Northern Ireland. For details of sections in Scouting Ireland see Scouting Ireland Sections.

Beaver Scouts started in The Scout Association in Northern Ireland in 1965. Scouts Ireland started the section with considerable help from the Scout Association in 1979.

For details of sections in the Baden-Powell Scouts' Association see B-PSA Organisation.