The resignation recently of Aisling Kelly from the board of Scouting Ireland after just three months in the role is a blow, but it need not be a catastrophic one.
The Benefits of Free Speech
It seems a little strange to have to use such a title when writing about an association that operates in two liberal democracies, both (for now at least) in the European Union. But these are strange times in Scouting Ireland.
Professionals Good, Volunteers Bad?
Are senior volunteers really entirely to blame for every ill affecting Scouting Ireland?
Structural Manœuvres in the Dark
The safeguarding controversy that has snowballed into a wider debate around quality of leadership and calibre of management in Scouting Ireland continues and shows little immediate sign of abating.
Time for change
Another National Council looms and with it, another concerted effort to subvert the democratic process is underway.
The Memory of Trees
Theirishscouter is once again putting pen to paper, after a near twelve-month, offspring driven hiatus that has seen the Flynn-Higgins clan gain a 33% increase in hugs.
Continue reading The Memory of Trees
Colin J Heas
It is with great sadness that theirishscouter learned of the passing of Colin J Heas.
CROSSING THE LINE?
An unpublished report by an external, independent consultant, seen by theirishscouter unveils details that raise questions about an apparently deeply dysfunctional relationship between some professional staff in Scouting Ireland and the volunteers they are employed to support. The Irish Scouter has received a copy of this draft report and other documentation from a confidential source.
The Art of Storytelling
Theirishscouter stood beside a roaring fire in the living room of a 17th century cottage deep in the Wicklow Mountains a few weeks ago. Outside, the rain was coming down in vast sheets, blown across the valley by an icy wind. The valley itself was in almost complete darkness, save for a few isolated yellow dots, where other dwellings clung to the mountainside, between the trees and dry stonewalls.
Does Scouting Ireland need a Policy Unit?
Scouting is one hundred and nine years old. For much of that time, the core tenets of the movement have remained the same, as have the core activities of the young people involved.
theirishscouter 