Ireland
In 1908, Scouting was brought from England and spread across Ireland. The earliest known Scouting event in Ireland was in the Phoenix Park in 1908 with members of the Dublin City Boy Scouts (later Scouting Ireland S.A.I.) taking part.
The coming of the Great War in 1914 could have brought about the collapse of Scouting, but the training provided through the patrol system proved its worth. Patrol leaders took over when adult leaders volunteered for active military duty. Scouts contributed to the war effort in many ways; most notably was the Sea Scouts, who took the place of regular coast guardsmen, thus freeing them from service afloat.
In Dublin, two priests, Frs. Tom and Ernest Farrell followed the progress of Scouting. They noted that in other countries, the Catholic Church had taken up the idea of Scouting. After much study and experimentation, they made a proposal to the bishops of Ireland and were granted a constitution and episcopal patronage in November 1926. Thus, the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland was created. It went on to become the largest Scout association on the island.
When war came again in 1939, Scouts carried on under the direction of their patrol leaders. They undertook many national service tasks: messengers, fire watchers, stretcher bearers, salvage collectors and so on. Their success was directly attributed to their good organization and training.
In 1965, CBSI joined with the Scout Association of Ireland to form the Federation of Irish Scout Associations, FISA. Through FISA Irish Scouts were able to play a full part in international Scouting as the World Organisation of the Scout Movement only recognises one Scouting body in each country.
The Association
Scouting Ireland was formed on January 1, 2004 from the two original Scout associations in Ireland, Scouting Ireland S.A.I. and Scouting Ireland (CSI). Both associations voted to join together to form a new single association in 2003, following a decision to set this process in motion in 1998.
Scouting Ireland has over 34,298 members across Ireland (as of 2005), including Northern Ireland where Scouting Ireland works in partnership with the Scout Association of Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom Scout Association .
The volunteers all over the country are supported by a team of Professional Staff who look after the day to day running of the Association.