History of Fermoy Scout Group
The Catholic Boy Scout Movement was initiated in Fermoy on 11th May 1933, when a committee was formed. No time was lost in appointing officers and selecting 8 boys to make up the first patrol, and form the nucleus of the troop. Immediately these were trained, 24 other boys were selected to form the first troop. So began the 18th Cork, (Fermoy).
On Sunday 21st July 1933, there was an investiture of the full troop by Rev. Canon Wigmore D.D. Adm., Fermoy and assisted by Rev. P. O’Mahony C.C., the troops first Chaplain. Two weeks later the troop went on their first camp. In charge of the camp were S.M.D. Morrison and A.S.M. J O’Keeffe.
The membership of the troop increased rapidly until on Sunday 31st Dec. 1933, a further step was made in the progress of Scouting in Fermoy. On this day the second investiture took place, with 9 scouts being invested as members of the 2nd Troop, the 19th Cork. The S.M.M. was M. Power and A.S.M. M. Hogan.
Late in 1933, the troop was presented with the instruments of a Fife and Drum Band, by the committee of the defunct Oliver Plunkett Hill Band. This scout band formed its own troop, and was known as the 26th, Fermoy.
By 1934 Fr. O’Mahony had been transferred to Youghal and Rev. Fr. J. Cotter C.C. had been appointed Chaplain. In 1934 the troops camped in Garryvoe, and in 1935 they camped in Abbeyside, Dungarvan.The S.M.’s in 1934 were, 18thCork - M. Roche and 19th Cork, J. Tobin.
At the A.GM, of the troops held on Monday 20th Jan. 1936, the committee decided to unite the 18th/19th into one troop namely the 18th. Later that year the 26th lapsed and the 18th was revived. There were 31 scouts in the troop coming into 1937.
On the formation of the Cloyne Diocesan Council, Mr Denis McCarthy Hon. Sec. Of the Fermoy troop was appointed Diocesan Commissioner. The first Diocesan Rally was held in Fermoy on Sunday 4th July, 1937. Every troop in the Diocese took part, and the standard reached was very good. The Shield presented by His Lordship the Bishop of Cloyne was won by Fermoy. This event was honoured by the presence of His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. J. Roche, Bishop of Cloyne, the Chief Scout Prof. J. B. Whelehan and the Diocesan Commissioner Mr Denis McCarthy.
By 1939 the troop consisted of only 5 scouts and to quote from the Diocesan Commissioner’s report of that year, “The troop has practically disappeared for want of local interest by the committee”. Between 1939 and 1967 there are no records of scouting in Fermoy, until in 1967 talks of reviving the troop started.
On the 24th April 1963 the Diocesan Chairman, Mr N Hackett, and the Diocesan Sec. Mr William Kidney, met with Rev. Fr O’Connell and Mr Pat Bartley and Mr Lawrence Bartley for a full discussion on how to start a troop in Fermoy. Further meetings were held between the Diocesan commissioner Mr Frank O’Shea, the Diocesan Sec. and Fr O’Connell, Pat Bartley and George Eason where it was decided to form a troop.
The first investiture of the revived troop took place on Sunday 16th March 1969 in the Presentation convent Hall. Present at the investiture were: Chairman of Diocesan Council Mr N. Hackett, the former Diocesan Commissioner, Mr Frank O’Shea, who had taken such an active part in the negotiations which led to the starting up of the troop. Rev. Fr. Wilson, Castlelyons, a former Chaplin to the old troop, Mr William Kidney, Diocesan commissioner and the troops Chaplin Rev. Fr. Michael Madden who performed the ceremony. Also present was the troop chairman Mr D. Roche.
In the period that has elapsed since then, this young troop has made great strides, winning the Diocesan Shield and Cup in 1971 and 1972. The winning of the Shield qualifies a troop to compete for the Melvin Trophy (The All-Ireland of Scouting) at Larch Hill. A selected patrol of eight scouts competes for this historic trophy. In winning the Shield in 1971, the Fermoy Troop represented the Diocese and finished in third place, a very good result for such a young troop.
However, this splendid effort was impressively surpassed in 1972, when Fermoy successfully defended the Shield and represented the Diocese again in Larch Hill. They achieved their ambition by bringing the Melvin Trophy to the Diocese of Cloyne for the first time. That history making team deserved to be recorded here:
PL: Michael Dennehy – R.I.P & APL: N O’Liathain,
Scouts: P.J. King, M. Gubbins, J O’Connor, D. O’Keeffe, B. Fleming, Subs. A. O’Riordan, J. Ryan.
The troop went on to win the Shield in 1973 and again in 1976. They came second in 1975 and that year the team winning the shield and the runners up were entitled to represent the Diocese in the Melvin Trophy.
Fermoy continues to progress under the leadership of Pat Bartley, Unit Leader. Chaplin to the unit is now Rev. Fr. E. Barry C.C.
In 1973 the 19th Cork was reformed, taking in the surrounding areas such as Kilworth, Clondulane and Rathcormac.Kilworth in time became the 54th Cork, in 1974.
As is the same with all organisations, to continue to make progress it requires the back-up service of a dedicated group of adults, who down through the years have given Fermoy their services voluntarily and unselfishly.
We thank them.
Taken from ‘Catholic Scouting in the Diocese of Cloyne’ 1977
Pat O’Mahony SL Sept ‘85