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    • The Four Courts
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    • Marrowbone Lane
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    • Roe’s Distillery
    • Saint-Stephens-Green
    • Fingal
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    • Kimmage Garrison
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    • Laois Volunteers
    • Howth Gun-Running
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    • British Soldiers Killed
    • Civilians Killed
    • RIC and DMP Killed
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Scouts

Catholic Scouts of Ireland Merit Badges

The first merit badge scheme used by the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland was based on the scheme used by the Boy Scouts of America. Although based on the badges used by the BSA the CBSI badges did differ sometimes in design and colour.

CBSI Personal Health

The Personal health badge used by the BSA had a yellow border while the CBSI had a red border.   

The image above, from Catholic Scouting in Ireland published in the 1940s shows the personal health badge on the uniform.

BSA Personal Health

There was also a notable difference in the shad of green used and the shape of the heart.

Another illustration from Catholic Scouting in Ireland published in the 1940s 

CBSI Felt Merit Badges from the 1940s

Athletics 

Camping

Cooking

Swimming

The type of cert awarded with the 1940s badges

As can be seen in this image of a CBSI Scout’s badges taken in 1963 a lot of the merit badges were of a different design to those used in the UK.

CBSI 1970s Nylon Merit Badges

In use from the 1940s up to the 2004. The design and requirements for the badge were similar to the UK version, Catholic Scouts of Ireland badges did not have the Scout logo on them, it was not unusual to see a mixture of Scout logo and non-Scout logo worn by a C.S.I. Scout. The badges measured approximately 45mm by 45mm. The newer version of the badge had rounded corners and a black felt backing, older versions had a white backing. 

Alter Server

Angler

Archaeologist

Artist

Astronomy 

Athlete (early issue)

Athlete (later issue)

Bell Ringer

Bird Watcher

Book Binder

Bugler

Camp Cook

Camper

Camp Leader

Campfire Leader

Canoeist

Canoeist Advanced

Canoeist (new version)

 

Civics

Collector

Computer (new version)

Consumer

Cycling

Entertainer

Electronics

Expedition

Explorer

Fireman

First Aid 

Forester (new version)

Gardener 

Guide 

Guide (Old Issue)

Hike leader

Land Navigator

Leather Worker   

Librarian

Life Saver

Life Saver Advanced

Link Badge

Master at Arms

Map Maker

Metal Worker

Meteorologist

Mountaineer

Musician

Observer

Pet Keeper Old

Pet Keeper New

Home Maker

Irish Dancer 

Photographer

Pioneer

Printer

 

Public Health

Public Speaker

Quartermaster

Quest (religious)

Radio Man

Sailing 1

Sailing 2

Secretary

Sportsman  (First Issue) 

Sportsman

Signaller

Swimmer

Swimmer Advanced

Skin Diver

Woodworker

World Friendship

Scripture and Librarian

Bookbinder

The bookbinder, Scripture and Librarian badges are very similar, on the Bookbinder badge the pages are all white.

Scripture and Librarian

The Scripture and Librarian badges are the same design.

C.B.S.I. Merit Badges

The list above from the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland book The Scouting Trail (first edition 1964) lists the merit badges a Scout could earn. Some badges had different requirements for different age groups. In order to progress from Second Class Scout to First Class Scout a Scout had to earn a required number of merit badges, at least one from each section A to F.

In the mid-1970s, I think the scheme was proposed in 1975 and introduced in 1978, a new merit badge scheme cane into effect.

Like the previous scheme the badges were grouped and while the groups remained much the same some badges were retired and new ones added. One of the biggest changes was in the religious group which was reduced from 5 to 2 badges and the requirements of the Quest Badge included other religions.

CBSI Air Scouts

Airman

Parascending

Air Mechanic

 CBSI Sea Scouts

Boatman

Marine Mechanic

Coxswain

Coxswains Mate

The merit badges worn by C.S.I. Scouts were very similar to those worn by Scouts in the U.K., the only difference was C.S.I. badges did not have the Scout symbol. It was common to see a C.S.I. Scout wearing both C.S.I. badges and U.K. badges as can be seen on this Scouts uniform.

Scout Association of Ireland Sea Scouts

Progressive Badge Scheme

In 2002 the S.A.I. introduced a new badge scheme for the Sea Scout section. The new scheme was known as the Progressive Badge Scheme. When the two associations merged in 2004 the scheme was continued by former S.A.I. Sea Scout Troops up until 2010, the scheme was discontinued with the introduction of the One Programme. Sea Scout Troops participating in the Progressive Badge Scheme could also were badges introduced in 2004 when they became part of Scouting Ireland although from what I have seen it appears Sea Scout Troops either adapted the new Scouting Ireland badges or remained with the Progressive Badge Scheme, I did not see any Troops using both schemes at the same time.

Camp Skills

Camping

Survival

Hiking

Canoeing

Power Boating

Sailing

Expedition

Backwoods

Rowing

Swimming

Cycling

First Aid

Rafting


Catholic Scouts of Ireland and Scout Association of Ireland

 Cub Scout Merit Badges

In use from the 1980s up to the 2004, some Packs did continue using them up to the introduction of the One Programme in 2010. The design and requirements for the badge were similar to the UK version, Catholic Scouts of Ireland badges did not have the Scout logo on them, it was not unusual to see a mixture of Scout logo and non-Scout logo worn by a C.S.I. Cub Scout. The badges measured approximately 40mm by 30mm.

These badges were also used by the Scout Association of Ireland S.A.I. from the late 1980s up to the merger in 2004. Although the badge design was the same in the three stage badges Athlete and Swimmer the colour of the badge was different for S.A.I. Stage 1 Red, Stage 2 Yellow and stage three was Green. The requirements for the S.A.I. badge were different, a Cub had to take part in four different athletic competitions, 50 metre sprint, throwing a cricket ball, high jump and long jump, points were awarded for each event, the number of points gained determined the stage of badge awarded.  

Artist 

Angler

First Aid

Map Reader

Swimmer 2 (SAI 3)

Pet Care

Gardener

Handyman

Home Help

Orator Badge

Athlete Stage 1(SAI 2)

 

Book Reader

Pet Care

Musician

Swimmer 3 (SAI 1)

Explorer

Chef

Scientist

Rescuer

Athlete Stage2 (SAI 3)

 Computer Skills

Good Samaritan

Camper

Tracker

Sports Man

Collector

Communicator

Pathfinder 

Athlete Stage3 (SAI 1)

Entertainer

Home Safety

Photographer

Travel

World Faiths

Cyclist

World Faiths

My Faith

Bob-a-Job Badges

One on the main sources of fundraising for the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland was Bob-a-Job week. Bob-a-Job week and was renamed Scout Job Week in 1971 and was advertised and reported on in the national newspapers. The first Irish Bob-a-Job took place in 1951. Before the Golden Jubilee of the CBSI in 1977 badges were usually undated. The badges for the Jubilee had Jubilee Year on them, after Jubilee Year the year appeared on the squirrel badge and other designs although some badges after Jubilee Year some designs did not contain the year.

The badge depicting two squirrels was given to Scouts who had earned above a certain amount of money, this was replaced by the Super Jobbers badge. The squirrels on the Scout badge were yellow or gold and the Cub badge had a red squirrel.  Golden Jubilee Year was 1977.

 

   

  

Undated CSI. This one was issued in 1985 for the release of the Ghost Busters film.

  1.  
  2.                                    Diamond Jubilee 1987
  3.  
  4. Bob-a-Job week badges. In 1989 the two Irish Scout Associations, C.B.S.I. and S.A.I. joined together for Scout Job Week sponsored by Johnson Wax (Ireland) who made household cleaning products. Scouts manned 200 stalls at supermarkets around the country where they did shoe-shining and members of the public could leave details of jobs they wanted done and the Scouts would call at an appointed time, accompanied by adults, to perform the allotted tasks. A Super-Jobber badge was awarded for collecting over a certain amount of money.
  5.    
  6. Scout Bob-a-Job Card
  7.  
  8. A Scout was issued with a card to record details of each task carried out and the amount received.

Scouting Ireland Skills Badges 2004 to 2010

Below are the Skills badges used by Scouting Ireland from 2004 until the introduction of the One Programme in 2010. They are similar to the present design although there were only four levels instead of the present nine levels.

Camping Skills

Paddling Skills

Emergency Skills

Pioneering Skills

Hiking Skills 

Air Skills

Rowing Skills 

Sailing Skills

Backwoods Skills

Scouting Ireland Skills Badges 2010 Current Issue

A progression of 9 badges numbered 1 to 9 with different borders.

Hiking

Paddling (Canoe) Skills

Backwoods

Pioneering Skills

Camping Skills

Sailing Skills

Emergency Skills

Rowing Skills

Air Skills