On a warm day in early summer in 2016 a few parents from Ruan village were watching their children at their school sports day. The chat among the parents turned to a recent Scouting event which a number of the children had attended and how much they had enjoyed it. As it happened about half the parents in this conversation had children who attended a neighbouring Scout Group and the other half had their children’s names on a waiting list for a place. A rough head count made it apparent very quickly that there was sufficient demand for Scouting places for children from Ruan to support the village’s own Scout group. All of the parents were excited by the possibility of our children being part of a local Scouting group. An idea was born.
From this conversation Amanda, who was to become our group leader, approached Scouter colleagues in the 5th New Market on Fergus Scout Group, for advice on how to proceed. They were both supportive and enthusiastic and immediately put her in contact with our County Commissioner John Egan who was able to link her with our Regional Support Officer Noel Leahy. With the support and fellowship that is synonymous with the Scouting Ireland movement she was assisted by these more experienced Scouting hands to begin recruiting adult volunteers.
Our first volunteers came from Ruan, and were all parents who had been part of the original conversation almost twelve months previously. And these enthusiastic recruits were very shortly joined by our friends and neighbours from Corofin. Over the past 18 months this group of people, together with our children, have worked and laughed and learned together. Our combined efforts are responsible for the final realisation of the 17th Clare, Ruan Scout Group, the newest addition to the Scouting Ireland movement. In September 2017 we opened with two Beavers sections (6 to 9 year olds) and one Cubs section (9 to 12 years), 70 children in total.