We spent a very enjoyable day with the Clare Cubs at a Water Activity Centre on the shores of Lough Derg, taking part in canoeing and kayaking, as well as windsurfing and a ropes course, before rounding off the day with a visit to the Group’s HQ and a chance to fish from the jetties nearby. Many friendships were forged amongst the Cubs and Leaders of the two Packs and we hope to invite 5th/22nd Clare up North in 2003, perhaps to spend a long weekend at Crawfordsburn.

Other highlights of the week included visits to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park and Tarbert Jail; after much hard bargaining all of the Cubs were eventually released! Tralee Aquadome, complete with bubble slides, flumes, helter skelter, wave maker and falling rapids was another major hit with the Cubs, while the weary Leaders were delighted to read the following: ‘adults can unwind in the health suite where there are steam rooms, saunas, sun-beds and a cool water pool to re-vitalise the body and soothe the mind.’

Leaders and Cubs alike were also impressed with our afternoon tour of the Foynes Flying Boat Museum, the latter being particularly interested in the fact that Foynes Airport was where Irish Coffee was first invented in 1940’s to cheer weary trans-Atlantic passengers arriving in Ireland on cold winter nights!

We also ventured down a cold and damp Crag Cave in County Kerry, to view an impressive collection of stalagmites and stalactites deep underground. We ended the week with a trip to Curragh Chase Country Park before travelling on to Adare on a spying mission/treasure hunt, during which the Cubs raided the local shops for presents which were deposited with Leaders for safekeeping. Looking at the assorted collection, the Leaders whiled away the afternoon with a new game: match the parent to the present. Just which Mum was destined to become the proud owner of a leather pension book wallet, a ceramic sheep, a half-eaten box of toffees, a plastic chicken, a woollie Leprauchan, or a penny whistle we wondered?

Back at our campsite, there were opportunities for fire-lighting, backwoods cooking, and shelter building; a few of the seniors slept overnight in the shelter and cooked their own breakfast the next morning. We also had a lively campfire one evening together with some French Venture Scouts who were staying on the campsite, taking it in turns to entertain each other and translate songs and teach actions with hilarious results until at last, running out of songs and hoarse with singing, we apologised that ‘les enfants sont fatiguee’ and headed to bed, whereupon the Cubs gained their second wind and proceeded to keep us awake half the night.

Things could have been worse.. Paula could have been prowling like a tiger with toothache because she had lost her bags, we could have shared the ‘exclusive’ kitchen with the guides, laser quest could have been double-booked and there could have been a loud disco next door- Hold on! That’s exactly what did happen! Saturday morning dawned wet, cold and looked like World War I. An inter-pack incident exploded as a caring David cooked French Toast (the guide leaders had pinched the only toaster) on the ‘wrong’ morning- Paula growled! If only things could get better. We thought about loosing ourselves during the orienteering to avoid the wrath of Paula. unfortunately, without trying, we did! Lunch passed. Paula’s mood got worse.