Castle Saunderson International Scout Centre inaugurated on the Irish border

Located within the border region of Ireland, between Cavan, Fermanagh and Monaghan, the “Castle Saunderson International Scout Centre” will encourage greater levels of interaction amongst young people from different religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. With the help of a EU grant worth EUR 3,45 million (through the Peace III and SEUPB programmes), a 30-acre multi activity centre has been built, including fully equipped indoor facilities as well as a campsite capable of accommodating up to 1’000 people at any given time.

In addition to attracting young people from a Scouting background, the Centre also intends to encourage visits from young people from a wide-range of youth based organisations and schools from across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. “This is an excellent cross-border initiative which will not only benefit children from many different communities and backgrounds, but also serve to enhance the local economy through the provision of additional employment and increased tourism potential” said Jennifer McCann, a Junior Minister in the Government of the Irish Republic, when speaking at the official opening of the “Castle Saunderson International Scout Centre” in Cavan.
H.E. Michael D Higgins, Uachtarán na hÉireann, as well as several members of the Northern Ireland Executive were present when Scouts from the Republic and Northern Ireland came together to celebrate the completion of a unique project that started ten years ago.

Michael John Shinnick, Chief Scout of Scouting Ireland, felt that the successful completion of this project was a testament to the hard work and dedication of many people. It had been years in the making but the results spoke for themselves. ‘The “Castle Saunderson International Scout Centre” has already received international recognition’, he said. Colin Lamney, Chief Commissioner with the Scout Association Northern Ireland, also joined in saying that he was delighted to see completion of the Centre which will positively shape the lives of thousands of children and young adults across the Republic and Northern Ireland. “The Scout Movement has a long and proud tradition of helping young people achieve their full potential and become responsible citizens. Castle Saunderson International Scout Centre will allow this tradition to continue and ensure future generations learn the leadership, self-reliance and team building skills that Scouts are famous for”, he added.