Scouts
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.
Catholic Scouts of Ireland 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.
Agriculture
Air Mechanic
Alter Server
Animal Lover /Pet Care
Older and newer version, first known as pet care later as animal lover.
Archaeologist
Art
Astronomy
Athletics
Athlete (early issue)
Aviation
Basketry
Bee Keeping
Bell Ringer
UK Bell Ringer
Bird Study
Bird Watcher
Blacksmithing
Bookbinding
Botany
Bugling
Business
Camping
Camping standard and advanced, the coloured border on the advanced was issued in red and yellow.
Campfire Entertainer
There were various different designs of entertaining badges, the one below was for campfire entertaining.
Canoeist
Older version standard and advanced.
New version Stage 1
Carpentry
Chemistry
Collector
Computer
Cooking
There were various versions of cooking badges, the one above was for campfire cook.
Cycling
Dairying
Electricity
Explorer
Fireman (Safety)
First Aid
Forester
Gardening
Guide
Handicraft
Helmsman
Hiker
Advanced
Hobbies
Horsemanship
Interpreting
Irish Dancer
Leathercraftsman
Life Saving
Link Badge
Cubs to Scouts
Liturgy
Machinery
Masonry
Master at Arms
Metalwork
Motoring
Mountaineering
Musician
Nature Study
Observer
Oarsmanship
Painting
Pathfinder
Personal Health
Photography
Physical Development
Pioneering
Plumbing
Poultry Keeping
Printing
Public Health
Quartermaster
Quest
Radio
Safety
Scholarship
Sculpture
Seamanship
Sea Fishing
Secretary or Scribe
Signalling
Sportsman
When girls were allowed to join the CSI the man was dropped from the title of the badge. The badge was more commonly known as the football badge.
Surveying
Swimming
Advanced
Tracking
Translator (Public Speaker)
Wood-Carving
In the 1960s and 1970s the UK Bell Ringer badge was used by C.B.S.I. there were very few church bells in Ireland on which the requirement for the badge could be met so the Bell Ringer badge was not often awarded.
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.
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 Backwoods
Camping Skills Emergency Skills
Paddling (Canoe) Skills. Pioneering Skills
Sailing Skills Rowing Skills
Air Skills
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.
Attainment Badges
As part of the Progressive Badge Scheme new proficiency badges were introduced, these were known as Attainment Badges. The badges measure 30mm by 40mm with black felt backing.
Camp Skills Hiking Expedition Cycling Camping
Canoeing Backwoods First Aid Survival Power Boating
Rowing Rafting Sailing Swimming
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 1977
1978
1979
1981
1984
- 1985
- Undated CSI. This one was issued in 1985 for the release of the Ghost Busters film.
- 1986
- Diamond Jubilee 1987
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- 1988
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- 1989
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- 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.
- Jobber
- Scouting Ireland S.I. Jobber badge, awarded to Scouts who took part in a group fund raising Bob-a-Job type activity. Badge measures 40mm by 40mm.
