Fundraising for Kilcully’s Future

By 1983, Kilcully had become a well-established and popular Scout campsite, hosting hundreds of groups from Cork and further afield. However, maintaining and developing the site came with considerable financial challenges.

Following changes to the organisation of Scouting in Cork, responsibility for Kilcully had passed to the three Cork Scout Regions — Cork North, Cork South-East and Cork South-West. Together they had taken on approximately £12,000 of debt associated with the campsite.

A major fundraising campaign was launched to reduce the debt, beginning with a flag day throughout Cork city and suburbs.

The newspaper report also looked back at Kilcully’s beginnings, remembering the important role played by Hubert O’Donovan, who had spearheaded the effort to acquire the property for Scouting. By this stage Kilcully’s popularity among young people and Scout groups from around Ireland was already being recognised.