The below is an excerpt from “All The Red Ties, Volume 1”, written by Dermot Lacey in commemoration of the Group’s 90th anniversary in 2017. Should anyone be interested in reading more, please contact the Group.

The Sacred Heart Unit as it was officially called, of the new Association was established in 1927 by Monsignor Daniel Moloney P.P. 

The Unit began as one troop, the 3rd Dublin, with the first Scoutmaster, Charlie Fennell with Thomas Driver as his Assistant. Rapid growth saw the 40th and 41st quickly following in 1929. J.J. Walsh was first Scoutmaster of the 40th and Joseph Dempsey first of the 41st. These were augmented in 1930 by Christy Keely, Pat Forde and John Mc Nulty. The Parish Priest of the day, Dean Dunne was the first President and E. Byrne and J. D’Arcy the first two Chairmen. The Macaoimh Gasra or Cub Scout Pack was also introduced in 1934. Showing true dedication these original team of Scout Masters were still in-situ five years later when they were joined by James P Buggle.

There are a number of stories as to how the Unit got its numerical identification i.e. the 3rd Dublin. The most common one related by a number of older members is that on the day of the launch of CBSI a delegate from Donnybrook Scouts was first in line at the entrance to the new Head Quarters on St. Stephen’s Green. When the door was opened he said he was there to register the new Troop. Not realizing that there was a rear entrance to the building he learned that he had been gazumped by two other troops and that the official number would now be the 3rd instead of the coveted 1st. The story goes on that because of his scarlet face on realising what had happened that the new Association awarded Donnybrook the scarlet or red neckerchief to commemorate his discomfiture. In turn, throughout the history of CBSI, Donnybrook allowed, or so we claim, the Chief Scout to wear our neckerchief – though legend tells us that National Head Quarters requested the Unit to change this during the 1960’s – a request thankfully declined.

According to Eugene Kirby, who was a Scoutmaster of the 41st in the 1940’s and 1950’s the numerical title was allocated because the Donnybrook Scout slipped on his way in to  HQ letting the other two Scouts pass him by.

The most likely account however is that prior to the formal establishment of CBSI there were already three other “Catholic” Scout Troops in existence in Dublin – the Dublin Catholic Arch Diocese that is – one in Fairview, one in Greystones and one other. When the new association issued its first charters, Fairview was allocated the title 1st Dublin, the Clarendon Street troop the number the 2nd Dublin and the remaining Troop deemed to be the HQ Troop. Donnybrook, as the first new CBSI established Troop, was allocated the number 3. This was followed in later years by the 40th and 41st. The Red Neckerchief which was granted to the new Troop was in honour of the Sacred Heart.