Order of CúChulainn
Encyclopedia
History
It was introduced in 2004 to replace Scouting Ireland (CSI)Scouting Ireland (CSI)
Scouting Ireland was a WOSM affiliated National Scout Organisation in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland from 1927 to December 31, 2003. It has since merged with Scouting Ireland S.A.I. to form Scouting Ireland...
's Order of the Silver Wolfhound and the equivalent award of Scouting Ireland S.A.I.
Scouting Ireland S.A.I.
Scouting Ireland S.A.I. was an Irish Scouting association, formed in 1908 and merged into Scouting Ireland in 2004.- History :Scouting Ireland SAI began in 1908 as the Dublin City and Dublin County Boy Scouts. Around the same time, a number of Troops in Co. Wicklow formed the Co. Wicklow Scout...
, the Order of the Silver Elk. The first awards were presented at Larch Hill
Larch Hill
Larch Hill is the national campsite, and administrative and training headquarters of Scouting Ireland. It was previously owned by Scouting Ireland .-Overview:...
with all those who held the highest award of the previous associations being invested as Honorary Members of the Order of CúChulainn by Martin Burbridge, the Chief Scout
Scouting Ireland Chief Scout
The Chief Scout is the most senior appointment of Scouting Ireland. As Chairperson of the National Council and National Management Committee the Chief Scout is responsible for co-ordinating the activities of the Association with the help of the National Team for Policy Implementation and...
.
Origin of the name
In Irish mythologyIrish mythology
The mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branch and the Historical Cycle. There are...
, Cúchulainn
Cúchulainn
Cú Chulainn or Cúchulainn , and sometimes known in English as Cuhullin , is an Irish mythological hero who appears in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, as well as in Scottish and Manx folklore...
('Hound of Culann', kuːˈxʊlɪnʲ; also spelled Cú Chulainn or Cuchullain; known in childhood as Sétanta) is the pre-eminent hero of Ulster
Ulaid
The Ulaid or Ulaidh were a people of early Ireland who gave their name to the modern province of Ulster...
in the Ulster Cycle
Ulster Cycle
The Ulster Cycle , formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, one of the four great cycles of Irish mythology, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the traditional heroes of the Ulaid in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly counties Armagh, Down and...
. The image of Cúchulainn is invoked by both Irish Nationalists and Ulster Unionists, in murals, poetry, literature and other art forms.
He is the quintissential Irish legendary figure who transcends The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
and the accompanying petty reclamation of history and jingoistic feeling
Jingoism
Jingoism is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as extreme patriotism in the form of aggressive foreign policy. In practice, it is a country's advocation of the use of threats or actual force against other countries in order to safeguard what it perceives as its national interests...
.
Requirements
The Award is presented for outstanding commitment to Scouting over many years. Investiture into the Order is only made at functions with an appropriate level of importance. It is presented by the Chief ScoutScouting Ireland Chief Scout
The Chief Scout is the most senior appointment of Scouting Ireland. As Chairperson of the National Council and National Management Committee the Chief Scout is responsible for co-ordinating the activities of the Association with the help of the National Team for Policy Implementation and...
except in circumstances whereby he is unable to attend and another appropriate presenter is chosen.
Order pendant
Members of the Order wear a yellow and red ribbon around the neck from which a miniature replica of a hound hangs, along with the World CrestWorld Crest
The World Scout Emblem is the emblem of the World Organization of the Scout Movement and is worn by Scouts and Scouters around the world to indicate their membership...
. It is one of only five items which may be worn around the neck by members of Scouting Ireland, the others being the Lanyard, the Woodbadge beads, the Chief Scout's Award
Scouting Ireland Chief Scout's Award
The Chief Scout's Award is the highest award for Scouts in Scouting Ireland. The precise criteria for the Chief Scout's Award in Scouting Ireland as a result of the merger of CSI and SAI are unclear at present . It is the final step in the personal progressive scheme of the former CSI...
and most commonly, the Neckerchief
Neckerchief
A neckerchief, necker or less commonly scarf is a type of neckwear associated with Scouts, cowboys and sailors. It consists of a triangular piece of cloth or a rectangular piece folded into a triangle. The long edge is rolled towards the point, leaving a portion unrolled...
.
Citation
Each member receives a certificate, on which there is a citation which details the Scouting career of the recipient and reasons why he/she has been deemed to have made an exceptional contribution to the provision of Scouting in Ireland. The citation is read formally before the presentation is made.Order pin
An Order of CuChulainn pin may be worn on the adult award ribbon. The pin consists of a hound, identical to that on the pendant.Similar awards
The Boy Scouts of AmericaBoy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
Silver Buffalo Award
Silver Buffalo Award
The Silver Buffalo Award is the national-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. It is presented for noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth on a national basis, either as part of, or independent of the Scouting program...
is an international equivalent award to the Order of CúChulainn. Unlike the Silver Buffalo, however, The Order is always presented to an active member of Scouting Ireland. Honorary membership may be offered to significant public figures in recognition of their achievements. This honorary membership does not confer membership of the Order of CúChulainn.
The United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
awards the Silver Wolf. Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
awards the Silver Kangaroo. New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
awards the Order of the Silver Kawaka. India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
awards the Order of the Silver Elephant. The World Scout Headquarters awards the Bronze Wolf
Bronze Wolf
The Bronze Wolf Award is bestowed by the World Scout Committee to acknowledge "outstanding service by an individual to the World Scout Movement"...
, alternately known as the Order of Baden-Powell.
Record of membership
A record of all members is maintained on a plaque in Larch HillLarch Hill
Larch Hill is the national campsite, and administrative and training headquarters of Scouting Ireland. It was previously owned by Scouting Ireland .-Overview:...
's Millennium Room.