The Castle Saunderson Project is one of the biggest undertakings for the youth of Ireland. The Project supported by The Ireland Funds, promotes Peace & Reconciliation by bringing together the YOUTH of Ireland from both sides of the divide.

The Project aims to develop the 103-acre Castle Saunderson Estate into a premier outdoor pursuit and training camp, with the capacity to cater for up to five thousand people at any time. The Project will attract scouts and all other youth groups, both on a national and international basis.

The Estate is centrally located directly on the Cavan-Fermanagh border, less than two hours drive from Dublin, Belfast and Derry.

These cities are the locations of the largest masses of people in Ireland, and because they also have international airports make the Castle Saunderson Estate easily accessible to foreign visiting youth groups.

The Castle

The Church

River Finn

Lake Sarah

The Castle Saunderson Estate has two entrances; one gate located in Northern Ireland, and the other in Southern Ireland. Each party will come to Castle Saunderson on an equal footing - each will have to travel and each group will have the 'security blanket' of one foot in the north and one foot in the south. A team spirit is developed and in order to maintain that spirit, it is necessary to work together and pool resources to overcome challenges and pursue adventures. Personal differences become secondary to the spirit and well being of the team.

While the primary emphasis of Scouting Ireland is on the physical, intellectual, social and spiritual development of young people, there will also be a very strong emphasis on cross-community dialogue and the promotion of mutual understanding.

The project will create an increased opportunity to become involved in outdoor activities, in an all-year-round and wet-weather activities facility. Activities will include: Water Activities, Climbing Walls, BMX Track, Pioneering, Orienteering, Team Challenges, Global Village Workshops, Art and Craft, Filming and Special Effects, Entertainment, Model making, Target Range to name but a few.

Our Nature & Environmental Programs will form an extensive element of the overall curriculum and will be based on the results of our Environmental Impact Study Report. These will include: Recycling water and waste treatment using reed beds/constructed wetlands, our natural wetlands as part of the Erne Wetlands Region, our protected semi-native Irish woodlands, wild orchids and other flora species, protected bats, etc. The combination of education and adventure will attract scouts, school groups and youth groups to stay at the Training Canter for periods of 1-10 days. In other words there will be "Something for everyone"

Upon completion, the Project will be able to cater for up to 35,000 persons per year in its initial startup period. The 103-acres estate consists of a castle, a keeper's cottage and church. It is bordered on one side by 500 acres of Coíllte (Government) forestry, which the Project has obtained permission to use as part of its extensive outdoor activities programs. The other side of the Estate is bordered by waterways i.e. Lough Sarah, the Finn River and the Castle Lake. The waterway that flows along the estate is included in the proposed route for the new Ulster Canal that will link Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland to the River Shannon in the South. This makes an ideal setting for many water-based activities and adventure boating trails.

It is the Project's intention to build a multi-purpose complex/building, which will include accommodation for 100 people per night, canteen, shop, reception, offices, computer room, sports hall with stage, wc's, changing & drying rooms. At the end of Phase 1, the project also involves the construction of 8 No. Log Cabins each housing 8 persons as part of a Peace & Reconciliation Village, which will be located close to the family Church on the Estate.

• Early 2004 Commence site works.
• Spring 2005 Open Estate to local scout groups.
• Summer 2005 Scout Event (approx. 1000 young people for a 7 day period).
• Summer 2006 Official Opening: Starting with a Scout/Guide Jamboree with approx. 3000 young people for a 10-day period. Then followed by opening the Estate to ALL other youth groups.

This will be used as a trial run for the Jamboree the following year.
Summer 2006 Official Opening: Starting with a Scout/Guide Jamboree with approx. 3000 young people for a 10-day period. Then followed by opening the Estate to ALL other youth groups.

HISTORY OF CASTLE SAUNDERSON:
The Castle was originally built in 1573 and was the seat of the Saunderson family until 1977 when it was sold to a London based businessman. The Castle was in a state of disrepair and plans to have it completely renovated as a private dwelling at this time never materialized. The Estate was sold again in 1990 to be developed as a hotel. These plans were also abandoned after a fire gutted and destroyed most of the Castle interior. This was the third fire to take place in the history of the castle. In 1997 the Castle and Estate were offered to Scouting Ireland (CSI), for €420,000 (estimated to be half its market value at that time). Now consisting of 103 acres, the Castle Saunderson Estate has once again the potential to be restored to its former glory, and to be put to new use as a scout and youth training canter.

Of the 103 acres on the estate, some 70 acres are grass, 25 acres are wooded and the 8 remaining acres are lake and waterway, this providing an excellent opportunity to provide amenities for young people particularly in outdoor activities. Captain Alexander Saunderson, the last remaining member of the Saunderson family to have lived in the Castle now resides in Santa Barbara, California. From the outset, Captain Saunderson has wholly endorsed the plans by Scouting Ireland to restore the Castle, family church and grounds to its former glory. The development plans for the Castle and Church include a cultural and heritage canter highlighting the history of the Saunderson Family, together with local history to include The Plantation of Ulster (1603) and other notable historic events. It is intended to restore the church as a multi-denominational church. The graveyard around the church and the crypt beneath the church building contains the remains of the Saunderson family, and it is planned to maintain the church and graveyard as part of the cultural and heritage aspect of the overall project.

HISTORY OF SCOUTING IN IRELAND ('Co-ed'):
Like much of Irish life in the period 1910-1999, Scouting in Ireland was developed and influenced by political and religious considerations. Although the Scouting movement is strictly nonpolitical and nondiscriminatory, nonetheless the reality of an Ireland with diverse political and religious loyalties resulted in the formation of three different scouting associations in Ireland.

• Scouting Ireland (CSI) 1927, formally the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland is a 32 County Association.
• Scouting Ireland (SAI) 1907, a 26 County Association.
• Northern Ireland Scout Council, a 6 County Association.
• SAI's first units were associated with the British army garrisons; therefore few Catholic boys joined and instead went on to set up their own scout Association (CBSI).

After five years of talks, Scouting Ireland (CSI) and Scouting Ireland (SAI) have agreed to form one new Association called 'Scouting Ireland' which will come into effect on January 1st 2004. The Northern Ireland Scout Council which is affiliated to the UK Scout Association, will continue to have very close links with the new Association.

The development of the Castle Saunderson Peace & Reconciliation Youth Activity Canter will involve all Scouting Associations in Ireland, from different religious and geographic backgrounds, coming together for the benefit of the youth of Ireland. The Castle Saunderson Estate will act as a permanent site for National/International Jamboree's, which are currently held on a joint basis by the three associations every four years.

To run a Jamboree involves searching for a location similar to Castle Saunderson and expending €300k on infrastructure alone, which has to be removed after each Jamboree. The Castle Saunderson Project will provide such permanent infrastructure and obviate the necessity to invest such amounts of money unnecessarily on infrastructure. Castle Saunderson will be the venue of the next Jamboree scheduled for the summer 2006.

Castle Saunderson will provide a permanent Jamboree Campsite for scouts, guides and young people, so that they will achieve their full potential as mature adults. It will also assist the process of developing scouting in Ireland by providing a safe, modern, multi-pursuit and adventurous environment.

CONCLUSION:

The successful completion of the Castle Saunderson Project with its grounds, Castle, surrounding lakes and woodlands will enable youth in Ireland to receive an education in necessary life skills in harmony with the environment and with their neighbors. By supporting this project, you will be supporting Ireland and its best hope for the future - its Youth.

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