Milltownpass Scouts - 9th WH

16/10/2026

👉https://9thwestmeathscouts.com/santa-express

15/10/2026

Well done to all our Beaver Scouts, some of who completed their first hike!
We are so lucky to have some bog walks on our doorstep. The Beavers powered through the 3.5km walk in an hour so fair play!
Thanks to our lovely leader for the hot chocolate treat at the end, so well deserved! ☕️

scoutingireland lakelandsscoutcounty

14/10/2026

📚💚 A LITTLE SUPPORT FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED US!

In 2024, our Scout Group was fortunate to receive a grant from As Darragh Did, a wonderful charity that supports clubs and community groups across Ireland, helping young people enjoy new experiences and opportunities.

Now, we’re delighted to return a little of that kindness by helping spread the word about a very special children’s book. ❤️

📖 Prestin and the Bo**er Oath!

Before Conor, Darragh and Carla McGinley tragically lost their lives in January 2020, brothers Conor and Darragh had created a hilarious homemade comic, inspired in part by their little sister Carla.

Their dad, Andrew, has now brought their creation to life in a wonderfully funny adventure book for children aged 8–12.

It’s a wild and wonderfully silly story involving a secret civilisation living inside our noses, rebellious boogers and a plot to unleash the greatest snot explosion the world has ever seen! 🤧😂

But behind all the silliness is something really special, a father’s way of keeping his children’s creativity, imagination and sense of fun alive, and sharing it with a new generation of children.

As Darragh Did has helped so many clubs and groups, including ours. Now we have a chance to show a little support in return. 💚

If you’re looking for a fun read for your children, or perhaps a Christmas present with a very special story behind it, please consider picking up a copy.

📚 Available on Amazon.ie:
https://www.amazon.ie/dp/1788464141

And as Andrew says…

🤧 PICK THIS BOOK, NOT YOUR NOSE! 😂

Please share and help us spread the word! 💚

**erOath

Prestin is a curious kid with a terrible secret . . . he picked his nose. It was only once, and it was for research! He swears! It was for But when Prestin and his best friend, Dara, accidentally discover the Snotiverse – the secret world in charge of all human noses – everything changes. Boog.....

14/10/2026

🎅🚂✨ 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐀𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐃! 🎄🚗

🎟️ 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐖!
👉 https://9thwestmeathscouts.com/santa-express/

Great news, folks! Enjoy FREE parking in Westmeath County Council car parks in Mullingar on BOTH Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 December while you travel on Santa Express! 🎅🚂

Westmeath County Council
is spreading the Christmas cheer again this year with FREE parking in designated Council car parks on selected dates throughout the festive season! 🎄

📅 FREE CHRISTMAS PARKING DATES 2026:

🎄 Friday 27 November (Black Friday)

🎄 Friday 4 & Saturday 5 December

🚂 Saturday 12 December (Santa Express weekend!)

🎄 Friday 11, 18 & Saturday 19 December

🎄 Wednesday 23 & Thursday 24 December (Christmas Eve!)

🦌 Even Rudolph approves! Although he usually parks his sleigh at Mullingar Railway Station so everyone can hop in for a festive family photo! 📸🎅

🚂 SANTA EXPRESS 2026, 12 & 13 DECEMBER!

The Santa Express departs from Mullingar Railway Station, right in the heart of town. Why not make a day of it? Enjoy a magical Christmas journey on a REAL train, then explore Mullingar, grab a bite to eat, do some Christmas shopping and support our wonderful local businesses!

🚗 A few important parking reminders:

✅ Free parking applies to designated Westmeath County Council car parks on the promotional dates.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Mullingar Railway Station car park is privately operated and is NOT included in the free-parking scheme. Normal parking charges apply there.

⚠️ The Christmas free-parking promotion does not include on-street parking.

A big thank you to Westmeath County Council for helping everyone enjoy a little extra Christmas cheer and supporting our local businesses! 👏

🎄 Shop local. Support local. Make magical memories in Mullingar this Christmas! ❤️

13/10/2026

🎅 𝗦𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗔 𝗡𝗘𝗘𝗗𝗦 𝗬𝗢𝗨! 👉🎄

𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 👉 https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/BqXURqHPNC

🚂 Santa Express is back on 12 & 13 December, and we need YOU to help bring the Christmas magic to life! ✨

Whether you fancy being an elf, welcoming families or helping behind the scenes, there’s a role for everyone!

🎁 Volunteers aged 15+ welcome!

11/10/2026

🎉 𝗖𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝟯𝟬 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗡 𝗠𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗧𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗣𝗔𝗦𝗦!
A huge thank you to the Westmeath Examiner for this fantastic feature on our Scout Group, including a six-page spread in the 11 October edition.

The Westmeath Examiner has always been a great supporter of our Group, helping us share our activities, achievements and community projects over the years. We are genuinely grateful for their continued interest and support. 💚

As we celebrate 30 years of Scouting, there is plenty happening at 9th Westmeath!

🏕️ Our new Scout Den: Our plans for a purpose-built Scout Den, camping and activity facility at Oldtown, Rochfortbridge, are now before Westmeath County Council A special mention to &AECOM who’s generosity and professional expertise have helped bring the project to this stage.

🎂 Our 30th Anniversary: We’re looking forward to welcoming past and present members, families and friends to celebrate with us on 14 November.

🚂 Santa Express 2026: We’re delighted to announce that TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE! Santa Express returns to Mullingar Railway Station on 12 and 13 December, with the continued support of Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail. This year, in addition to support our group, your trip on Santa Express also supports Focus Ireland and .

We’re also grateful for the ongoing support of Scouting Ireland. Westmeath County Council, Scouting Ireland LWETB Longford Westmeath Education and Training Board, North Midlands Credit Union, Buckley's SuperValu, Mullingar Wrights Windows, JA Gorman, national lottery, community benefit fund and all the organisations, businesses, volunteers, community organisations and families who support us year on year and help make everything we do possible.

Proud of our past, passionate about our future! ⚜️

🎟️ Santa Express tickets and anniversary details: www.9thwestmeathscouts.com/santa-express

Thank you again, , for helping us tell our story!


Peter Burke TDRobert Troy TD ***a Clarke TD Emily Wallace

The 9th Westmeath Milltownpass Scout Group is preparing to celebrate its 30th anniversary, bring Santa Express back to Mullingar and take the next steps on plans for a purpose-built Scout Den, camping and activity facility at Oldtown, Rochfortbridge.

11/10/2026

🌈 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲

Today, Scouters from 9th Westmeath Milltownpass Scout Group took part in a fantastic training session delivered by Mary Maher, psychologist with Studio 3, focusing on understanding and supporting neurodivergent young people in Scouting.

What made this training particularly valuable was that it was developed specifically for our Group.

Mary had previously visited one of our Scout meetings and spent time with Scouters from across our sections, listening to their experiences, learning about the young people they support and exploring how we could make Scouting in our group more inclusive. She used this insight to develop a practical, four-hour training session tailored to our Group.

The session helped us better understand the reasons behind different behaviours, recognise individual needs and explore how we can adapt our approaches to help every young person feel included, supported and able to enjoy Scouting.

A huge thank you to Mary for sharing her knowledge, experience and practical advice. It has given us plenty to reflect on and, more importantly, plenty we can put into practice.

Every young person is different, and understanding those differences helps us make Scouting a place where everyone belongs. 💜