1003 - Ventures - Investiture
The decision was made, the venture investiture had to be different from all the previous investitures in beavers, cubs, and scouts. We knew we had to follow the proper procedure in terms of correct scouting protocols but the one variable which we could influence, was where it took place.
We asked the leaders to come up with a place that satisfied our senior position within the group but it had to be totally different from anything we had done before and it had to be a surprise.
So as we set off on the evening of 5th March from the car park in CARRYDUFF we knew the investiture ceremony would happen that night but we had no idea where.
As we drove towards Newcastle we “accidentally stumbled” across the Mourne Archery Centre. As we got off the bus, we wondered whether this was the place. For the next ninety minutes we shot arrows at various target with some, showing better prowess that others.
Pat had to be taken aside as he kept splitting the arrows each time he hit dead centre bullsye. Roisin obviously had someone in mind as she constantly aimed and hit the head of the target with each arrow with uncanny accuracy !!!!!.
With O’Reilly wearing the quiver bag around his waist he certainly looked the part but unfortunately he kept loading his arrow the wrong way around with the pointed tip facing him. Jonesy obviously thought he was at the badminton court as he tried to lob the arrows into the target but just kept hitting the back of the wall. Conal struggled to pull back on the bow far enough, mumbling something about new haircut and sapping his strength and finally Rory must have thought he was aiming at a rival for his beloved Courtney’s affections as he proceeded to shoot three times as many arrows as anyone else each round. Big Connor asked for, and was given the long bow (how appropriate) and immediately found the yellow spot unfortunately he ended up embedding the arrows up to the feather each time. Jordan’s bow was a little smaller than the rest and his arrows had wee red suckers on them but he did well launching them up to a max 6 feet each time. Eventually the time came and we moved on, No investiture here then. There was a evil glint in Bradley’s eye as we drove through the night to a desolate car park know as Leitrim Lodge. “Out” he shouted and “get your walking gear on”. As Pat and Roisin lead the way into the heart of the mournes, climbing higher and higher into the night sky we came across slight scatterings of snow and then as we climbed higher, mountains of it, some of it as high as houses, frequently blocked our path. Eventually we were lead to the very pinnacle of “PiercesCastle”. A dark and foreboding mountain top with massive drops on three sides. At midnight, a solemn hush descended on the group as the ceremony procedures were explained and over the next few minutes each and every one of us was formally invested into 29th Belfast Venture section. We left the mountain top; feeling rejuvenated in our new venture identity and as we arrived at the old school house, our resting place for the night, we all reflected on what had been a very unusual night.
The next morning we woke late, tidied up quickly and had fried breakfast on the trip home. As we reflected on the previous night's events, we all concluded our leaders had certainly not let us down in finding an unusual spot for one of the most important ceremonial events of our short but eventful venturing career. Many thanks to Pat, Roisin and Connor. I’m sure Eamonn had a hand in the plot somewhere.
A Carryduff Venture scout.