This Thursday 12th Oct sees scout leader Conan Connolly head off to Kosovo with the irish Army on a peace keeping mission. We in the group would like to wish Conan a safe trip and are looking forward to having him back safe and sound next April. Conan has asked that as many scouts and leaders as possible would send him private messages through the website here as it would be great for him to hear what is happening in the town and the scouts.

This week I met up with Conan to wish him well on his trip and I also asked him some questions and did up a profile on him you can see it further on. I would hope to make this a regular feature of the website so watch out because I will be calling to a leader or a member near you soon.

Conan Connolly Getting Ready For Kosovo

Profile

Name?

Conan Connolly

Height ?

5ft 11"

Weight ?

"Not as heavy as you Jimmy"

Occupation?

Full time solider

What unit in army are you attached to?

Support company 27th infantry battalion

Where are you based?

Monaghan Barracks

Your Rank in The Army?

3 Star Private

What country are you going to on peace keeping Duty?

Kosovo

How did you get on the group going to serve?

I volunteered for the duty

Whats your mission on this term of Duty?

Its a United Nations mandated NATO led Force.We are keeping the peace between 2

Seperate ethnic groups the Serbs and Albanians.

What will your work include?

Patrols, Checkpoints searching homes to Confiscate weapons and drugs on both sides.

Will you get much time off?

I will get 1 days leave a week.

What will you do on your day off?

Go to the Gym watch tv, and go online and check for messages from home. I will also be checking in on the scout website to keep up to date on all the happenings.

What other army forces will be on duty there?

There will be Cezh,Swedish,Finnish,Slovakas along with American and British forces.

What is the name of the camp you will be staying in?

Camp Clarke in a city called Lipjain.

What Guns will you be carrying?

Its a Styre AUG A1 5.56 Automatic

What from of transport will you have out there?

Nissan patrols ( bit like Liams)

What will the weather be like out there?

It will be very cold it gets dow to -20C

How long is your tour of duty and when will you be back?

6months and I will be finished in April 2007

What is your role in scouting?

I am a scout leader on a Friday night and most weekends

Were you a scout yourself when you were young?

Yes I was in the Beavers,Cubs, Scouts and now i'm a leader.

What was your best achievement in the scouts?

I was on the winning patrol in the fane region Scoutcraft competition?

What do you like about being a scout leader?

I love the craic we have as a group of leaders. I also like having fun with the scouts and setting them challenges. I like the outdoor life and always get great satisifaction seeing the scouts having fun and learning scouting skills.

What is your favorite Colour?

Green

Favourite Actor ?

Mel Gibson

Favourite Meal?

The chicken fillet burger in Geno's.

What will you miss most about Carrick?

Caoimhe (My best Friend)

Favorite Radio Station?

Today Fm (especially the newsreader Oliver Callan a member of the rover scouts).

Favorite Rock Group?

The Killers.

What is your hobbies apart from scouting?

Running,Hillwalking and Karting

Which Scout will you miss the most and for what reason?

Thats a hard question because I will miss them all there all great in the own way.

But if I have to pick one it would be Laurence Mc Nally because he never stops asking me questions.

Who is your best pal in scouting?

Caoimhe Gartlan a Cub leader

What would like to get when you are away?

I would love to hear news from home especially the good news. I will be looking forward to all the emails from home. I would love if the scouts and the leaders would contact me on the private messages button on the CARRICK SCOUT WEBSITE!! I think the website is brilliant and I am always checking in for the latest news and pictures. That would be a great way of keeping in touch.

When you were small what did you want to be when you grew up?

I'm still growing and still thinking of what I would like to be when I grow up.

What was your best ever memory of a scouting trip?

It was the botty hike to Scotland with the Rovers. It was a tough weekend but great fun. You can read about in on the website by checking out the report in the Rover section.

What was your first ever memory?

Getting locked in a sand box when I was 3 A long story!!!

What scout skills were of use to you when you joined the army?

Loads of skills the orienteering compass work and map reading were really good skills to have. Also been able to cook and survive in various conditions were all skills i learned in the scouts. I suppose the other main skill the scouts teach you, is working as a team with a leader, just like in the army.

What message do you want to leave the scouts and leaders as you head off to Kosovo?

All the best see you when I get back. Also don't forget to keep in contact with me on the web. I will be looking forward to coming back in april and getting back into the scouting.

And the very last question: I see you have the old micra up for sale on the website. What would be the lowest offer you would take to let her go?

Well my very rock bottom price is 1200 euro to a good home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!