About CGI - History

History Book on Sale Now!

1909 - Lord Baden Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts called a rally at Crystal Palace in London and some girls attended this event saying that they were Girl Scouts. From this he decided that they should have their own name and Movement.

1910 - Baden Powell started the movement for girls and called it Girl Guides and asked his older sister Agnes to run it.

1914 - Brownies were started for the younger members.

1916 - Rangers began and Baden Powell's wife Olave became World Chief Guide.

1928 - The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts was formed to link Guides all around the world.

1928 - A Girl Guide Association called Clanna Bride was established in Ireland

1933 - The title of our Association (Clanna Bride) was changed to Bantreoraithe Catoilici na hEireann - Catholic Guides of Ireland.

1935 - The Association was reorganised on a Diocesan level, each Diocese having responsibility for its own companies.

1972 - The federation of the Catholic Girl Guides of Ireland was formed representing initially the Diocese of Cork & Ross, Down & Connor, Dublin, Ferns and Waterford & Lismore. Later they were joined by the Dioceses of Armagh, Clogher and Derry & Raphoe.

1977 - Our Association was restructured as Banoglaigh Catoilici na hEireann - Catholic Guides of Ireland (CGI) with 10,000 members spread throughout the country.

1985/87 - Diocese of Dromore, Kerry, Kilmore, Limerick and Meath became involved.

1992 - In December 1992, it was agreed to establish Comhairle Bantreoraithe na hEireann - Council of Irish Guiding Associations (CIGA) on behalf of the Catholic Guides of Ireland and the Irish Girl Guides.

1993 - At the 28th World Conference, CIGA was ratified as a full member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), and was recognised as continuing the full membership for Ireland, first gained by The Irish Girl Guides in 1932.

1994 - Our youngest section - Cygnet Guides - was established.

1996 - The official launch of our Cygnet section took place.

1999 - Ireland hosted the 30th World Conference of WAGGGS. The conference was held from July 1st - 9th July in University College Dublin.

2003 - Catholic Guides of Ireland celebrated their 75th Anniversary with many exciting events.