Pa Cotter continuing Kilworth’s scouting tradition
Kilworth local Pa Cotter was recently the recipient of an award following the end of his term as County Chairperson with the North Cork Scouting Committee, having served as Chairperson for three years.
A strong feature among local and regional scouting organisations,
Pa has held down a number of different roles in Scouts since becoming involved in 1978.
In Kilworth, Pa has taken on quite a few positions including cub leader and group leader as well as taking up the role of County Commissioner for the North Cork Scout County in 2014, later to become chairperson of the North Cork Scouting Committee in 2017.
Currently, Pa is a Provincial Youth Programme Representative (PYPR) with the Scouting Ireland Southern Province.
The presentation, which would normally be made during the AGM was done via Zoom in which a painting by renowned local artist Fiona Turley, depicting Kilworth Castle, was presented to him.
Kilworth Castle holds a great amount of significance, making the painting all the more meaningful to Pa who elaborated on the personal touch to the presentation.
“That was one of the first places where I camped as a scout with my father (Neilus Cotter RIP) who was a camp leader in the ’80s,” Pa told TheAvondhu.
The family tradition of scouting is made evident in the Cotter family, being passed once again from father to son as now Pa’s son Jack, is also currently involved with the Kilworth Scouts.
“It’s going full circle really. My camping days are nearly behind me and it’s time to let the younger generation have a go.
“My own son Jack is with them at the moment - the pressure is on him now to become a group leader and that will be three in a row,” Pa joked.
Having been involved with the scouts for so many years, Pa noted that scouting has played a huge part in his life, allowing him to become more involved with the community and the organisation itself.
“I was influenced by them just from being involved. Even at this stage, I’m still meeting past cubs who would have been in my groups, and some of them are teachers or doctors now and it’s great to be able to share those memories,” Pa said.
Fellow Kilworth native, Peter Roche presented Pa with the painting, adding to the significance of the event as both men were involved in the reopening of the Kilworth scout group in 2003.
When he married, Pa left Kilworth for some time and upon returning to the village, he discovered that the scout group had closed.
After getting in touch with Peter, a group got together and started work to get the Kilworth Scouts up and running once again and this came to fruition in 2003.
According to Pa, the group has ‘gone from strength to strength’, with over 100 people now involved.
Now, as a PYPR, Pa hopes to continue his work with the scouts and carry on not only the family tradition but what has now become a local tradition in Kilworth also.