Madam, - Frank McNally (An Irishman's Diary, July 27th) describes the formation of the Irish boy-scout movement, inspired by Robert Baden-Powell's English model. Later the Catholic Church saw this organisation as a threat, even though it was apolitical and non-denominational, and established a Catholic version of the scouts.
My father, a regular Mass-goer, preferred the ethos of the "Protestant" movement and placed myself and my two brothers in the 3rd Dublin Troop of the Baden-Powells at Harold's Cross. It was obvious that the battle grounds of Salonica had a greater influence on his thinking than the teachings of the established church.
Although I was never boy-scout material, I am happy to have been given this lesson in free thinking at a very early age. - Yours, etc,
JOHN KAVANAGH,
Braemor Road,
Dublin 14.