Irish Girl Guides marks 115 years of growing confident, brilliant girls

If you were ever a Brownie or a Guide yourself, there’s a good chance just reading those words brought back a flash of something — a camp fire, a friendship badge, the smell of a damp scout hall on a Tuesday evening. Irish Girl Guides has been quietly, consistently doing something remarkable for girls across this country for 115 years, and this week they’re marking that milestone in the loveliest way.

The organisation has released a short anniversary film called Where Girls Grow, and it’s the kind of thing that will genuinely stop you mid-scroll. Featuring current members, young women and parents reflecting on what Guiding has meant to them, it’s a real reminder of why organisations like this matter — especially in an era when our daughters are navigating so much.

More than badges and camping trips

Irish Girl Guides has about 8,000 members across Ireland, supported by 1,200 volunteer Leaders delivering what the organisation describes as a progressive non-formal educational programme. In plain terms: a space where girls get to try things, fail at things, lead things, and figure out who they are — without anyone marking them on it.

Ian, whose four daughters are all members, put it brilliantly in the film. “Since the girls have been coming to Irish Girl Guides it helps their confidence,” he said. “They are working as a team, they are much more collaborative. They get exposed to things that I don’t think they would normally.”

That last bit says a lot. As parents we try so hard to give our kids everything, but there are experiences that only come from being part of something bigger than your own family — something with its own traditions, its own challenges, its own sense of belonging.

What the girls themselves are saying

One Senior Branch member’s reflection in the film is worth sitting with for a moment. “You are always included even if you don’t know everybody very well,” she said. “As a Senior Branch member, I have learnt to stand up for myself and others, not just to stand back and watch everything happen.”

For any parent who has watched their daughter hang back at a birthday party, or struggle to put her hand up in class, those words hit differently. Confidence isn’t something you can hand a child like a lunchbox. It has to be grown, and apparently Irish Girl Guides has been doing exactly that since 1911.

Chief Commissioner Aisling Claffey Healion spoke about what this anniversary means for the organisation. “For 115 years, Irish Girl Guides has been a place where girls can build confidence, make lifelong friendships, and discover their potential,” she said. “Every generation has its own story, but the impact of Guiding remains the same: helping girls find their voice, embrace new challenges, and believe in what they can achieve.”

Could your daughter be part of the next chapter?

The programme runs from early childhood right through to young adulthood, covering leadership and teamwork, outdoor adventure and camping, community service, global citizenship and plenty in between. It’s the kind of well-rounded experience that looks great on a CV someday, but more importantly, it shapes the kind of person your daughter becomes long before she needs one.

With the anniversary film now live across Irish Girl Guides’ digital platforms, the organisation is also inviting current and former members to share their own Guiding memories as part of the 115th anniversary celebrations. If you were ever a Brownie, a Guide or a Leader yourself, this is your moment to dig out the old photos.

You can watch the Where Girls Grow anniversary film here. Have the tissues nearby, just in case.