Na Fianna
In 1909, Constance was excited to hear about Bulmer Hobson's Boy Scout troop previously formed but left behind in Belfast. She was equally upset to read in a newspaper how the Viceroy had formed a Boy's Brigade in Clontarf to fight for the nation of England who she saw as pillaging and despising their own country of Ireland. With the help of Bulmer Hobson and others, Constance formed a new boy-scout troop, Na Fianna. They were separate from the Belfast troop and more militant in nature. The Scouts would be used to promote both a free and Gaelic Ireland. Their primary objective was spelled out in the Fianna handbook , The training of the youth of Ireland mentally and physically by teaching scouting and military exercises, Irish history, and the Irish language. The boys took an oath as follows, "I promise to work for the independence of Ireland, never to join England's armed forces, and to obey my superior officers." This last line must have been a big change for many of the boys who were wild and unruly. Born into poor families where food was scarce, they roamed the streets undisciplined. Constance wrote much of the Fianna handbook herself, lending her artistic talent to the cover as well. She also wrote for the Fianna newspaper.
Naturally, not everyone took Constance's new endeavor seriously and Casi was likely one of them although he may not have said so to her directly. He referred to his wife as his "floating landmine" and calling the boys "sprouts," once complaining they drank all his whiskey. When criticized by anyone else, Constance would point out that these boys would one day become men forming a readily trained officer force and a new army fighting for Ireland. She was right.
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