Some weeks ago - on the 29th May to be exact - I mentioned that a rambling club was being formed in Dublin, which intended to provide hostels for its members.
The club has called itself "An Oige", otherwise the Irish Youth Hostel Association, and the object of it is to help all, but especially young people, to a greater knowledge, use and love of the countryside - particularly by providing hostels and other simple accommodation for them when travelling.
The secretaries are Miss Ruth Patten, of Trinity College, and Mr B. Bradley, of University College. The first hostel has been established at Duff House, Lough Dan, County Wicklow, for male members, while accommodation for women is arranged at Byrne's Hotel, Roundwood. It is hoped in due course to provide a chain of hostels all over the country and to establish branches of the association in all the principal towns in Ireland.
Admission to the hostels will only be on production of cards of membership, and, as the annual subscription is only five shillings, it is hoped soon to have a very large membership.
Like the rambling associations in England, "An Oige" objects to the word "hikers."
The Irish Times, June 29th, 1931.