In 1906, Albert Kestin walked through a North London park and saw a group of boys playing instead of being in church.  When he asked why they weren’t in church, they replied, “We don’t like it, Sir!”. Moved by their honesty, Kestin resolved to offer them something more — a dynamic and engaging experience of Christian discipleship. He began the first ‘Crusader’ class, moving to weekly gatherings in his home, creating a space where young people could explore faith in a way that spoke to them. From this first meeting, the Crusaders movement was born.

Soon after this first class, eleven further Crusader Classes with over 600 boys came together to form The Crusaders’ Union, united by the motto: “Looking to Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). The first Crusader Camp followed in 1908 and before long groups and holidays had started in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. In 2006, the movement marked its centenary with a celebration in the Royal Albert Hall, where it rebranded as Urban Saints.  Then in April 2025 Urban Saints took a major change in direction and decided to cease running groups and holidays and to concentrate on the provision of training and resources to equip youth leaders.

As the Urban Saints groups in Ireland were inter-denominational and independent, they found themselves in a situation where they would be without services such as insurance and safeguarding, and so, Urban Saints agreed to support them until we had established our own organisation. We are currently involved in that process.  We have formed our new company, "The Crusaders' Union of Ireland" and are in the process of registering with the Charity Commission and setting up the infrastructure needed to support the groups and holidays so that the work started by Albert Kestin can continue here in Ireland.

If you would like to get in touch, you can email us on nltireland2025@gmail.com

If you would like to receive regular updates on our progress in setting up the new organisation click here to sign up.