Club Forum

On the week of its sixty-fourth birthday, Mullingar Shamrocks have scheduled a Club Forum for next Saturday evening 21 January 2017 in the Clubhouse in Springfield starting at 7.30 sharp and concluding no later than 9.00 pm. This has the potential to be one of the most important meetings in club history. The Forum will be structured by an independent facilitator with no association with the club who will report back to the club officers prior to the AGM.

The purpose of the Forum is to provide Shamrocks members, friends and associates with an opportunity to make a contribution to the club's future without the necessity of attending an AGM which in many ways is an outmoded concept.

Members are reluctant to attend AGM-type gatherings for many reasons including the fear that they might leave with an unwanted job. As a result, the club is losing out on much of potential value and the insights of many of this who are working so hard for the club are missed.

Four topics dealing with the club's future have been identified and will form the themes of discussion on the night.

All those associated with Mullingar Shamrocks are invited to attend the Club Forum; if you haven't got written notification, don't take offence (most likely we don't have a correct address) and don't use it as an opportunity to avoid the meeting. See you on Saturday next at 7.15; bring bundles of ideas.

Annual General Meeting.

The Mullingar Shamrocks AGM will take place in the Clubhouse in Springfield on 28 January 2017 at 8.00pm.

Happy Birthday

Today (16 January) is Mullingar Shamrocks' sixty-fourth birthday. On this date in 1953 (a Friday night), at St Mary's Hall, the club was founded. The possibility of the Pearse's club affiliating a football team was considered at its first AGM in November 1952 but it was eventually decided that 'as the hurling club was still in its infancy it would be unwise to burden it with a football team'. Instead it was decided to form a separate football club. The members of Pearse's were determined that the footballers of Mullingar 'would no longer be left orphaned and abandoned to be eventually lured away to the winter sodden fields of alien associations or to become the adopted children of a country club.'

 

The following officers were elected to manage the affairs of the new club: President: Rev. Fr. P. J. Regan, CC; Vice-President: F. Garvey N.T.; Chairman: Brother Baldwin; Vice-Chairman: Frank Tuohy; Secretary: Vincent Gillick.

 

A year later the club organised its first major fund-raising venture and on 14 February 1954 the draw was held in St. Mary's Hall. The winner of the first prize of a bicycle was James Nooney of Springfield (a nice prize to get on St Valentine's Day) who was presented with his prize by Fr. Regan, the following day.

 

Of course the club raffled a motor car in the early 2000s and I suppose it is possible that when some of our present under-10s or under-12s are running the club thirty years from now they may well raffle a helicopter!

 

Gaeltacht Scholarships

Application forms are now available for the Westmeath GAA's Gaeltacht Scholarship scheme which are open to all young football, hurling, ladies' football and camogie players in the county. The application form is available at www.westmeathgaa.ie . The final date for application is 31 January 2017 and full details are available from Caitríona Uí Dhalaigh (Catherine Daly) at 087 9185962

.

Fitness and Bingo

Spinning, Pilates and Bingo continue as usual during the week. Our Spinning Classes take place on Monday and Wednesday between 7 and 8 pm. Booking is important to avoid disappointment. Contact Paula at 087-1360269 or 086-8962100 to secure your place.

Orinta's Pilates classes take place on Tuesday (7.15 to 8.15) and Orinta has now added a Pilates Fitball class on Friday nights at 7.30 ... contact Michael or email Orinta on [email protected] for details. Contact Michael 086-0824267 for membership details of our Fitness Centre or to make an appointment to view the facilities.

Bingo continues in its usual 8.30 spot on Thursday night with up to €1500 in prize money on offer.

Condolences

The club extends its condolences to the families of Paddy Corroon, Cloonagh, Ballinagore, Co. Westmeath and Henry Bolger, Newbrook Grove, Mullingar whose sad deaths occurred during the week. May they rest in peace. The late Henry's daughter Emily is a member of our Under-14 Girls football team and Chris Corroon, as the choreographer, was one of the architects who made Grease such an outstanding success when staged in the Arts Centre last July.

 

 

 

Tweet

Most Read Stories