Minutes of Mens Club AGM Sunday 03/01/2021 17.30 Hours
Present:
Gay McEvoy (Captain); Barra O’Dwyer (President); Mark Linehan; Tony Connolly; Claude Keane; Denis O’Donovan; Denis O’Carroll; Ema O’Shea; Jerry Kennedy; John Collins; Brendan Buckley; Christy Costello; Dan O’Brien; Danny Deady; Donal McSweeney; Liam Bowles; Geoff Watson; Jim Crowley; John Browne; John Walsh; John Dennehy; John Chawke; Kevin Owens; Kevin Cagney; Paddy O’Kelly; Paul O’Shea; Peter Butler; Tom McCarthy; Tom Weekes; Jerry Murray.
Apologies:
Peadar Cronin
Minutes:
Minutes of 2019 AGM
Proposed: Peter Butler
Seconded: Mike Laffin
Matters Arising:
No matters arising from Minutes of 2019 AGM
Correspondence:
No correspondence received to be presented to the members.
Secretary`s Report:
Hon Secretary Mark Linehan’s Report, gave a detailed account of the years golfing activities. Competition calendar was rejigged a number of times due to COVID so thanks to captain Gay and his assistants for doing this.
Thanks to all who represented on teams during the year. There are some vacancies now on team management subcommittee so please get involved in this.
Thanks to our sponsors for their financial assistance and urged members to support whenever possible.
Thanks to Course officer John Walsh for all his work with Peter and greenkeeping team to have the course in such good order. John is retiring from the committee after a number of years so we would like to thank him for all his work and dedication throughout the years in various roles on the committee.
New Members – great to see a phenominal number of new member applications approved during the year. We welcome them and hope they have many happy years in Charleville GC.
Mark asked that all members get involved with all fund raising initiatives that are run by the club and also to do some volunteering in the many different areas that it takes to run the club.
He thanked President Barra O’Dwyer, CoM & Officers of the club, Lady Captain Phil Curtin for all their co-operation during the year. Trish / Deirdre / Angela for their work in the office. Kevin Owens for this work as PRO ensuring that comp results and other activity are published in various papers and media. All involved with Nora Mays – and we all look forward to supporting them again ASAP. Special thanks and best wishes to David A. O’Sullivan our Club ambassador. Everyone else to many to name that help out with the Thursday Morning Volunteers, fundraising, planting flowers, washing windows etc All who do an enormous amount of work on our behalf.
Mark thanked, Captain Gay McEvoy, for dedication, time and effort required throughout the year representing Charleville GC and down throughout the years
Mark acknowledged the contributions of fellow committee members Vice Captain John P Collins, Treasurer Tom McCarthy, Comp Sec Geoff Watson, Handicap Sec Claude Keane, John O’Keeffe, John Walsh, Jim Crowley, Peter Butler, Ollie Kennelly and Tadgh Cronin.
He wished good luck to the incoming officers and wished everyone a happy new year and good health for 2021.
Treasurer`s Report:
Tom McCarthy advised all members that they have received the accounts via email. He gave a detailed account of the Finances, Income was down which was to be expected due to the restrictions imposed for much of the year.
He advised if anyone would want a hard copy of the accounts they are available from the office once its open or any committee member.
Tom thanked Geoff Watson for doing the scorecards with the help from John Dennehy and Jimmy Kavanagh. Tom also thanked Tony Connolly for his work on the accounts and Mark Collins for taking the entries.
Handicap Secretary`s Report:
Claude Keanes Handicap Secretary’s report.
Claude commented that it was great to set up over 80 new handicaps for the new members. New handicap system came in and Claude gave overview on movements of members handicaps.
Claude thanked his handicap committee Geoff Watson, Ger Gould, Niall Corcoran and John Collins. He thanked Gay for all his work during 2020 Claude offered best wishes to incoming captain John P Collins and all incoming officers and wished everyone a happy new year.
Captain’s Address:
It was an honour and privilege to be elected Men’s Captain for 2020 and I would like to thank Jim Crowley and I would like to thanks Jim Crowley for inviting me to be Captain. Little was I to know that 2020 would be a very different year to others due to covid.
A comprehensive fixtures calendar was put in place in conjunction with the Ladies Club. The year got off to a great start with the officers drive in. Barra, Phil and I were thrilled with the numbers that turned out and those who played in the ensuing scramble. The atmosphere in the clubhouse afterwards was exciting and augured well for a good year ahead. On that evening the draw for teams for the Mens Winter League was made with much banter and good humor, it was the biggest entry for a number of years and it got off to a great start. It fan on time right up to the Cup and Shield Finalist level and then the year went into turmoil, Covid and total Lockdown.
GUI & Government guidelines indicated golf could resume on 18th May and a revised fixture calendar was drawn up. Covid rules were published for all members and then at the last-minute casual gold only wold be allowed. Competitions would only be allowed from the 29th June so another fixture calendar had to be drawn up. It was the intention of the Fixtures Group to plan to play all annual club comps by end of sept but bad weather intervened in Mid-August and Presidents and Captains Prizes were postponed so another revamp of the fixture calendar. Al went well until lockdown 2 on 21st Oct but luckily only the Scrubbers Cup remains to be played and we hope to have this played on re-opening.
I would like to acknowledge the great help Lady Captain Phil, Imeleda O’Hanlon and John O’Keeffe gave in re-organising the calendar during these times and also to the members for adhering to all the Covid Rules.
On its 3rd rescheduled date my Captains Prize competition got under way, I was delighted with the great number of entries and for a change the weather was lovely. 18 competitors qualified for the play off the following Sunday but in very different weather conditions. Jordan Bowles (1 h’cap) emerged the worthy winner after playing great golf. Congratulations to all the qualifiers and especially the prize winners and thank you for the manner and spirit on the day given the conditions. Unfortunately Covid restrictions did not allow for a formal presentation and evening event which was a great pity. My sincere thanks and gratitude for the many gifts and cards received from the members.
Bruen and Purcel were the only 2 interclub comps entered this year. Unfortunately not as successful as 2019 Purcell team but I wold like toa thank all those who represented the club, the panel members, and for all the practice that was put in. To the management team of John O’Keeffe, John P Collins, Geoff Watson, Ollie Kennelly and President Barra, my thanks to you all for your excellent commitment and management.
The Covid ill wind however brought some good news as we had in excess of 70 new male members this year . These were made up of new to golf people, past members returning and past juniors taking up the game in adulthood, I hope you all enjoy the physical, mental and social benefits that golf offers for many years to come.
To all our sponsors thank you for your continued support to our club. Unfortunately we had no formal presentations but highlighting our sponsored competitions with extensive posters in and around the Club has offset some of the lack of publicity for you.
Due to Covid restrictions it proved very difficult to have a meaningful junior section of events but it was good to see so many parents / guardians bring the junior members out to play. Thanks to Catherine O’Connell, our junior officer, and committee.
Well done to Noel O’Mahony, John PCollins and their team for implementing a new Covid friendly format Wednesday Seniors Competition, it attracted a great turnout weekly and was great success.
My sincere thanks to the Mens committee members for their help and assistance, ideas, and input throughout what was a difficult year- vice captain John P Collins, Hon Sec Mark Linehan, Treasurer Tom McCarthy, Hcap Sec Claude Keane, Comp Sec Geoff Watson, Course Officer John Walsh; Committee members Jim Crowley; Peter Butler Tadgh Cronin, John O’Keeffe, and Ollie Kennelly. Also a special Thanks to John Dennehy and Tony Connolly for their great help with comps and finance.
Out ambassador David A O’Sullivan was a great help until lockdown and his health downturn restricted his visits to the club, I look forward to seeing him back in better times. Thanks to Club Professional Mark Collins and his staff for their work for the club. To Mary and staff in Norma Mays, Trish, Deirdre and Angela in the office. Thanks you for all your help and assistance through a turbulent year. To Peter and the course staff for keeping the course in such great condition all season. To the Lotto organisers and course volunteers the work you do for the Club is immeasurable – thank you all.
Congrats to Lady captain Phil, on her year, it was great to see the flowers and clubhouse improvements well done and thank you for your help and support.
To the Mgmt committee, it was a pleasure to work with you – President Barra O’Dwyer, Hon Treasurer Mike Laffan, Hon Sec Catherine McCarthy, Mens club rep Jim Crowley. Ladies Club rep Maisie Clifford and lady captain Phil – you all do an excellent job. Finally I would like to wish the incoming officers for 2021 every success.
Motions to A G M:
none .
Election of Officers:
The following officers and committee members were elected:
Captain: John P. Collins Proposed: Gay McEvoy Seconded: Ollie Kennelly
Vice Captain: Claude Keane Proposed: Gay McEvoy Seconded: Ollie Kennelly Hon. Secretary: Mark Linehan Proposed: Tom McCarthy Seconded: Ollie Kennelly
Hon. Treasurer Tom McCarthy Proposed: Gay McEvoy Seconded: Claude Keane
Hon. Competition Secretary: Geoff Watson Proposed: John P. Collins Seconded: Jim Crowley
Hon Handicap Secretary Claude Keane Proposed: Gay McEvoy Seconded: Ollie Kennelly
Committee: Gay McEvoy Proposed: Geoff Watson Seconded: Claude Keane Peter Butler Proposed: Mark Linehan Seconded: Tom McCarthy Noel O’Mahony Proposed: John P. Collins Seconded: Geoff Watson
Peadar Cronin Proposed: Geoff Watson Seconded: Gay McEvoy Ollie Kennelly Proposed: Gay McEvoy Seconded: Claude Keane
Eoin Coughlin Proposed: Geoff Watson Seconded: Gay McEvoy
Incoming Captain John P Collins thanked the members for electing him Captain for 2020, he was honoured and to accept. He would have preferred to be talking in person to everyone but promised to do his best through these strange times for Charleville GC.
A O B
The floor was opened up for comments or queries or AOB. There was nothing raised.
The meeting then concluded.