2018 AGM SECRETARY'S REPORT

Carrick-on-Shannon Athletic Club 2018 Annual General Meeting Secretary's report

The Club held our AGM last Monday evening, December 3, in The Bush Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon. Thanks to those who took the time to attend, it was much appreciated.

The following is the report of Secretary John Connolly delivered to the meeting:

Hard to believe that another year has passed but as we look back on 2018 and the last two months of 2017, our club has never enjoyed a wider variety of success at all disciplines.

Gerard O’Donnell tops the year once again as he regained the National 110m Hurdles crown after what must have been his best year ever, desperately unlucky to miss the European Championships Qualifying Standard by just 0.03 of a second! And we also wish Gerard well in his new job with Athletics Ireland and congratulate on winning the 2018 Senior Award at the Leitrim Sports Star Awards.

We also saw great success on road and cross-country in 2018 with Michelle Lannon, who joined us last year, representing Ireland at this year’s British & Irish Masters Cross-country in Swansea, adding a team silver medal into the bargain to cap off a year that saw Michelle win National medals in cross-country, indoors and outdoors.

Clive Glancy also wore the Green vest with pride in 2018, again representing An Garda Siochana & Ireland in the European Police Marathon Championships held with the Dublin City Marathon last October. A new pb of 2.35 may not, however, have been his biggest achievement with the arrival of twins earlier in the year a welcome addition for the club in the years ahead. Congrats to both Niamh and Clive.

We had first time All-Ireland medalists by the bucketload - Ann Wynne & Susanne O’Beirne at Masters level, Alannah McGuinness & Aine McGwynne in sprints while the Kennedy twins, Declan & Patrick, thrilled us all with some amazing performances in cross-country. Shane Finn, Cian Mollohan & Gerard Murtagh won their first All-Ireland medals along with Toyosi Fagbo with bronze in a thrilling U15 Boys 4 x 200m indoor relay. A medal too for Cathal McElgunn who combined getting his Masters in UCD with winning an Irish Universities medal in the 4 x 400m, a fitting reward for one of our club’s best servants.

There were some heartbreak - Ellis Conway was desperately unlucky to miss out a medal with a series of top class performance in National Finals as was Gerard Murtagh & Toyosi Fagbo in the Indoor 60m Finals while Alanna Murray too finished fourth in the U16 B 100m Final. And for Eanna Madden, overall winner of the 2017 Leitrim Sports Star Awards, there was disappointment as injury cut his season very short but thankfully he is back training and in the same training group as Gerard O’Donnell and Cathal McElgunn in Dublin.

It goes without saying that we as a club are so lucky to have so many dedicated athletes wearing the Royal Blue Carrick AC vest at every age and level. And while it might be cheating a little, I’m going to copy my words of last year - Success isn’t measured just by medals but by the way our athletes compete, the support they show each other and the commitment they display daily - on that count, we have a club full of champions!

I must also pay tribute to all our coaches for their unfailing dedication, good spirits and enthusiasm - we really would be nowhere without the hard work of Siobhan Murtagh, Siobhan Whelan, Orla Keaney, Bernice Harman, Caolann Scollan, Diane Charles, Karen Brennan, Aislinn Bosquette, Mary Finn, Jennifer McGwynne, Jenny McCabe, Donnacha Holmes, Andrew Brennan, John Keenehan, Alice Lynott, Mary O’Donnell & Bernice Harman.

Performances aside, our club faced a number of different challenges over the past 14 months. We took the tough decision not to accept new members in the Primary School groups last year due to the pressure of space in the Complex but it was a decision we had to make for safety reasons. We also changed our membership year from October to January to mirror that of Athletics Ireland and, following our discussions here tonight, we certainly look forward to accepting new members in January.

Numbers in the Post Primary group have dropped a little but the hard work and enthusiasm of these athletes certainly hasn’t. The numbers are a bit more manageable but the turnout nevertheless highlights the need for new community facilities in Carrick-on-Shannon.

In terms of facilities, we took a big step by leaving the top field of the Community School for our Summer training. We’ve been training there for over 20 years but with traffic so heavy and safety a concern, we approached Carrick-on-Shannon Rugby Club about using their pitch and they could not have been more welcoming. Their facilities allowed the entire club to train in one area at the same time and with plenty of space. I want to put on record our deep thanks to Carrick Rugby Club for their generosity in using their excellent facilities.

I say it every year but our Adult Running group continues to go from strength to strength and the camaraderie of the group is obvious. The enthusiasm of the group is a testament to the work of Graham Allen who keeps everyone together, keeps everyone motivated and certainly keeps them running. Well done Graham and the gang.

I’d like to thank Chairperson Mary Finn and Treasurer Jenny McCabe for all their work. Mary has informed us that she is stepping down tonight and while I would be delighted if she stayed on, I want to thank her for her hard work, dedication and support for the club not only during her term as Chairperson but through a lifetime’s involvement with Carrick AC. Many, many thanks Mary for your work and your friendship.

Over the past 14 months, we have lost some great club servants and dear friends and I want to offer my sympathy to the families of the late Marie McGuinness, Christina Finn, Cathal Devaney, Seamus Farrell and Art McGrath on their great losses over the year. 

I would also like to commiserate with any club members and their families who suffered any bereavements during the year. May they all Rest In Peace.

I want to thank Adrian Jackson, Noeleen Murray Noone, Ray Mulvey and everyone at Carrick-on-Shannon Community School for all their assistance during the year.

Finally, I want to wish everyone a successful year on the track, indoors or out, the roads and the country as we keep the Carrick AC flag flying high.

John Connolly

Secretary