If you haven't yet seen the forum post, the club AGM will take place next Monday, 6th October at 19.30, in Ballinteer Community School.
The school has been the location of the Roche GP sign-on, as well as the winter spins briefing more recently, and is located behind Nutgrove SC, off the Grange Road.
Google Maps link: goo.gl/maps/4D3CZ
School site link: www.ballinteercs.ie/index.php/general-info/location
All roles are up for re-election, but aside from the club committee, there may also be a vacancy or two on the club league committee, and we are looking for someone to oversee the club car - handle bookings and insurance and the like.
Many thanks to all those who gave their time, effort, blood, sweat and tears over the last year (and beyond!) to help make the club what it is today.
Nominations and motions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 19.00 Sunday 5th. Questions can be asked in the forum thread.
Ed's note: please note that these are not the official minutes, merely one person's barely coherent recollections.
Update: The AGM was held with an attendance of a little under 40. The following committee was elected, with unanimity for each candidate.
President: Denis Gleeson (replacing David Tansey)
Vice-president: Damien Long (new role)
Membership Secretary: Paraic Morrissey
Event Secretary: Dick O'Brien (replacing Dave McLoughlin)
Treasurer: Mark Mulcahy (replacing John Lanigan)
PRO: Brian McArdle
League reps:
- Eddy Lane
- Damien Long
- Jeni Sheridan
- Paul Tansey
- Denis Gleeson
- David Hendron
- John Twomey (replacing Paul Brosnan)
- Dick O’Brien (marshalling)
- Brian McArdle (results)
- Dave Mc (TTs - new role...ish)
Leisure reps:
- Stephen Ryan
- Helen Horan (new role)
Racing reps:
- Aideen Keenan (replacing Mags Donnelly)
- Michael Hanley (replacing Denis Gleeson)
Youth rep: Jeni Sheridan
Track rep: David Hendron
Social rep: Ann Horan (replacing Rachel Glendon)
Sponsorship co-ordinator: -- (replacing Neal Hudson and Sandra Telford)
Child Protection: Kathryn Keogh
Club kit: Stephen Ryan
Club car: Eddie Lynch (replacing Neal Hudson)
The traditional presidential address opened the evening, with Dave Tansey giving a quick rundown of the year, picking out his own personal highlight of Ann Horan crossing the finish line of the An Post Rás na mBan*. He once again hit upon the theme of giving something back to the club - if you've gotten something from the club, some advice, or support, or friends or cycling buddies, give something back! Help out, contribute to the positive atmosphere by passing on the favour.
He stepped down after serving the maximum three years, and thanked the committee for their help before speaking about the huge potential and possibilities of the club - aspects of fitness, social, sportive and racing, for sport or just because you love cycling. You are not in the club - you are the club!
Treasurer John Lanigan ran through the accounts, with 353 paid up senior members contributing subs. A few once off capital costs like the club kit subsidy and the club car meant there was a shortfall this year, but it shouldn't be a sustained decrease into next year. Paraic Morrissey's figures showed another 52 junior members, for a total of 405 Orwell this year.
Dave McLoughlin read the 2013 minutes, and then announced the dates we hope to run our usual events next year (note all dates are subject to approval by CI):
- Gerry Brannigan Memorial - 9th Nov
- Randonnée - 2nd May
- Hammond Memorial TTs - 13th June
- Stephen Roche GP - 24th June (proposed to run as National Crit Champs)
- Joe Daly Memorial Cycle - 28th June
To complement last year's Inner Ring audax run by John McElligot, Dave Mc will be running another set of four audaxes (audices?) to build up to Paris-Brest-Paris. So that will see a 200 and 300 in March, and a 400 and 600 in May, as well as the return of the Inner Ring in August.
- Orwell 200 - 8th March
- Orwell 300 - 29th March
- National 400 - 8th May
- National 600 - 24th May
- Inner Ring 200 - 1st August
PRO Brian McArdle gave a quick report, with the club's profile across social media building solidly throughout the year, with over 1,000 followers each on Facebook and Twitter. The website's core was maintained well, with leisure reports to add to the usual open racing and league write-ups. Julia Philips also upgraded the site software, to give us a new and shiny look!
Stephen Ryan weighed in for the leisure section, noting the success of the Wicklow 100/200 training groups - 83 from the club took part on the day, and 69 were at the Sean Kelly Tour in Dungarvan. His weekly emails kept momentum up for the fantastic leisure league that debuted this year, marking a flourishing season for touring.
On the racing front, Damien and Eddy Long-Lane thanked the league committee for a second successful edition of the Orwell only league. Among the positive aspects were the lack of crashes on the road (bar one minor single-rider incident in Brittas), and zero friction with local Gardaí or residents. This was put down to the smaller bunch numbers and good behaviour of riders in the race, though off the road, the marshalling saw many no-shows, and some examples of shoddy traffic direction. With this in mind, all participants in next year's league will partake in a mandatory CI training course. And penalties for marshalling no-shows will be re-enforced - a two week suspension and €30 fine, that can carry over into 2016 if necessary.
With the pre-registration of TTs being highlighted, next year there'll be a Best All Rounder (BAR) competition run across all timed events, and the scheduling of TTs will be examined to avoid clashes with provincial and national events as much as possible. Extra races for Sallygap and Mondello, and some new circuits, are also being investigated. There's also a possibility of two night's racing in Corkagh Park at the start of the year, depending on availability.
Frame numbers are to be introduced to help identify riders at the finish, and some extra lights for the club car so that it can be used as a safety car.
Thereafter followed the elections and handover. Dave Tansey was irreplaceable by any one person, so Denis Gleeson and Damien Long are taking the role as President and Vice-president respectively. Gleeson will be shouldering the responsibility of the presidency, but will be able to draw on Long's experience in the sport. A good mix of leisure and racing at the top!http://www.orwellwheelers.org/forum/8-miscellaneous-club-chatter/4554-gerry-brannigan-memorial-2014
Nobody was nominated to be the women's representative, but with Aideen Keenan standing as women's racing rep, Helen Horan stepped up to take on a women's leisure rep role, so between the pair of them, the women of the club will be well looked after. There's still space for a sponsorship rep - Neal Hudson and Sandra Telford did great work in packaging a nice brochure that presents the club beautifully, what the club needs is someone to get that out to potential sponsors.
Gleeson began by thanking the club for the award he received the previous weekend, and pointed out how Orwell have moved forward as a club, and are leading the way for other large clubs. He paid a huge thank you to the out-going committee and their work - including Dave Tansey in the presidential role, John Lanigan's very professional treasurership, and Dave Mc's seven years performing secretarial duties.
In other business, Dick O'Brien and Brian McArdle were interested in bringing motions to the CI AGM considering racing regulations, and both were carried. Our own Siobhán O'Connor is running for a board seat, after being nominated by the women's commission, and the club agreed to support her campaign. Delegates interested in attending were selected - O'Brien and McArdle, Sandra Telford, Michael Hanley, Aideen Keenan and O'Connor herself.
There followed an open discussion on various issues, including but not limited to - CI's role in representing clubs; possible improvements for racing next year - both in the league and Orwell's strategy in the open scene; Orwell bidons; IVCA membership and the league; coaching groups; winter spin newcomers; and the potential for a training camp including race strategy workshops, bike fitting and coaching.
Thanks to all those on the committee and the many in the background who made 2014 another great year for the club, and good luck to those stepping up and giving something back for 2015!
That brings to a close the year for 2014, though we'll remind you that the club is looking for volunteers for the Gerry Brannigan Memorial on November 9th (see the fourm), so see you there! Until then, the indefatigable Eileen Byrne has put together this slideshow of photos from the year - sit back and enjoy! And remember, you are not in the club, you are the club!
*Ed's note: we assume Dave wrote the speech before his wife became World Champion on Sunday
