2025 Annual General Meeting (25th January)
Scheduled for Friday evening, our Annual General Meeting had to be postponed at short notice to Saturday evening 25th January because of Storm Eowyn. Despite the very short notice, attendance was actually very good and we must express our thanks to our members and to the Greville Arms Hotel for accommodating the change at very short notice.
Now in its 50th year and approaching the anniversary of its founding in December 1975, the Club’s membership is nearly 600, and while there should have more at the AGM, it was still well attended, which shows the interest among members on how the Club is managed and organised on their behalf.
Chairperson, Margaret Daly opened the meeting by welcoming everyone and introduced the Secretary’s report by Patrick Muldoon, Greg Duggan’s report on registrations, competitions and public relations, and Greg also deputised for the Treasurer, Joanna Tyrrell, and presented her report as she was away. These reports were followed by Margaret’s own Chairperson’s Address and the President’s Address by Seamus Gibney.
In a wide-ranging report, Patrick detailed the many activities and undertakings needed to manage the Club on a day to day basis, and on the events that the Club organised itself during the year, focussed in on the Pat Finnerty Memorial 5k held in Belvedere in May, the proceeds of which were presented to local charity Tanzanian Heavenly Homes at the end of the meeting, when founder John McCauley gave a very moving account of why and how with others he formed the charity in 2013 and how it has grown over the years, expressing his appreciation for the donation and outlining how it would be used to better the lives of some of the poorest people in Tanzania.
Among the highlights from the other reports was International debuts in 2024 by four members – Jessica Cunningham (World Deaf Youth Games in Brazil), John Glennon (SIAB Schools T&F International in Wales), Eddie Lynch (British and Irish Masters International Cross Country in Belfast) and Ian McCormack (CISM World Military Cross Country in Belgium). Eight other members also represented Ireland last year – Sean McMullin (4 times), Aidan O’Donoghue, Brigid McCabe (3 times), Colm Walsh, Maura Dervin and Eddie Newman. Pride of place though must go to Oisin Lane and Cormac Dalton, Oisin competed at the European T&F in Rome and Cormac at the European Cross Country in Turkey, his fifth consecutive year to compete in this event.
In a year when Athletics Ireland recorded record registrations, breaking through the 70,000 member barrier for the first time, 2024 was also the year when Mullingar Harriers had a record membership of 584 at the end of December and interest in joining continues to be very strong. However, the Club continues to face challenges in managing the increase in membership but the lack of interest in competing in events, particularly among the younger ages is a big concern. We now have excellent training facilities at the Club Grounds and a renewed call was made for more help for coaches, particularly with the younger underage members that train at the 6pm sessions.
A very noteworthy success came in the recent Leinster Intermediate Cross Country in Kilcormac, Co. Offaly, when the Intermediate men won the Club team title, and when taken with the Leinster Novice and Senior men team titles won in the Autumn of 2024, means that for the first time Mullingar Harriers has won every men’s cross country team title in the same season, which is a nice achievement as the Club approaches its fiftieth anniversary this year.
The following were elected as officers and committee members for the coming year: Seamus Gibney (President), John Mulvihill (Vice-President), Bobbie Begley (Chair), Catriona Duffy (Vice-Chair), Joanna Tyrrell (Treasurer), Cormac Finnerty (Secretary, Ian McCormack (Assistant Secretary), Greg Duggan (PRO coordinator), Tom Wallace (Juvenile Training Officer), Tom McGrath (Minute Secretary), Pauline Quinn, Margaret Daly and Greg Duggan (Child Officers), Eoin Clarke, Margaret Daly, Michael Lane and Michael O’Sullivan (Trustees). The officers and trustees are automatically on the new committee, as are Life Vice-presidents including Cormac Finnerty, Martin Fagan, Bobbie Begley, Christy Creagh and Mark Christie, and will be joined by Andrew Nevin, Declan Costello, Amanda Dalton, Kris Foster, Susan Glennon, Sean Liston, Aine O’Reilly, Alan Sherwin and Sinead Whitelaw, who were elected to the committee.
Several important issues were discussed and debated with plenty of lively contributions from those in attendance. Concluding the meeting, Margaret Daly thanked all present for their attendance and input, closed a successful AGM and invited everyone to stay for the presentation of the cheque to John McCauley and some light refreshments that were served after the meeting, which gave everyone a nice chance to stay and chat for a while.
