Finance, Social & Development Committee
Update News Bulletin
22 August 2010
Meetings:
Since the formation of this new committee several
meetings have taken place since June. However we are still a good
distance short of the finishing line in completing the line up for this
new committee. The make up so far has consisted of Dave Maxwell, Noel
Collins, Mick O’Mahony and myself and that is putting pressure on the
trio on the senior committee also. This trio of club officers need to be
free to concentrate on other club affairs. Colin Lester will assume the
role of liaison officer for the new committee with responsibility for
administration and keeping all members of the club up to date with
current and pending projects. That role will also encompass the
secretarial work of the committee. Also club volunteers with previous
experience in corporate promotions work would be an invaluable asset.
Alan Healy, current club P.R.O. though not on our committee, will be our
conduit for getting our message out to the media through his own work at
the Echo, the club website and face book pages. In summary our committee
is not about a large group of people wandering around Manning Park. Our
brief is to create and deliver a whole series of good quality projects
that can be utilised as fundraisers. Some may be good and others may not
be as good financially at completion as we anticipated. The message to
all members and supporters is clear. If you have a notion that a
particular project locked away in your head for some time deserves a
good hearing, please write down in a brief description the particulars
of any concept. Put it together in around 200/300 words and I will be
delighted to tease out all ideas with the committee for consideration as
a club fundraiser. We urgently need many concepts for running at the
clubhouse for the Autumn and Winter weeks and months ahead.
You can
email me direct derry@scoreboardmemories.com
Forum Meeting 9th August:
We held a forum at the clubhouse for all club persons running teams and
those assisting with putting Passage teams on the field of play in 2010.
The meeting was scheduled to start at 7.30pm and despite the small
numbers present at the appointed time, we commenced at 7.40pm with Mick O’Mahony doing the introductions. One item that I feel will decide the
success or failure of our new committee will be our diligence with
appointed times for meetings and I would like to believe that all units
of the club will make an extra effort to arrive for all committee
meetings at least five minutes before the appointed time. This attention
to detail will have a positive spin off on the entire club, on and off
the field.
Overall the attendance at the forum numbered 20 persons and
the club will now make a really special effort to promote our
forthcoming AGM to encourage a host of persons to attend a meeting that
I believe will shape the destiny of Passage for the next few years. I
know from discussions I had with people in recent months, that there is
still a great depth of goodwill for the club across many age groups. We
must strive to harness that goodwill and open the club to future
prosperity on and off the field?
A major item of discussion at the forum
was registration/membership fees for all players, all grades. Croke Park
have now issued a directive, that will prevent any player from
participation in games, or even training, on pitches invested in the
association, unless a player is a fully paid up member of any club for
2011 before a sliothar or football appears on the horizon. It may seem
harsh at first light, but the reality is a player can also be seriously
injured in a training match as much as any hard fought game. So if
Passage do not have fully paid up players lined up for the commencement
of the new 2011 season with certain teams, then the club will have no
alternative, but withdraw from a particular competition.
Passage, like
all other clubs in the 32 counties, will have to bite the bullet on this
matter, and come what may, that rule is now written in stone - no pay –
no play for 2011. Joe Madden gave an eloquent reading and lecture on the
implications of this new rule by Croke Park at our forum. Thank you,
Joe.
Manning Park:
The annual upkeep of the 13 acres complex at Manning
Park has now reached epic heights in financial terms and finding the
resources is a major task. Ned Harrington, our greatest and longest
serving volunteer, cannot keep the club to the forefront for too long
more with his daily work input at Manning Park. I believe that all units
of the club availing of the services of the Manning Park complex for
recreational use, will be obliged to fundraise individually amongst
their own playing community. This will be a necessity as a levy needs to
be placed on each and every team using the grounds over the forthcoming
year. That levy will be discussed with each individual team manager and
the amount payable will be agreed in the short term following mutual
discussions. Our senior committee can no longer carry that major
financial burden into 2011. Manning Park is open to camogie, ladies
football, hurling and gaelic football and with a new pitch now also on
the horizon, it is imperative that all parties availing of the splendid
services, should share the burden of upkeep. Sponsorship for 2011: This
subject is an extremely important item on the agenda. We will be
requesting all team managers to submit the projected cost of running
each and every team wearing the Passage colours for 2011 to our
committee. It will no longer be best practise to have one unit of the
club requesting a business to donate sponsorship or prizes and another
unit of the club making another approach a week later to the same
business. Full details of our proposals will be addressed to team
mangers when we have our new committee fully insitu.
Forthcoming
Fundraising Projects:
A number of projects need to commence rapidly to
provide a much needed boost to income. Recently Dave Maxwell paid Croke
Park €6,000 arrears fees for insurance on teams for 2010 and further
fees were also paid earlier in the year. The club was at a major loss in
this transaction and this will not be repeated for the 2011 season as
Croke Park have already introduced new tough measures to all clubs in
the 32 counties. A project we have identified with imminent potential in
the short term is a competition for all fans of Celtic; ManU; Liverpool
and Arsenal. This particular project will be designated to our new
Passage Social Inter Action Club for senior citizens and will be run by
a small and selective committee. This project is not a directly run
promotion by Passage GAA club. My own business – ScoreBoard Memories [Irl]
has run this project annually for 10 years with pubs all over Ireland.
It is called the BIG4 Football Challenge. For this promotion, ScoreBoard
Memories will mange the project and hand over the entire proceeds to
Dave Maxwell to pay bills on behalf of Passage G.A.A. club and also
contribute to promoting our monthly senior citizens events. Noel Collins
and Thomas Farrell will act as volunteers to acquire contestants from
far and wide and we could do with several more volunteers to assist with
this task. The competition is open to pubs, businesses and clubs to
nominate teams. All questions are based on the BIG4. Our target is 50
teams of 4 players - €40 per team. Prizes will be announced as soon as
possible when we have completed negotiations with potential sponsors.
The quiz night will be scheduled for the clubhouse. Three heats leading
to a final will decide our winners A good attendance will help with our
bar business also. Can you help? Leeside Talent Contest & The Billy
Cotter Memorial Cup: We are currently trawling sponsorship avenues for
our prizes and when completed we will announce a commencement date. Our
target for commencement of Talent Contest is October. King Of Heartbreak
Hill: Church Hill, Passage West. Some people find it hard to walk but
others will relish the challenge. It is the finishing straight to a road
race set for 24 th October. It is a Passage GAA Fundraiser. Mr. Michael
O’Connell of Mansfield, Passage West, has kindly consented to act as our
consultant for this major promotion. Further details will be announced
shortly. Again we need quality volunteers to come on board for
organising and promoting this event.
Passage Social Inter Action Club:
This is a senior citizens promotion. An Afternoon Show at Manning Park
is available for allcomers and everyone is welcome. We will also need
volunteers for a few hours to help with preparation of snacks and
serving of same to patrons. Music will be complimented by well known
Cork Piano Accordion Champion player, Con Dreaper, who will give a live
performance of some really great songs. Con will also back a few singers
along the way. I am calling on all browsers of this article to inform
your parents, aunts, uncles and all relatives and neighbours and friends
about this new monthly Afternoon Show. Further details – watch this
space.
Recent Matches: A winning mentality is evident in the games I
have witnessed, which is both prosperous and very pleasing. Passage have
some really good talent emerging in both hurling and football, and a
prosperous future can be anticipated at adult levels, but only if we
remember the famous Keano line – Fail to Prepare – Prepare to Fail. Mick
Mahony says great days are around the corner – he didn’t say what corner
- but if we all had Mick’s pulse for the clubs fortunes – Passage club
would be up there with the Newtowns and the Sars in no time.
Golden Jubillee 1960 – 2010: Next Friday night we will salute the men of 1960
who won the clubs last major hurling title in 1960 – all of fifty years
ago. That title was the Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship. A gala
night of celebration – with an open door to all players and supporters
of the club, all ages, will be held at the Manning Park clubhouse. Our
1960 legends will assemble at 8pm for a Meet and Greet gathering
followed by a buffet meal. At 9pm the doors will be open to all comers
for a wonderful evening of nostalgia and great music provided by famous showband legend, Declan Ryan. And remember your club needs all the
support it can muster at this difficult time. Other Matters: Some very
important games on the horizon at all levels. Keep your eyes on the ball
and best of luck. One day at at a time will do fine.
CU soon.
Regards
Derry Doody