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Adult GAA Annual General Meeting   09/01/2021

Annual General Meeting 2020

Our Annual General Meeting took place last night and for the first time it was not possible to greet our members to our clubhouse, instead we had an online gathering.

Chairperson, Cate Donohoe welcomed everyone to the meeting and expressed the sympathies of the club to the following families who suffered bereavements during the past week - the Jordan family, the Hearne family, the Walsh family and the family of Cannon Noel Hartley who was President of the club while he administered in the parish of Kilmuckridge.
 
Michael Sinnott (Runaí) gave a report outlining activities on and off the field in this strange year that we all suffered the effects of the pandemic. He gave a full report on the performance of our three adult teams during the short playing season in 2020.  Our first team, having been well prepared, fell short in the Co. Final to a very strong Crossabeg-Ballymurn team while our second team bowed out of the championship at quarter-final stage. Both teams unearthed a number of young players who no doubt will learn from their first experience at adult level and will go on to represent the club with pride in years to come. Our third team, competing in the District championship, just got two games in the championship due to the shorter season. However, as with the two higher teams, a number of young players got to showcase their skills. For the first time we entered two football teams which was very important this year due to the fact that we had the split season and once we had exited the hurling, the players had the football to look forward to. Appreciation to all the players, managers, selectors and backroom teams for their dedication and commitment made more difficult with so many restrictions in place due to Covid-19.
 
Off the field we had a busy year with our usual draws, etc. Our monthly draw re-commenced in April thanks to Tom Lawless for facilitating the draw when we weren’t allowed to operate in our own clubhouse. The Club and County draw, while ran at a later stage than usual was a huge success. We were fortunate to be able to run our annual early year fundraisers before the lockdown arrived, namely, Poker, Sunday Lunch and Tony Doran GAA Quiz.
 
With the help of LEADER funding and the work of volunteers, our walking track was extended to the perimeters of our three pitches and is now lit up.  This addition to facilities is a huge asset to all ages in the community for safe exercising. Also, a stand was erected and other necessary small projects were undertaken. When it was safe to return to games, the club grounds were looking splendid with a lot of painting and general housekeeping carried out during the lockdown.
 
On the community involvement front, club members took on the role of ensuring that the vulnerable and cocooning members of our parish were looked after during the pandemic while we had members who stepped into the role of volunteer drivers for the local Meals on Wheels. In conjunction with David Minogue of Wexford Co. Council, the club was part of the community response plan that ensured that the community were looked after. With charities unable to hold their usual 
fundraisers, the hurlers and camogie players together with club members and the community came together in June to raise funds for two worthy charities - the local St. Vincent de Paul Society and Aware. The fundraising venture “Virtual Trip to Croker” witnessed members coming together to run, cycle, walk to raise a staggering €8,000”.
 
The outgoing Treasurer, Ger Hendrick displayed a detailed spreadsheet outlining our income and expenditure for the year. He went through item for item explaining the costs involved with the various projects and the regular expenses that we pay year in year out. 
He highlighted the fact that membership, and in particular social/non playing membership showed a significant increase this year with a high number opting to pay via our online ClubForce App. Despite having overseen a vast amount of work and expenditure on our facilities, Ger has left the club in a very healthy position for the year ahead when will have Patrick Laffan taking over the reigns as Treasurer.

All reports were formally adopted. 
 
The Chairperson, Cate Donohoe in her address thanked everyone who contributed in any way to Buffers Alley during the year, team mentors, players, volunteers, club executive, committee members, sponsors and the community who support the club on an ongoing basis. She congratulated all players who donned the purple & gold in 2020 and any club members involved with county teams or squads. She paid a special tribute to outgoing Treasurer, Ger Hendrick for his support to the club over the past number of years, both in his role as Treasurer and his link with Renault Ireland which has been very beneficial to the club during fundraising ventures. She also paid tribute to Colm Hearne who spearheaded the walking track, Bingo and has currently other plans in the pipeline.  He takes on projects and then gets volunteers to row in behind him. Prior to lockdown we welcomed on board our new GPO, James Donoghue who is working with both our feeder primary schools while also of huge benefit to our coaching and Coiste na nÓg section. Let’s hope restrictions are lifted soon and we’ll see James back again at our grounds. 

Appreciation to our loyal Sponsor, Seán Doyle of Upton Court and Holiday Cottages, Kilmuckridge for his continued support. 

Following ratification of officers and team managements, the meeting concluded with  the Chairperson expressing a vote of sympathy to everyone in the club and families of former members who suffered bereavements during the past year. She wished everyone associated with Buffers Alley all the best for 2021.  Our deceased members of the club will be remembered at Mass tomorrow morning Sun. 10th January in the local church in Kilmuckridge.

To quote Charles Dickens “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times”. That sums up 2020!  Onwards and Upwards to 2021.


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