Irish Cruising Club
Annual General Meeting
held on 18th February 2022 immediately following the Extraordinary General Meeting held at 1800hrs
at the National Yacht Club Dun Laoghaire
In Attendance
The Commodore, David Beattie
The Vice Commodore, Derek White
The Rear Commodore South, Ann Lyons
The Hon. Treasurer, Tom Kirby
The Hon. Secretary, Harry Whelehan
Committee:
John Clementson, Ray O’Toole, Tony Linehan, Gráinne Fitzgerald, Alex Blackwell, Peter Cudmore, Julie Chambers, Sean Fergus, Ed Wheeler, Paul Taylor and Des Moran .
Apologies:
Bruce Fennell, Peter Mullan, Robert Michael, Maeve Bell, Des Brown, Alan Markey. and Seamus O’Connor.
Members:
Kenneth Price. John Banim, Peter Fernie, Patrick Blaney, John Crebbin, Jennifer Crebbin, Paul Butler, Justin McKenna, Robert Fowler, David Freeman, Michael O’Rahilly, Trish Phelan, Joe Phelan, Peter Killen, John Marrow, Francis Ennis, Bill Walsh, Terry Giles, Graham Hardy, Robin McKelvey, Paul Maguire, Donal Walsh, Clare Morrissey, Luan Willis, Desmond Cummins, Drewry Pearson, Patricia Adair, Stanton Adair, Gillian Fletcher, John Duggan, Conor O’Regan, Cormac O’Connor, Bill Rea, Michael Murphy, Graham Hardy, Frank O’Beirne, Adrian Hinkson, Viv White, Hal Sisk, Malachi O’Gallagher, Jim O’Meara, Roger Aplin, Paddy Barry, Mike Alexander, Graham Chambers, Ronnie Crosby, Eleanor Cudmore, Brian Cudmore, Ann Clementson, Michael Branagan, Tony Casey, Richard Cudmore, Cliff Hilliard, Alan Rountree, Philip Bourke, Noel Kidney, Paddy Barry, Jim O’Meara, Robert Henshall
Apologies:
David Tucker, Meta Tucker, Dominic Daly, Peter Bullick, Brenda Kelliher, Patricia Watson, Dick Watson, Robert Barker, Des Brown, Peter Cullen, Oliver Lynas, Guy Johnston, Barbara Fennell, Chris Currie, Alan Leonard, Peter Haden, Colin Leonard, Máire Breathnach, Noel Casey, Jack Wolfe, Winkie Nixon, Georgina Nixon, Robert Michael, Rose Michael, Lonan Lardner, Michael McKee, Ann Woulfe- Flanagan, Beverly Killen, Brian McManus, Gerry Sargent.
Minute:
The Minutes of the AGM held on 19th February 2021, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting, were taken as read and approved by the members present on a vote, and were duly signed by the Commodore.
Deceased member:
The Commodore requested the Hon. Secretary to read the list of deceased members since the 2021 AGM as follows:
Joan Nicholson, Arthur R. Baker, Edward J. Sheehy, Pat O’Mahony, Clive Martin, Enda Walsh, John Clapham, Jack Roy, Cecil Richardson, and Stephen Cullen.
The members then, at the request of the Commodore, stood in silence in remembrance of the deceased members.
New Members:
The Commodore requested the Hon. Secretary to read the names of the nine new members elected at the Election Committee Meeting on 14th January 2022 as follows;
Adrian Foote, Janet Woodward, Jim Corbett, John Carton, Michael Boyd, Patricia Adair, Paul French. Richard O’Toole, William Morrison.
The list above having been read, the Commodore welcomed the new members and wished them many happy years as active members of the Club.
The Commodore’s Report
The following is a summary of a very full and detailed report by the Commodore to the AGM.
The continuing difficulty caused in 2021 due to Covid made the year similar to 2020, during which all committee meetings, except one, were conducted by Zoom. Thanks to John Clementson for organising last year’s AGM by Zoom, the committee meetings during the year in addition to many webinars and chat room discussions, all of which were crucial in facilitating contact between members and maintaining the cohesion of the club, notwithstanding the difficulties which dominated the year.
In the Spring and Summer last year four club events took place, all with careful adherence to Covid guidelines and restrictions and each was overseen, on behalf of the club, by the relevant Flag officer of the region, as required by the club’s guidelines. Thankfully all passed off safely: John Clementson organised a BBQ at Newtownards, Seamus O’Connor organised a cruise in Bantry Bay and a race around Whiddy Island. Alan Markey organised a cruise from Howth to Dun Laoghaire via Killiney, while Derek White and Viv organised a rally to Quoile with a BBQ.
Peter Haden continued to organize some events on his own initiative for himself and his Irish colleagues who keep their boats in Galicia.
Christmas lunches and dinners in the East, West and South did not take place due to the restrictions prevailing at Christmas; while in the North it was possible for members to have a well-attended event in the Royal Ulster Yacht Club.
The formal presentation of the Fastnet Trophy to the Royal Cork Yacht Club has been postponed several times. However, it is hoped that this can be put to right at the Annual Dinner in Limavady.
The Club’s publications were a delight despite the impact of the virus. Alex Blackwell produced two Newsletters, while the Annual this year was a tour de force. Both Alex and Máire Breathnach were warmly thanked, as were the contributors to each publication. John Duggan was thanked for the attention which he gave to adjudicating on the awards. The award winners were also congratulated.
Sales of both Sailing Directions, and Cruising Ireland, all increased despite the pandemic, and great credit is due to Norman Kean and Geraldine for their work in updating the SDs, and to Ed Wheeler and the team at ICC Publications.
The nine new members who were announced earlier were congratulated on their election and welcomed to the club. They will be formally introduced at the Annual Dinner in Limavady
The Annual Dinner, arranged by the Vice Commodore and his team, will be over the weekend of March 19th at Limavady. Because of the uncertainty relating to restrictions which prevailed until recently the peripheral activities have been trimmed. The Committee will meet on Friday 18th and the Dinner will be on Saturday night together with the new members’ reception. The Fastnet Trophy will be presented to the Royal Cork Yacht Club.
Turning to the 2022 season, the Western region have arranged a two-week rally centred on the Clew Bay and Galway Bay area with island visits as part of the programme. The arrangements are being made by Ray O’Toole and Alex Blackwell.
That rally will be followed by, and easily linked to, a Kerry/Cork Rally, taking in Dingle, Bantry Bay and West Cork. This rally is being organised by Rear Commodore South, Ann Lyons and her team
In early June a rally on the East Coast to Strangford is planned by the Northern and Eastern committees, Derek White and Alan Markey.
In Galicia. Peter Haden is organising an event for ICC boats based there and he is being assisted by Peter Fernie and John Bourke. It is at present unsure if the Club can secure insurance for this event. if insurance can be obtained and if all the Club’s guidelines are complied with, It will be a Club event., If not it will still take place, but as an informal meeting of members and friends of the Club, but not under the Club banner.
Julie Chambers is organising a Club event on Loch Erne for late September and there has been an uptake of approximately 30 boats, mostly chartered, but also some members with their own boats.
In 2023 the club will celebrate the centenary of the departure of Conor O’Brien (our Club’s first Honorary member) on his outstanding world cruise. Seamus O’Connor and a working group are planning a commemorative cruise to O’Brien’s first stopping off point, Madeira. It is also hoped to mark the centenary with a dinner or lunch in the Royal Irish Yacht Club, O’Brien’s home club, and to have a talk on the background to the cruise, and the cruise itself.
Nearer home in 2023, our members have been invited to join the Clyde Cruising Club rally to the Western Isles, which the CCC is currently planning.
Finally, the Commodore warmly thanked Tom Kirby for his three very successful and often stressful years as Honorary Treasurer and wished him well in his retirement from the role, which he performed with great skill and much humour despite many additional burdens imposed on the role by virtue of the Covid pandemic. He also thanked Ray O’Toole, who is standing down from the committee after six years’ service, though Ray will continue to work on the ‘West’s Awake’ cruise this coming summer.
He also expressed gratitude to his fellow Flag Officers, the Hon. Sec, the Committee, and those performing non-committee roles, for keeping the Club in fine fettle despite trying times over the last year. He also thanked all of the members for their support and loyalty over the last two years, despite the constant stream of bad news. This, he said, had allowed the Club to be ready to reassert itself again in the coming season and beyond.
Honorary treasurer’s report and adoption of the club’s accounts
The Honorary Treasurer said that the accounts had been circulated to members and he did not propose to go through them in detail, but would answer any questions from members. He did point out that in normal years the Club more-or-less breaks even with normal sailing and shore activities. Strangely in the last two year’s, with restricted Club activity both ashore and afloat, the club had managed to make a small surplus.
There were no questions, and the adoption of the Club’s accounts was proposed by the Vice Commodore and seconded by the Hon. Secretary. The proposal was passed without dissent.
The appointment of Club’s Accountants, and their remuneration
The Commodore proposed the appointment of GBW as the Club’s accountants for 2022–2023, and that the Committee be authorised to fix their remuneration. The proposal was seconded by Tom Kirby, and passed without dissent.
Tom Kirby, in conclusion, thanked the Commodore for his kind remarks on his retirement as Hon. Treasurer. He then went on to thank the Commodore and all the Flag Officers, the Hon. Sec, Peter Mullan, John Clementson, Norman Kean and Geraldine, and Ed Wheeler for their support and cooperation. He concluded by wishing Patrick Blaney success in assuming the role of Hon. Treasurer, and offered to be available to assist him in assuming the role.
Election of Officers 2022 – 2023
The following Flag Officers were elected, having been Proposed and Seconded as set out below. Each was duly elected without dissent.
Commodore: David Beattie , Proposed by Harry Whelehan and Seconded by Stanton Adair
Vice Commodore: Derek White, Proposed by David Beattie and Seconded by Jennifer Crebbin
Rear Commodore: Ann Lyons, Proposed by David Beattie and Seconded by Tony Linehan
Rear Commodore: Alan Markey, Proposed by David Beattie and Seconded by Ann Lyons
Hon. Treasurer: Patrick Blaney, Proposed by Tom Kirby and Seconded by Tony Linehan
Hon. Secretary: Harry Whelehan, Proposed by David Beattie and Seconded by Ann Lyons
Election of Committee 2021 – 2022:
On the proposal of Derek White, and seconded by Peter Fernie, in accordance with Rule 11(1), the following were duly elected:
North:
Peter Mullan 8th year, Maeve Bell 6th year, Julie Chambers 3rd year, Dan Brown 3rd year
South:
Bruce Fennell 7th year, Peter Cudmore 5th year, Seamus O’Connor 5th year, Paul Taylor 3rd year
East:
Robert Michael 8th year, Grainne Fitzgerald 7th year, Sean Fergus 6th year, Tony Linehan 3rd year
West:
Des Moran 4th year, James Cahill 1st year, Alex Blackwell 5th year
Ex-Officio:
Ed Wheeler (Chairman ICC Publications Ltd.), John Clementson (Web Editor.)
Any Other Business
There being no other business, the Commodore brought the meeting to a close, and asked his wife, Aoife, to present the Club’s trophies and awards.
