2000 Annual General Meeting

Presidents Report

It is with pleasure that I present my second presidents report to members at the Annual General Meeting of the Shamrocks Gaelic Football Club.

Sponsors

First of all and most importantly I am honoured to thank the major sponsors of the club.

East Coast Gravel and Chris McGirl is a long time supporter of Shamrocks, as well as Queensland Gaelic Football. Everyone should thank Chris for his generous support.

Mayoor Thakeria and Auroras in Albert Street in the City provided very good support throughout the season. Shamrocks held various social functions there. All members are also asked to support Auroras whenever they can, and make sure you wear your Shamrocks shirts AND identify yourself to Mayoor (pronounced May–or) while you’re there.

Committee

Your committee in 2000 included Nicholas Carpenter, Patricia McGirl-Duell, Kim Nolan, Jacqueline Peacock, Luke Devitt, Mick Joyce, Andy White, James Marshall, Brent Nolan. The committee met monthly throughout the year. All are to be congratulated for voluntarily contributing enormous time and effort, without which the many levels of success of Shamrocks could not have been achieved.

Several Shamrocks also contributed to the Queensland Gaelic Football Association by being on the State committee. Nicholas Carpenter, Jacqueline Peacock, Andy White, and at times Billy Rockett, Christine Meier and Patricia McGirl-Duell. The State committee means putting club priorities aside, to fully consider the bigger picture for the advancement of Gaelic Football as a whole, and all Shamrocks members should be congratulated for remaining focussed to this end.

The support and encouragement of the Queensland president Seamus Sullivan is also greatly acknowledged. Seamus provides the environment and support that allows clubs to grow and prosper.

Finance

Kim Nolan as treasurer is to be congratulated in completing a very important and difficult job as club treasurer. Please see her financial report that shows that Shamrocks again operated in surplus for the year. Sound financial stewardship protects the financial and emotional investment made by all sponsors, members and supporters. Responsible control must continue to be exercised for the club to build towards a reasonable level of operating reserves.

Membership

Membership numbers continues to grow. Our 90 registered members of this year represent a 7% increase on the previous year.

We can’t stop now, so everyone needs to recruit more players, members and supporters for next year. So start searching for all that untapped talent as we drive to break the 100 members barrier for the first time!

The year got off to a unique start with a county coach John Kelleher providing his time for a short coaching clinic back in January. We opened this up to all clubs so that Queensland Gaelic Football could get the maximum benefit from John’s presence. It is this type of special event that we hope to continue to introduce new and existing players to advanced skills and drills of the game. It got the year off to a quality start, and we thank John for donating his time and efforts.

Social

Shamrocks held various social events throughout the year. As always there seemed to be a group of members who were always there. But we also need to attract others, so next year make sure you spread the work when an event is happening. Also think of ideas for new and innovative social events. The more, and the more varied, the better!

2000 social events included: Sign-on BBQ, St Patrick’s Day Parade, Sports Day, City Early Season Social, Fancy Dress & Quiz Night, Fancy Dress II, Brisbane Shield Celebration, the Championship Celebration at Auroras, Annual Awards Presentation.

The annual awards presentation night was a classic. So anyone who didn’t go not only missed out on collecting their players medal, but also missed out on a fantastic night, and seeing what perhaps was the worst performance of karaoke ever by Damian Joyce and Michael Shakhovskoy. (Sorry guys, but the sound is burned into my brain.)

Promotions

New members were sought through university notice boards, St Patrick’s Day Parade flyer distribution, personal referrals, internet and news marketing.

During the season this included the web site www.come.to/shamrocks that averages 150 hits per week. Shamrocks gained twenty news stories including the Sunday Mail, Irish Echo, South-West News, Westside News, Limerick Leader, Cork and Limerick Evening Echo, Inside Cork, Cork Southern Star, Corkman, Limerick 95FM.

The club business card has now been produced and is now being distributed by members and supporters overseas and throughout Brisbane. They are available for collection for anyone who needs them to recruit more talented players for next year!

The best way to grow the club is for all members to personally encourage others to join. I hope the new committee will remain committed to supporting any ideas and initiatives that anyone suggests.

Results

The year was the third consecutive season of 32 or more wins for the club, and produced three team trophies. Coaches and managers Jacqueline Peacock, Joan Moynihan, Andy White, Steve Talbot, Mick Joyce, and later in the year Stephen Mulligan are to be thanked for their contribution.

Inter Club Sports Day Trophy

Shamrocks became the inaugural winners of the Inter Club Sports Day Trophy, awarded from results in track & field and assorted events at the annual Queensland Gaelic Football Association sports day each February prior to the start of the football season. We need the support of all members (as well as any juniors you know 6 years or older) this coming February if we are to successfully defend the trophy.

Brisbane Shield

Shamrocks ladies won the Brisbane Shield for the third consecutive time, with Shamrocks remaining the only club eve to have won the trophy.

Senior Championship

Shamrocks, with six consecutive losses, overcame what was perhaps the slowest start of any Championship winner ever to win the Queensland Senior Championship Trophy for only the second time. It’s nice to win any trophy, but the Championship trophy is the big one, and we need to keep attracting new players for all grades if we are to not only successfully defend the Senior Championship, but also go for a treble of Championships across all grades next season.

The honours won by Shamrocks players this year was again outstanding, and included several new faces. All are worth recording here.

Queensland awards

Senior Mens Best New Player – Adrian Darbellay, Senior Ladies Best & Fairest – Angie Doyle, Most Consistent – Jacqueline Peacock, Best New Player – Natalie Mollison, Reserve Mens Most Improved – Luke Devitt, Under 18 Mens Most Improved – John Carpenter, Under 18 Ladies Best & Fairest - Renee Moynihan

Queensland representatives

Three Shamrocks represented Queensland in April against the touring Allied Irish Bank team that included several inter-county stars. Shamrocks included Dan Fraser, Adrian Darbellay, and Stephen Mulligan.

Seven Shamrocks represented Queensland at the Australasian Gaelic Games in Adelaide in October. Mary Kelleher and Jacqueline Peacock elected captains, Renee Moynihan, Patricia McGirl-Duell, Kirsten Geary, Emily Sangster, Glenn Carpenter coach

Australasian all-stars

Three Shamrocks were selected in the Australasian All-Star team as a result of outstanding performances at the Australasian Games. Mary Kelleher, Renee Moynihan, and Jacqueline Peacock

World Cup champions

Three Shamrocks played in the World Cup winning Australasian team in Dublin in September. Angie Doyle, Louise O’Neill, Jacqueline Peacock. The achievement in winning the World Cup, beating North America in extra time in the final, is enormous and cannot be overstated. The Shamrocks committee was happily able to provide a small grant to the three Australasian players to help offset the large travel costs.

Future

Increased membership

For the club to continue, we must continue to grow in numbers and in quality. While we all want to win every game, we also want to have fun doing it. So there will always be a place for everyone. More members, more supporters!

Tour of Ireland

A Tour of Ireland has been touted for September 2001, culminating in attending the All-Ireland final in Dublin. Already several Irish clubs have offered their support. Mick Joyce is keen to get this going. However, to ensure it happens we need firm commitment from all those interested. And that means a financial deposit and you working to fundraise for travel, accommodation, uniforms, tracksuits etc. The opportunity to tour and play football in Ireland is something few Australians ever get to achieve. To do it as a club would be fantastic. Planning and fundraising needs to start today. See Mick to reserve a seat.

Junior development

Junior Development is a must for Shamrocks and Gaelic Football to grow. We are in a lucky position that Jacqueline Peacock is keen to do this. She has done an outstanding job this year under the Queensland banner, with help coming exclusively from Shamrocks members Mary Kelleher, Clarissa McKay, Scott Ingram, James Marshall, Stephen Mulligan, and Don McMillan. The club can therefore build on this year and develop primary school and high school teams for the coming year. Any schoolteachers out there who have enough in their schools for a couple of teams? See Jacqueline, and I hope that the club is in a position to provide material assistance to develop on-going teams.

More ideas

Other ideas for the future have included Shamrocks getting our own ground, our own clubhouse, and our own air-conditioned corporate box at Willawong! Ideas become goals, and goals become reality. So everyone, please keep dreaming of ideas and Shamrocks can make them reality if we all move forward with the same goal in sight.

Thank you for the opportunity to be president in 2000. And thank you to everyone to contributed through the year.

Harold Peacock

2000 Shamrocks GFC president