02 August 2011
A Chara
Club Aontroma AGM 2011
O’Neill’s Sports, Kennedy Centre – Tuesday 9th August 2011 at 8.00pm
I am delighted to invite you to join me at our AGM, which takes place on Tuesday 9th August 2011 at 8.00pm in the boardroom of O’Neill’s Sports, Kennedy Centre, Belfast.
The AGM is an extremely important event in our calendar. It gives the opportunity to reflect on what we have done and what we need to do to fully play our part in developing our games within the county. This year has been a little disappointing for our senior football and hurling teams, with our footballers back to Division 3 and our hurlers missing out on the play off stages of the league and the All Ireland ¼ final. On the bright side, we are moving, albeit slowly, in the right direction with the hurlers recording their first win in a Leinster Championship. Our Camogs continue to build on last year’s All Ireland victory and hope to repeat the success this year at intermediate level. Our lady footballers continue to work hard and our Minors contest an All Ireland Final this weekend. However, we must be realistic. Recent heavy defeats in senior and minor hurling and senior football championships show us just how far behind we are in relation to the top counties in the game – just how far we are from the position we should aspire to be. But what are we going to do about it?
As you may be aware, the plans for our county’s new Centre of Participation at Dunsilly are well advanced. This initiative will create a centrally located facility with a sports hall, fitness suites, multiple pitches including a “state of the art” championship size 3G surface and very much more. This development will allow us in Antrim to realize the full potential within our association and to build the future that our younger generations deserve; a future that we as a county can and must deliver. We in Club Aontroma, are ready to play a pivotal role in raising the finance to realize these aspirations. To achieve success, we need more people to come forward to help. The opportunities as presented by county management are much too attractive to miss. We cannot and will not allow that to happen. Together and only together, we can do it.
Despite the relative lack of success in 2011, our teams in Antrim have shown that they can win and bring pride back to the county jersey. The team that is Club Aontroma has a very clear goal – to raise the necessary finance to make the “on the field” success possible and continuing. We need every one to work together. Already a number of very committed donors are helping to make a difference in Antrim. We want to widen the net and bring in more members and activists as we move forward. The time for sitting back and waiting for someone else to do it has passed. It is up to every one of us to take control of our county’s future.
We will use the AGM to outline the plans we are developing in addition to our fundraising events such as the “Dunsilly Draws”, Club Aontroma Race Nights and Golf Classics. These plans are by necessity very ambitious but they are equally exciting and when realized they will make a real and lasting difference to our association in this great county.
Many of you are already making a real difference and fully playing your part. Are the rest of us ready to stand up and be counted?
I look forward to seeing you.
Is Mise, Le Meas
Colm McKenna – Chairman
www.clubaontroma.com
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