10 August 2011
The 2010/11 AGM of Club Aontroma took place in O’Neill’s Sports Boardroom in Andersonstown last night, 9th August.
While the attendance was smaller than the CA committee would have wished, there were representatives present from each unit within the GAA family in Antrim. County Chairman Cathaoirleach Jim Murray was joined by colleagues Joe Edwards, Frankie Quinn, Philip Christie and Brendan Mulgrew, representing County Management committee while ladies football and camogie were also represented.
Club Aontroma Secretary Frank MacElhatton (pictured) reported on the main fundraising activities of 2010 / 11 which included the Half Time draw at Antrim’s senior hurling and football National League matches and the successful Night at The Dogs which is set to be repeated this October at Drumbo. Another source of fundraising remains the core subscribers to CA. Frank also highlighted the high profile Club Aontroma Twitter feed which provides timely updates on developments in the county to almost 1,000 followers. Crucially, the body handed over £66,000 to the County Board in the course of the year, towards the completion of the Dunsilly project. Other donations in the past year went to ladies football and camogie.
Club Aontroma Chairman Colm McKenna outlined an ambitious 5 year vision for CA, built on core fundraising events, a targeted donations efforts focussed on Dunsilly and most significantly a membership scheme which will be launched next month. Colm paid tribute to the work of the small and dedicated CA committee, especially Carl Whyte and Patricia Goldsmith who have carried the bulk of the work in putting together the membership scheme. Mention was also made of the forthcoming golf classic in Ballycastle, set for Friday 19th August, which has already outsold the previous Club Aontroma Golf Classic held in Antrim in May this year.
The attendees were introduced to Catherine O’Hara who has come on board in a sales / administration capacity and is already making a difference by adding the most crucial element to the work of the CA volunteers: time. Catherine and Frankie Quinn have helped ensure the success of the Golf Classics.
County Chairman addressed the meeting and stressed the importance of the work of Club Aontroma, as the main fundraising body in the county. While two separately constituted bodies it is clear that the partnership between Club Aontroma and Antrim County Board is very strong with a shared vision, a shared determination and a shared drive to see our county being as successful as it can be.
Jim oversaw the election of officers which saw the return of Executive members:
Colm McKenna, Chairman
Frank MacElhatton, Secretary
Roisin Lynch, Treasurer
Carl Whyte, PRO
The outgoing committee was also returned and Colm McKenna re iterated his oft made appeal for other GAA members in the county to join in the work of Club Aontroma.
