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CHAIRMAN’S CALL: With the Austin Stack Club Annual General Meeting going ahead on 13th January, Christmas provides all of our members with an opportunity to reflect on becoming directly involved in our Club’s activities in 2021.
A great deal was accomplished during the past year at Club Executive Committee level but a great deal remains to be done.
All positions on our Club Executive Committee are up for appointment at the AGM, so I’m requesting members to go forward for election.
The Executive needs people with the leadership, motivational and organisational skills that will provide Austin Stacks with a super Club Executive Committee to lead us forward. I am encouraging all members who feel they have the necessary skills-set or who believe that they can do better than any current Club Executive Committee members, including the Chairman, to contest positions at the AGM.
Democratic contest at our annual meeting for leadership positions is a very healthy exercise and I, for one, will be very pleased to give way to a better candidate, if that is the decision of the delegates.
Eight subcommittees, each chaired by a member of the Executive Committee, were established or reorganised during the past year. The excellent contribution of these subcommittees enriched the quality of the service provided to our members. It is intended to set up one or two more subcommittees in the new year to complete the efficient administration of the Club.
All of these subcommittees have a focussed brief and would welcome new members in 2021. The Club has many fine members whose expertise will be invaluable on these subcommittees.
It is my sincere wish that all of our players will have the best possible experiences of coaching, skills development and game preparation during the year. To accomplish this and to make all of our teams competitive and successful in their competitions, I am appealing to our members to take on the roles of managers, trainers and team officials at whatever level they feel comfortable.
My primary organisational aim for 2021 is to have as many club members as possible active in the administration of the club and in team mentoring. If we hope to have a super club in 2021, a club that will challenge for titles at all levels, we need more involvement in our very large club.
Despite the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic during the past year, a united and ambitious Austin Stacks Club weathered the storm well, complied in a disciplined manner with all the health directives and emerged stronger than ever.
We move forward together with the passion, unity, common purpose and desire for success that we have inherited from those who went before us during the past century. So, in 2021 my chosen motto remains unchanged – ‘Ask not what your club can do for you. Rather ask, what you can do for your great Austin Stacks Club!
CLUB AGM: Due to Covid 19 restrictions this year’s Club AGM will be held virtually via Microsoft Teams on Wednesday 13th January, 2021 at 7.30pm. If you wish to participate please email secretary.austinstacks.kerry@gaa.ie and a link “to join the meeting” on January 13th will be emailed to you.
We will also email (all those participating) a copy of the 2019 minutes, Agenda, Secretary’s Report, Finance Report & Chairman’s report in advance of the meeting. To help manage the meeting in this forum we recommend that any queries/comments regarding the various reports be submitted by email prior to the meeting so that they can be addressed on the night of the AGM. Nominations and Motions for discussion should be emailed to secretary.austinstacks.kerry@gaa.ie to be received on or before 5 p.m. on Tuesday 15th December, 2020. Nominations & motions received after this time shall be deemed to be invalid. Please note our Juvenile Club AGM takes place on 5th January, 2021.
CLUB BAR: Good to hear that our Club Bar has reopened again from last Saturday night with Bar Food on the menu. There are two sittings from 6pm to 8pm and from 8.30pm and 10.30pm. on Saturdays and Sundays. Pre-booking is essential. Ring Harry at 087 2467286 or Denis at 087 9026065. All HSE guidelines must be aghered to at all times.
LADIES CLUB CHRISTMAS DRAW: The Austin Stacks Ladies Club are asking all club members to please support their fabulous Christmas raffle, prizes include €100 Dunnes Stores Voucher, Hampers from Garvey’s Super Valu and Lidl, Voucher from Terry’s Butchers and more. It’s 5 tickets for €10. Purchase online via eventbrite – see link on club website & FB pages – the hard-working members of our Ladies Club would really appreciate your support.
CLUB CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS – purchase your Austin Stacks Brolly from Terrys butchers Oakpark or from P. Commane Books, Rock St Tralee. Hurry only limited stock available. Price €20. Copies of our Centenary History Book 1917-2017 are also still available in Commane’s Book Shop at the reduced price of €15 or purchase online. Finally, a full range of official Austin Stacks Merchandise – jerseys, shorts, hoodies, jackets – kids, ladies, mens are available to purchase online from our O’Neill’s Sport online shop – see link on club website.
HURLING FINALS: After a very entertaining Joe McDonagh Cup Final Kerry just fell short to a very good Antrim side in Croke Park last Sunday, losing by just two points at the end (0-22 to 1-17). Trailing by six points at the end of the third quarter they really dominated the final quarter outscoring the eventual winners by seven points to three. Well done also to Mike O’Halloran and Andrew Morrissey for a brilliant commentary and analysis of the game on Radio Kerry – two men who were outstanding Stacks Hurlers in their day. And well done to our neighbours Limerick who won their 9th All Ireland title and their second in three years.
KERRY MINORS: The best of luck to the Kerry Minors who tale on Cork on this Tuesday night (15th Dec) in the Munster Minor Football semi final in Austin Stack Park. Austin Stacks have 7 players involved in this year’s panel – Ben Quilter, Joey Nagle, Jordan Kissane, Dean Rusk, Shane Bastible, Armin Heinrich and Conor Horan.
ONLINE CLUB SHOP OPEN – check out the newest ‘official’ Austin Stacks Club Merchandise – only available to order on this link (free delivery on any orders over €50) see www.oneills.com
LOTTO RESULTS: This Monday Night’s (14th Dec) Jackpot, worth €13,400, was not won. The numbers drawn were 4, 16, 23, 29.
The €20 winners were: Luke Fitzgerald, Maurice McNamara, John Joe O’Sullivan and Michael Quinlan, all c/o The Club; and Emer Uí Hogáin, c/o Hussey’s.
Continued thanks to the following businesses for selling our Club Lotto tickets – Kevin Barry’s Shop, Commane’s Book Shop, O’Flynn Interiors, Hussey’s, Princess St., Terry’s Butcher’s, Oakpark and The Burger Shack, Monavally.
Austin Stacks lotto tickets are now also available to purchase on line on the following link: https://play.clubforce.com/play_newa.asp?ll_id=529#Anchor Kirby’s Brogue Inn Maguire’s Butchers Hussey’s P. Commane Books.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is also offered to the families of the following who died recently: Victor George Cosman, South Africa, UK, Canada and formerly Clash East; Eddie Kelly, Chapelizod and formerly Tralee; and Richard Walsh, Stillorgan and formerly Tralee.
