On Monday night last January 21st we held the Annual General Meeting of the Bride Rovers Hurling and Football Club. WE had a new venue this year as for the first time the AGM was held in the Old Rathcormac NS building . It was a great meeting though tinged with sadness due to the death of our esteemed outgoing Treasurer Dan Quill. Dan's death last November was a huge shock to everyone in the parish and the AGM which had been scheduled for November was postponed as a result. Many fulsome and deserved tributes were paid to Dan on Monday night last for his outstanding work over many years for the Club. It is surely a great tribute to the man that the Club's Finances are in a healthy state.
Chairman Richie O Regan opened the meeting and welcomed all and said it was great to see a much larger attendance than in recent years.
Runai Daniel Lane read the minutes of the last AGM which were proposed, seconded and adopted.
On Friday November 9th last we were met with the devastating news that our Club Treasurer Dan Quill had passed away suddenly at his home in the early hours of that morning.
Dan and his dear wife Mary moved to Rathcormac in the 1980’s and from day one he immersed himself in Bride Rovers. It was through this work that Dan gained the respect of so many as he quickly gathered a reputation for being hard working and trustworthy.
He held many positions in those early years and was both Treasurer and Chairman of our Juvenile club. This led him into team management where Dan was manager of our Junior A Hurling team for five years and then became manager of our Junior C Hurlers and was honoured to be at the helm in 2016 when the Junior C’s won the East Cork Championship.
In 2011 he was appointed Treasurer of our adult club. This came at a time when the club were looking at upgrading our facilites, Dan with his expertise in banking was in the right place at the right time. He worked very hard, putting in long hours overseeing that the paperwork was completed correctly and even travelling to the Department in Killarney to secure grant aid and funding for our astroturf facilities, which was built debt free. These facilities stand as a testament to Dan’s dedication and hard work.
Dan was our weekly lotto draw co-ordinator and he oversaw this every Tuesday night and ensured everything was meticulously looked after. He always enjoyed his Tuesday night, having the craic with the lads and looked forward to it every week. Since his passing I have missed my regular Tuesday night catch up with Dan, as I used to drop my tickets to his home. I was always met with a smile as we discussed the week’s events along with matches played and yet to be played.
Dan was great for keeping you grounded when required and was always a source of advice to me when certain issues or problems arose. Dan was straight in his own unique way and always said it out as he saw it. The large numbers that gathered for his wake and funeral mass were an indication of how highly regarded people in the community and in Bride Rovers held Dan Quill.
As I finish up as Secretary of the club I am honoured to have worked with so many great officers but I will always remember fondly working alongside Dan, even with the age gap that existed between the two of us we became very close and I will be forever thankful to Dan for this friendship.
Bride Rovers is in a better place thanks to the contribution of Dan Quill.
Daniel Lane has completed his three year term as Club Runai and during that time he served the Club brilliantly as Runai, selector, Board Delegate, player and member of numerous sub-committees. Thanks Daniel, you are a truly an outstanding Bride Rovers Clubman.
Since the death of Dan Quill Liam Barry had stepped in as Treasurer pro tem and he presented the Financial Statement for 2018. With the income from the Club 100, Lotto and GAA Members Draw providing major finances we are in a good financial position. Close on €45,000 was spent on works in the pitch and grounds during the year. With major Development plans on the cards Liam hoped we would get an increased take-up for the Club 100 scheme in 2019.
Next up was Club Chairman Richie O Regan. In a wide ranging address he dealt with all facets of the Club in the past year on and off the playing fields. He thanked each and every member and player for their ongoing efforts and asked for a bigger involvement for the coming year. He said we have great players and members in Bride Rovers and looked forward to a great season in 2019.
Club President Pat O Connor took the Chair for the Election of Officers for the coming year and wished the Club all the best.
Vice Pres. Fr O Donnell, Canon Leamy, Mick Barry, Henry Hazlewood, Tom Barry, John Arnold.
Childrens Officer Pa O Driscoll.
Health & Wellbeing Officer Jerome O Driscoll.
Coaching Officers Brian Murphy & Jerome O Driscoll.
East Cork Board Delegates Brendan O Driscoll & John Arnold.
The Members of the various sub-committees will be announced shortly.
The major item of discussion at the meeting was the completely unsatisfactory way in which ordinary Club Players are now being treated by the GAA. Outgoing Senior Manager Pat Walsh stated that it is virtually impossible to arrange training nowadays because playing a S Championship game in April and the next game two, three or even four months later is wrong. The GAA is now giving over the summer to 2% of it's players at Inter county level while the Club players -98 % of all hurlers and footballers, are treated shamefully not knowing when the next game will be. Many speakers felt that if this situation continues it will be impossible to keep Clubs going. Players will drift away, to America for the summer where they'll have plenty of games Sunday after Sunday. Starting championships in April and then stopping until August or September benefits no player or Club.
The Club Victory Social will be held in the Silver Springs Hotel on Friday March the 9th, full details shortly.
Scor celebrates it's 50th Anniversary this year. This coming weekend here in Cork several events to mark this anniversary will be held. On Saturday in Kilcrumper Cemetery a wreath laying ceremony will be held at the grave of Derry Gowen who was so involved in the founding of Scor in 1969. On Saturday night a Gala Scor Concert will be held in Pairc Ui Chaoimh commencing at 7.30pm.
On Sunday evening in Lisgoold the East Cork Scor Final will be held and we hope to be involved in these competitions. Last Saturday night in Ovens the County Senior Scor Quiz Final took place. Our Senior team of Pa O Driscoll, Robert Barry, Mossy O Sullivan and John Arnold finished in 5th place. Our under 17 side of Ronan O Connell, Jacob Powell, Adam Hayes and David Barry finished in 3rd place and were presented with trophies, well done lads.