The AGM began with an introduction by the Chair (Rose Anne). She noted that the Society has been in existence for 17 months, and that committee meetings have been held regularly every month for the past 15 months. In those 17 months, there have been 16 monthly lectures and 2 member tours.

Highlights from the past 17 months were then presented by the Secretary (Arlene). These included the Oral History Project (which won grant funding and an award), our work providing genealogical research help to members of the diaspora, our public lectures which averaged 75 in attendance at each of the 16 we have held (with a peak of 140 in attendance), our Saturday Morning History Club social club and scanning service, our membership scheme to raise funds for printing and speaker expenses, and our greeting card initiative where we aimed to spread awareness of our area’s beautiful historic landscape.

The Treasurer (Graham) then presented the accounts for the year past. Discussion on possible future projects followed this.

The Chair (Rose Anne) then expressed thanks for all of the support that we have received since inception. Particular thanks went to Killaloe Library, Wood and Bell Café, the Lakeside Hotel, the Killaloe-Ballina Family Resource and Community Centre, the Nenagh Guardian, the Clare Champion, Whelans Shop, and Kincora Guesthouse for their sponsorship of the Society. We have received encouragement and found great friendship in our neighbours the Castleconnell Historical Society, and in the Limerick Chapter of the Irish Georgian Society. Cáit Ní Cheallacháin in particular has advised the Society many times and generously shared her expertise, as has Siobhán Mulcahy. We are so grateful to Reverend Gary Paulson, Bryan Brislane, and the team at St Flannan’s Cathedral, for sharing their building and stories with our members on tour, and the Grupp family of Clarisford Palace for their encouragement and warm welcome. We also wish to thank Fr James Grace and Pat McLeish for allowing us to hold our only ‘on location’ talk in St Flannan’s Catholic Church last April.

The 2019 committee was then elected, and is as follows. Chairperson: Arlene White. Secretary: Deborah Dudgeon. Research Officer: Elaine Dinan. Membership Officer: Mary Goss. Acting Treasurer: Rose Anne White. We welcome applications for new committee positions as two valued members, Jessica Brown and Graham Lightfoot, have retired from the committee. The 2019 committee will serve for one year.

Two small changes were made to the Society’s Constitution to better word some clauses.

The outgoing Chairperson, Rose Anne, made closing comments which emphasised the two principles that the Society had at its core – to keep it local, and to keep it free. In regards to the first, she talked about the absolute wealth of historic material that was on our doorsteps, and pointed out that we have never been stuck for a speaker on a local issue, and in fact are booked through until 2020. Our monthly talks have drawn people from outside the Killaloe-Ballina area into our twin towns, and brought business and media coverage with them. She also talked about our roots in Killaloe Library, and how libraries are often described as ‘the last place where you are a citizen and not a consumer’. This is the sentiment that we hold up when we keep our talks free and accessible to everyone.

There was a proposal of thanks from the audience for the work done by the committee in the past year before the AGM drew to a close.

Provisional Agenda

– Introduce present committee.
– Any apologies.
– Chair and Secretary report on last 17 months in general.
– Report on any special projects (membership/ scanning/ oral history).
– Report of Treasurer on accounts.
– Preview of next 12 months from Chair and Secretary.
– Feedback from members on general activity/ suggestions for next 24 months.
– Election of committee for next 24 months.
– Read the constitution and suggest any changes or additions.

Happy New Year!