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Branch News
22/12/09
44th Annual Dinner and Auction
Branch Secretary Ian Erskine reports:
Dublin Branch held their 44th Annual Dinner and Auction at the City West Hotel and Golf Centre in West Dublin on Friday 27th November 2009.
Our Chairman Padraig O'Shea was host to the 152 attending which included Mr Tom Parlon, Chief Executive of the Construction Industry Federation and also Mr Mark Everett.
The main organiser of the function was Raymond Brett who had secured top entertainer Mr Risteard Cooper and masterminded the Auction. Our Auctioneer Mr Pat Stephenson was completing his 5th and last Auction for the Club for which we thank him; he hands over to Simon Stokes next November.
Our profit on the night which includes the Pre Auction, and which is our main fund raiser, will be down approximately 80% on the average of the last 5 years due to the depressed state of the Industry, which is not expected to recover for some years.
However, this was a good Lighthouse Club social gathering, notwithstanding the Industry’s dire situation.
27/05/09
Donal Looney. A Tribute.
Dublin’s National Council Member, Ian Erskine, reports the sad loss of fellow member Donal Looney and asks that this tribute should appear.
“I would like to pay tribute to Donal Looney, a colleague from our Committee who died earlier this year”.
Donal Looney a Tribute from Dublin Branch
Donal, who served as the branch Welfare Officer for over a decade, passed away on 7th February 2009 and will be greatly missed as a wise council by the committee.
Donal hailed from Cork and worked as Plant Manager for the South of Ireland Asphalt Company (SIAC) in Dublin until his retirement some 11 years ago; he joined the committee in 1988 and took over from Tom O'Keeffe as Welfare Officer in May 1992. He served diligently in this role until March 2003 when he passed the baton on to Denis Kidney.
Donal was one of life's gentlemen, he was very thorough in his handling of cases and exuded courtesy and empathy to the welfare recipients, all the time working closely with the then Fund administrator Roy Williams.
As a community minded person he will be widely missed and this was evident at his funeral, our sympathy is extended to his wife Maeve and family.
06/01/09
43rd Annual Dinner and Auction
Held at Citywest Hotel and Leisure Centre 28th November 2008
Ian Erskine Reports:
In the planning of this event Dublin’s Committee had to acknowledge the major downturn in the Civil Engineering and House Building industries, both of which have seen a spectacular fall in activity that is likely to last 2 to 3 years before returning to a new "Normal". The difficulty is an excess of completed developments and the problems associated with the Banking sector.
As the 28th November approached, Gerry Cosgrave, conscious that this was his last year organising the pre Auction, tried to work miracles, matching donors to buyers. Gerry’s total amounted to a potential € 53k. The Auction on the night added a further € 17k. Those auction results, added to other income, gave us a result in the region of € 65k nett. All things considered a satisfactory outcome for our event. However, this compares poorly with last year’s record breaking €117k. contribution to our Benevolent Fund.
Oh for the Celtic Tiger!
Our numbers, at 260 including committee and guests, were well down. We lost all the financial tables, amounting to at least 60 people, and many of our other supporters failed to take up their customary "second" tables.
In spite of these tribulations it was, as ever, an excellent social occasion with Citywest Hotel providing a very fine meal. Our guest, Club Administrator Jane Lowry, who organises the Club’s National Dinner, remarked on the smooth running of our event, a deserved compliment to our Committee under our Chairman Padraig O'Shea and our Functions Secretary Raymond Brett.
Our principle entertainer, Oliver Callan, was brilliant performer, while he was on you could have heard a pin drop. Anyone who has attended a Dublin Branch Annual Dinner will recognise that as being a masterful, indeed an almost unique, achievement!
In looking forward to November 2009 we hope for a more certain business climate as our Case load is more likely to increase in a down turn and this has to be funded.
03/07/08
Dublin’s 16th Annual Golf Classic
Dublin’s much prized ‘Liam O’Connor Trophy
On the 20th June 2008 the Dublin Branch of the Lighthouse Club,
under the Chairmanship of Padraig O'Shea, held its 16th Annual Golf Classic. The Donabate Golf Club, with its modern and beautifully fitted club house, has hosted our event for the past 14 years, and once again we were made most welcome.
The Friday was a fine, sunny day, ideal for good scoring, and just under 60 teams turned out to test their skills against Donabate’s well prepared fairways and immaculate greens.
The winning team
With everyone back in the Club House, our winners were declared. They were the "The Donabate Club Captain's team led by John Galvin”, and it was John who received the Liam O'Connor Trophy from Sadie O'Connor. Second prize went to CLG Developments Ltd. and 3rd prize to Navan Building Services Ltd.
And here’s the winners, with Sadie O’Connor and Liam’s Trophy
Congratulations to our main organisers for this fund raising event - committee members Gerry Cosgrave and David Taylor. Their efforts were well rewarded. And sincere thanks to our (once again) sponsors - Roadstone Ltd, Irish Cement Ltd and John A Woods Ltd. Thanks to their continuing generosity the ‘Lighthouse Club Classic’ at Donabate is an ongoing success.
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