News from the AGM

The 2019 GWOCI AGM was held on Saturday 19th October at the Lough Allen Hotel in Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim. The meeting was very well attended and included a club dinner on the Saturday night with some members making a day trip on the bike while others made a weekend away out of it.

As well as a look back at the biking year, annual reports from committee members and thanking everyone who organised or took part in runs, events, weekends away and the Treffen, a number of club awards were presented to members in recognition of various achievements.

John Kennedy Club Person of the Year Award

Jim Shanahan

This award is in memory of John Kennedy, who died on his way to the Irish Treffen in Glengarriff in 1995. John would do anything he could to help any club member who was having trouble with their bike and was a dab hand at turning less expensive headphones into helmet intercoms! The award is voted on by members of the club at the AGM and is awarded to a club member who wholeheartedly embodies the spirit of the club.

Jim Shanahan receiving the John Kennedy Club Person of the Year Award from Chairperson, Dermott Smith

Brian Burgess Memorial Award

Liam and Carmel Browne

This award is in memory of a long time member and committee member of GWOCI, Brian Burgess. It is presented by the committee to a non-committee member who, in the opinion of the committee, has worked quietly in the background for the good of GWOCI.

Liam and Carmel Browne receiving the Brian Burgess Memorial Award from Chairperson, Dermott Smith

GWOCI Euro Tour Award

2019 Italian Treffen Attendees

Dave and Eilish Whelan | Denis and Rosaleen Dwyer | Rebecca Dwyer | Eamonn Pierce | Richard Pierce | Joe Smith and Michaela | John and Anna Keyes | Kevin and Marian Reynolds | Les and Maureen Cowan | Massimo Murphy | Paschal and Paula Harte | Ray, Maria and Adam Milton | Roger Taft | Steve and Harry Warcup

This patch is awarded to members who have attended the designated international Treffen, as voted for by members at the previous AGM. This year, the designated Treffen was Italy and there was a great show of support from GWOCI members in the Aosta Valley. A total of 14 wings resulted in GWOCI taking home 2nd place - congratulations to all of those in attendance. This was the inaugural year for this award, the idea of which is to encourage members to tour abroad with their wings and we are looking forward to it continuing in the future. Roll on joint designated Treffens for 2020, Austria and Great Britain!

Recipients of the 2019 GWOCI Euro Tour Award for attending the Italian Treffen

GWOCI members in the Parade of Nations at the Italian Treffen (June 2019)

GWOCI Events Raffle

Les Cowan, Ian McKay, Richard Keegan

Members received one raffle ticket for every official GWOCI event they attended with their wing throughout the year. The purpose of the raffle is to encourage members to attend GWOCI-organised events locally and throughout Ireland - the more events you attend, the more raffle tickets you receive and the better chance you have of winning a prize! This year's winners of the raffle received a cash prize of €50 each.

The club and its members were in receipt of many awards from external organisations throughout the year. Some of these awards were on display at the AGM. They included various GWEF "place" awards from international Treffens, a Youngest Rider Award and "Grole" bowl from the Italian Treffen, prizes from St. Patrick's Day Parades in both Lucan and Killarney and a special Friendship Award from the 10th Ukrainian Treffen, among others.

Awards received by the club and its members from external organisations throughout the year

It was announced at the meeting by 2019 Treffen Coordinator and Western Wings Rep, Jim Shanahan, that €1,450 had been raised at the 2019 Treffen in Limerick in aid of the Cancer Information & Support Centre at the Mid-Western Cancer Foundation. An additional €570 was raised after the Treffen to bring the total donation up to €2,020.

Jim Shanahan, Western Wings Rep, and Pat Cox, Western Wings Member, presenting the donation cheque to Lisa Tracey of the Mid-Western Cancer Foundation

The committee position elections were held with most officers remaining the same this year and just one or two changes, as follows.

A big thank you to the outgoing committee officers and a warm welcome to the new incoming officers for 2019/20. Contact details for all of the committee members can be found on the "About Us" page.

All in all, 2019 was a great year for biking and this was reflected at the meeting. A big thank you to all of our members, Regional Reps, committee and Treffen organising team for your hard work, dedication and support throughout the year!

2020 is shaping up to be another great year of biking with plenty of events on the horizon. Keep an eye out on the "Events" page for details of upcoming events and make sure to save Communications Officer, Rebecca's, phone number (+353851538083) to your phone to receive regular updates about news and events from the website via WhatsApp.