The thoughts of Chairman David at our 70th Anniversary Banquet ...

Our chairperson David Nohilly in his welcoming address at the 70th Anniversary Banquet pointed out that the 16 January, the foundation date of the club, was also Martin Luther King Day and this was very relevant as Martin Luther King was the one who said "We are not makers of history, we are made by history".

"It is that history that defines us as a club. It is in our DNA’, David Nohilly stated as he acknowledged the achievements of our pioneering founders, the work of the original trustees, the trustees that followed and ‘the countless volunteers who for the past 70 years have made this club what it has become today, a club our forefathers would be proud of- it has come a long way and now embraces a diverse range of activities".

"Like all urban clubs there are challenges and opportunities ahead’, David stated identifying ‘rural clubs becoming sub-urban clubs which puts pressure on urban clubs’; ‘the lack of space, lack of playing grounds, the inevitable changes to the model by which urban clubs hold property which will include community shared pitches’ and the challenges posed by ‘a rapidly evolving more diverse societies".

However, David "was confident that the club was well prepared for these challenges as we moved towards our 100th Anniversary. Tonight we celebrate what has been achieved, celebrating that wonderful volunteer spirit in Mullingar Shamrocks".