The A.G.M. of the Charlestown Sarsfields G..A. A Club was held in the Pastoral Centre Lowpark, Charlestown on Sunday November 25th. There was a good crowd in attendance as Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary Liam Breheny, Valerie Murphy and Kevin Deignan respectively presented three very detailed and comprehensive reports all of which covered every facet of the club in minute detail.

The three officers were roundly applauded and congratulated for the depth and content of their deliveries as they reflected on another busy and hectic year on and off the field which saw many highs with the club continuing to punch well above its weight in terms of success as several titles were garnered at both underage and adult level.

The club are extremely fortunate to have three such high calibre officers steering the ship as they each bring lots of dynamism, energy and ambition to their roles and have really propelled the club forward in a very positive direction and exude an air of optimism and positivity which has made its way down into all levels of the club.

The large crowd present exhaled a collective sigh of relief when all three indicated their willingness to stay on for the 2019 season this allowed the meeting to progress smoothly as there was no contest for any of the executive positions. The following officers were elected for the coming year :
Patron : Andrew Walsh
President : Jim Halligan
Vice-President : Michael Byrnes
Chairperson : Liam Breheny
Vice-Chairperson: Michael Doherty
Secretary : Kevin Deignan
Asst. Secretary : Tom McLoughlin
Treasurer : Valerie Murphy
Asst. Treasurer: Marcella McBrien
P.R.O : Stephen Healy
Development Officer : Enda Casey
Well Being Officer: Karena Finn
County Board Delegate : Declan Casey
East Board Delegate : Joe Lenehan
Substance Abuse Officer : Stephen Healy

All three reports were discussed in detailed with plenty of platitudes handed out to the lotto committee who do the hard sell week in week out on the Saturday and Sunday nights with the lotto providing a crucial revenue stream which keeps the club ticking over on a daily and weekly basis.

All the officers thanked the people for their hard work and dedication and it is hoped to increase the annual lotto sales when they come up for renewal in the early part of 2019. The online lotto sales continue to flourish and thrive as they have enabled the club to tap into Sarsfields diaspora both here and overseas with the numbers subscribing on a weekly basis making for some very pleasant viewing from an income point of view.

Tributes were also paid to the great work being done by Ryan O`Connor and his hardworking Bord na n-Og Committee who had one of their best years ever in terms of success on the fields of play with seven titles being annexed by a number of teams operating in the different age grades in both the boys and girls sections. Bord na n-Og go about their business in a very organised and thorough manner and Chairman Liam Breheny was effusive in his praise of the way they conduct their business.

Liam also congratulated the senior management and team on winning the Michael Walsh Title which was no mean achievement and thanked the senior management and indeed all managements at senior level for the massive amount of work they invested in the training and preparation of the various teams and the countless hours of preparation and organisation that goes on behind the scenes to have the players right for match day.

The club had a disappointing end to the season when they were relegated from the top division of the league but he pleaded with the players to redouble their efforts in 2019 as he feels there is lots of potential in the squad to bounce back up if the application and commitment levels are upped a couple of levels, most particularly in the pre-season as this is where the hard work needs to be put in to be ready to hit the ground running for those crucial opening league fixtures which will set the tone for the year ahead.

Both Liam and Kevin Deignan were unanimous in their praise for the work done by head groundsman Ciaran McBrien in the preparation and maintenance of Fr 0`Hara Park. The pitch remains the jewel in our crown so to speak thanks mainly to the work which Ciaran puts in tending to its every need. The pitch had to be closed in April as it was treading water and the decision to shut it down, while difficult to take on board at the time, was the correct one as it was in poor condition . The club invested a lot of money in the restoration and treatment of the surface and this proved to be a masterstroke as it returned to its pristine best for the remainder of the year.

The maintenance and management of the pitch remains a big challenge particularly with the growing number of demands placed on it in with regard to the number of teams training on it with strong consideration being given to the drawing up of a rota to try to limit the number of teams using it at any given time. This matter will be explored and teased out more at the next meeting of the club where a new development committee will be put in place to deal with all matters pitch related.

There were several other items discussed at what was a very constructive meeting some of which included a discussion on finance and fundraising which as always remain very pressing issues as the club looks to boost and enhance its coffers. The White Collar Boxing tournament is expected to be a resounding success and this will provide the club with a buffer as the new year is always a very taxing time on the club exchequer.

The officers were also congratulated on the marvellous success their inaugural Family Day was in June which saw huge numbers come through the gates of Fr O`Hara Park for an action packed day of activities, fun and games with our neighbours Curry only adding to the occasion through their participation and co-operation. The erection of a plaque to celebrate the first ever meeting of the club on the wall of Vincent Doherty`s premise in Church Street got the day off to a great start as the occasion brought together several generations of club members with special guest John Gallagher only too delighted to do the unveiling.

Tribute were also paid to Thomas Parsons who sustained a career threatening injury while playing for Mayo in the Connacht Championship against Galway back in May. The images of the injury had all Sarsfields players, members and supporters alike recoiling in horror as he was carried from the pitch in absolute agony. The nature of the injury struck a chord with all G.A.A. people as messages of support flowed in from all corners of the world. Thomas displayed remarkable courage, resilience and no little grace in the way he came to terms with the gravity and seriousness of his condition. His positivity and upbeat attitude have won him admirers in all walks of life and we as a club are lucky to have such a man of his calibre and ilk in our ranks. The news that he`s going to be honoured with the inaugural Neal O`Neil Personality of the Year Award at the upcoming Mayo Club Stars Awards in January has been tremendously received in the club and G.A.A. family at large and secretary Kevin Deignan urged a large Sarsfields crowd to attend the Club Stars Night (January 2019) in support of Thomas and his family as he still retains close links with all that`s going on in the club despite the long and painful road he faces getting back to full fitness.

That brought a very positive and excellent meeting to a conclusion with all three officers wishing all their members a very happy and peaceful Xmas season and prosperous and healthy 2019.