This is the last month of the leagues, the club finals have been held and the club will host the ladies British Isles Women’s Championships and Home International Series on 18th – 22nd March. The season will end with the televised WIBC singles and mixed pairs championships on 25th - 29th April.
COMPETITIONS
Congratulations to:
Ø Catherine McMillan on winning the Irish singles title after winning the junior version 3 years in a row. She has become of age!
Ø Ann Pinnington, Eileen Bell and Breige Donnelly on winning the Irish triples title.
They will represent Ireland in the British Isles Championships being held at the Club on 18/19 March. Your presence is required to give them and the other Irish representatives in the pairs, fours and junior singles every support and encouragement.
Ø Jonathan Ross who was beaten in the semi-final of the Welsh International Open by Robert Weale 2-1 in the tie break.
Best wishes to:
Ø John Boyd, (Singles), and Matt Martin, Simon Martin and Barry Quinn, (triples), who will compete in the British Isles Championships being held in Thornaby IBC on 7th and 8th March.
Ø Team manager Roy McCune and Paul McEwan, Roy Battersby, Paul Daly, Jonathan Ross, Mark McPeak, Clifford Craig, David Corkhill and reserve Patrick Burns who have been selected to represent Ireland in the Home Countries international series being held at Thornaby IBC, England on 9th – 11th March.
Ø Team manager Tony Young and Sandra Bailie, Breige Donnelly, Violet Luney, Ann Martin, Jean McBride, Maureen McCaffery, Vera McCourt, Catherine McMillan, Molly Scott, and Christine Young who have been selected to represent Ireland in the Home Countries international series being held at Belfast IBC on 20th – 22nd March.
APPOINTMENT OF HONORARY SECRETARY
On 2nd February the management committee appointed Ken Armstrong as the Club’s honorary secretary from 8th May 2007 to replace Jimmy Sayers.
Ken has long been involved in bowls and a member of BIBC from 1991. He has been honorary secretary of 2 outdoor bowling clubs, plays outdoors at Lisnagarvey, runs the weekly evening coaching classes here at the club and currently is the secretary of the Irish Bowls Coaches Association. Professionally, he retired from teaching in 2005 and has held a number of senior school management positions so he’s no stranger to administration and management. I wish him well in his new role.
BRITISH ISLES WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS AND HOME COUNTRIES INTERNATIONAL SERIES – BELFAST IBC – 18-22 MARCH
It is a great honour for our club to be chosen to host the above event which comes to Ireland once every 4 years. There are 4 club members competing in the championships and 10 players in the Irish team competing in the international series so this is an ideal opportunity for you to support the Irish team and to enjoy watching top class bowling by international players. You have to be there to appreciate the atmosphere as it’s not like your usual weekly bowling experience.
These events don’t just happen but require the willing support and assistance of many club members, male and female and the manager and his staff. You can help make the event successful by either:-
· Coming and supporting the event on at least one of the days and bringing your outdoor and short mat bowling friends with you.
· Offering to assist with the stewarding etc during a morning or afternoon session on one of the days.
· Donating a small prize for the ballot that will be held on each of the 5 days.
The event is very costly to run hence the British Isles Women’s Indoor Bowls Council charge an entrance fee of £3.50 each day or £14 for the 5 day package. This necessary charge occurs every year irrespective of the venue and this year is outside the control of Belfast IBC. Regrettably there are always a few club members who will object to paying and “boycott it on principle” on the grounds that they are club members and shouldn’t have to pay.
However, I would ask you to look at this event in another light. It is an opportunity for you to support your fellow club members who are on the Irish team, an opportunity to watch bowls played by the best players in the British Isles to the highest standard and an opportunity for you to make a small financial contribution through the entrance fee (you would otherwise be spending on rink fees) towards the cost of running this event rather than simply seeing it as an unwarranted financial imposition on club members.
Your support in whichever form you choose is necessary to make the event successful so your contribution would be very much appreciated. Please speak to Stanley Hegan if you would like to assist with stewarding or generally assist, etc or to donate a prize for the ballot. Otherwise come and support the event and tickets are available at reception.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS AT THE CLUB
18-22 March British Isles Championships and Home International Series
5 April Lady President’s Day – 11.00AM closing tournament and
2.00PM AGM of ladies section
25–29 April WIBC singles and mixed pairs championships
POSTPONED MATCHES
The full March programme is available at reception. There’s a lot happening so please pay frequent attention to the various boards as it is important that all postponed or outstanding matches are played now as they may effect the final league positions. Additionally, each postponed game not played is £22 in rink fees lost to the club and this effects all of us. A final reminder, where 2 rinks have the same number of points, shot difference will be the decider.
ENTERTAINMENT
Saturday 3rd March - Poker Night
Saturday 17th March – Musical entertainment
HERITAGE IBC OPEN PAIRS TOURNAMENT
An open pairs tournament is being held at the Heritage IBC on the 28th March to 1st April. The entry fee is E50 (£35) per pair and the entry form should be returned to the Heritage by 14th February. Entry forms are available at reception or by contacting their website bowls@theheritage.com or telephone 00353 57 8642320 for more information. Prize money totals 17.000 Euro.
PRIVATE BOOKINGS BY OUTSIDE GROUPS AND CLUBS
Many of you are associated with “short mat” clubs and this is the time of year they are thinking about arranging end of season outings. Annually, about 50 clubs come here to play bowls and avail of the restaurant and bar facilities from various parts of the Province. Please keep the stadium in mind when the proposal is discussed as we can offer a good evening’s bowling and very good food at a very reasonable price.
WIBC WORLD SINGLES AND MIXED PAIRS CHAMPIONSHIPS
This prestigious event is being held at the Club for the 8th consecutive year from the 25th – 29th April. Your support is most important for the continuing success of this event and BBC NI will be televising it as before. You should know that there will be no admission charge on any of the days and tickets will be available shortly at reception. In the meantime, please pass the word around among your friends, especially in the shortmat and outdoor clubs when they re-open. It is important that there are “bums on seats” especially during the morning sessions.
JOB VACANCIES – DUTY OFFICERS (2) - FROM AUGUST
If interested or know some suitable person please speak with Stanley Hegan.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS/TELEPHONE NUMBER
Have you changed either during the past 9 months and not informed the Club? If you haven’t informed us, please do so now as your entry forms, etc for next season will be forwarded to your old address in July.
AGM 8PM TUESDAY 21st AUGUST 2007 AT BIBC
The AGM of BIBC for full members will be held at 8pm on 21st August 2007 at BIBC. As an incentive to encourage you to attend, there will be a draw at the end of the meeting and the winner will receive a year’s free annual subscription.
I would strongly encourage you to attend to hear what is going on in your Club, elect 3 members to the committee, voice your opinion on the stewardship of the Club by the Officers and committee and take the opportunity to influence the Club’s future. It is your Club so your contribution is most important and can be done through attending the AGM.
CLUB SUMMER OPENING HOURS AND THURSDAY PM PAIRS LEAGUE
Many members are under the false impression that the Club closes down completely during the close season. This is not so. The Club is available to members to play bowls during the months of April to August inclusive and should any member wish to do so, they can by making an arrangement with the manager. In addition, the Club and bar facility will be open Thursday – Saturday evenings inclusive from 8pm as well as any private group bookings that might take place in the evenings.
If there is sufficient interest, it is intended to hold a weekly pairs league on a Thursday evening 8-10pm commencing in May. Leave your name with reception if you are interested in playing.
FINALLY
This is the last Newsletter for this season so I wish you good weather and successful and enjoyable bowling over the “summer months”.
As I’m standing down as Honorary Secretary on 7th May I wish to thank the Chairman Dr Montgomery, the Officers and members of the management committee, manager Stanley Hegan and all his staff and the club members for the support they’ve given me, the good times and friendships I’ve made during the past 9 years. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time as your honorary secretary and I offer the club my very best wishes for the future.