News

Members' Forum Report

SUMMARY OF THE MEMBERS’ FORUM

Key points:

• Over a hundred members took the opportunity to participate in the conversation, and their care for the Club and desire to see it overcome past challenges is encouraging.
• There was an opportunity for all viewpoints to be expressed and this was successfully done in a respectful manner without personal animosity or abuse, which is essential to progress.
• Emotions and criticisms were expressed freely and accepted as valid perspectives, everyone who wished to speak was heard.

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Annual Report 2020

The Celtic Club are pleased to invite you to read our latest Annual Report at your convenience.

Simply click on the image below to open the report.

We hope you enjoy the read!

Code of Conduct

CELTIC CLUB
Code of Conduct

The Celtic Club, established in 1887, has been the focal point for the past 133 years of the Australian Irish community in Melbourne and throughout Victoria.
The central aim of the Club, as encapsulated in our Vision Statement, is to be Victoria's hub for the celebration and experience of Australian Irish heritage and culture whilst also extending a welcoming hand to people of all Celtic nations and the broader community. It is the oldest Irish Club in Australia.
Our community expects us to act in a manner consistent with our values, conduct our business in good faith and for the betterment of our community, and in a way which demonstrates our values, character and commitment to our proud heritage.

This Code of Conduct is designed to guide decisions and interactions at every level of the Club’s activities, and applies to all Officers, Committee Members, employees, and in most aspect to all members of the organisation. This Code is supplementary – it complements and guides appropriate decisions and interactions and is in addition to any obligations owed under law. It sets the minimum standards expected, but it is anticipated that higher order standards will be applied by committed and experienced Officers, Committee Members, employees and indeed all members. It will be clear on reading this Code of Conduct which statements apply to Officials and employees and which to the general membership.

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President's Letter to Members, January 2021

Dear Member,

I trust you and your loved ones are well, and that you have all had a restful and enjoyable Christmas and New Year.

As I advised, in my letter to you on 16th December 2020, our Annual Meeting is scheduled for 28^th February 2021.  The Meeting will be conducted on Zoom and will commence at 2.30 pm that afternoon.  Further details on access to the Meeting, and the Reports by our Office Bearers and Financial Statements will be forwarded to Members well before the Meeting. 

I am delighted to report that our delayed Christmas Party / Members get together at P.J. O’Brien’s Southbank on 21 January was a “fully booked” success. Special thanks to Committee Member Karen Fogarty and Barry Corr’s team from Luminant for their hard work in making the evening such a success.  We look forward to many such events in the next few months, at least until we settle in our permanent home.  A convenient way of keeping abreast of Club activities and planned events is to subscribe to our various social media accounts, and I would also ask that you add the celticclub.com.au domain to your safe senders list, to help ensure that email communications continue to reach you unhindered. As always, comments and suggestions from our Members are welcome.

Our Club has survived Covid 19, but we still face challenges and opportunities.  The opportunities are far greater than the challenges.  Our financial reserves exceed $17 million and we have no significant debt, which puts our Club in an excellent financial position.

Our Committee of Management is determined to stop any ongoing losses and invest wisely for the future.  To this latter end we engaged the professional services of Evans and Partners, well known and respected Financial Planners.  We have, by the way, significantly staunched attritional losses in the past calendar year.  In particular, I recognise the contribution of our new Treasurer Professor Patrick McGorry A.O. to this outcome.

We have before us as a Club many major decisions.  Now, with limitation brought on by Covid 19 significantly reduced we are far better able to seek and welcome all Members views.  For instance, I expect the information and engagement sessions, which were planned for last year, can commence within a few months.

I look forward to engaging, along with my fellow Committee Members, with as many Club Members as possible in the next few months.

Regards, and best wishes for a great 2021,

Brian Shanahan O.A.M.

President, Celtic Club

3ZZZ interview with the Club President

President's Letter to Members December 2020

Dear Member,

Trust you and your loved ones are well and have survived this very testing year.  We certainly have had our challenges protecting your Club, in this unpredictable and tumultuous year.

As with most other Clubs and Associations, we have had to defer our 2019/2020 Annual General Meeting [A.G.M.].  Our A.G.M. is now planned for 2.30 pm on Sunday 28th February 2021.  We are currently considering the best options, and strategies, for our Club going forward.  These will be put before our Members as soon as possible, certainly before the A.G.M., and we will seek, as always, Members comments and suggestions, both prior to, and at our A.G.M.

The Committee of Management [C.O.M.] is currently reviewing our lease arrangements for the Celtic @Metropolitan with the State Government.  The Covid 19 induced lockdown since March 2020 has prevented trading, our major income source, but not the significant ongoing costs relating to our occupancy of the Metropolitan. Furthermore, there would be considerable startup costs at the Metropolitan, which would be exasperated by ongoing “Covid normal” restrictions.  In view of this changed situation, we may decide not to return to operations, as before, at the Metropolitan, unless we can receive a significantly better arrangement with our landlord [the State Government].  We should know the outcome of our negotiations early in the New Year, certainly before the scheduled time of our A.G.M.

Looking forward, after the disaster that has been 2020, we are confident that our Club will have a much better home, and a significantly increased income in 2021, with no further losses.  Not that this is, in any way, an unrealistic belief given our Club retains over $17 million in cash reserves and has no debts.  Under the guidance of our new Treasurer, Professor Patrick McGorry A.O., we have reviewed our investments, increased our financial returns, and improved their security.  I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the C.O.M. and all our Members to acknowledge Professor McGorry’s achievements in these key areas.

The support of our Members in this difficult year has been amazing. Despite the difficulties of the year, our Membership has remained remarkably stable.  We currently have 522 eligible voting Members, which compares well with the tally of 556 eligible voting Members at the time of our last election in 2019.  One Member, in a striking gesture of support, offered to pay ten years Membership in advance.  He was thanked for this kind offer, but it was respectfully declined.  Thanks to our current arrangements with Luminant, we have improved our communications with Members, with many of you having spoken to their team in recent weeks as we finalised renewals. Your calls, and e-mails, to our Office are very welcome, and will be promptly followed up.

I am pleased to report that our Club was a major sponsor of the Irish Australian Support & Resource Bureau “My County” Christmas Party on 16^th December 2020 and will be significantly supporting Brigid Fest to be held on 7^th February 2021.  

My thanks and admiration, as always, goes to the amazing women, and men, who are on our Committee of Management and Sub Committees.  It is difficult enough to spend time as a volunteer on a community committee in normal times when things are going well, but to do so when there are difficulties and problems is awe Inspiring.

Finally, to our loyal Members, thank you for your ongoing support and understanding.  Our Club is in an excellent financial position [Over $17 million in the Bank, no debts, and a talented and dedicated Committee].

May you, and your loved ones, have a great Christmas, and a prosperous New Year.

Brian Shanahan O.A.M.

President

Celtic Club

Report from the AGM

The Club’s Annual General Meeting took place via Zoom on Sunday afternoon, with all tabled motions passing with large majorities.

Thank you to all who took time out of their weekend to participate and contribute to what was a very respectful and positive meeting, which saw Bernie Brophy confirmed as a Life Member. Congratulations Bernie.

Following the conclusion of formalities, Brian Shanahan shared with those in attendance his intention to retire as President.

Brian had nominated Professor Patrick McGorry AO as his successor, which had been endorsed by the Committee of Management, with Carl Walsh, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, appointed to the position of Treasurer being vacated by Patrick.

In accepting the role, Professor McGorry thanked Brian for his courageous and dedicated service over many years, before outlining his plans for leading the Club into the elections, scheduled for later in the year.

You can read his remarks here.

Emigrant Support Programme helps restore the Club’s founders' picture

The Celtic Club was successful in securing a grant under the Emigrant Support Programme to restore the Club’s founders' picture and create a digital copy and a smaller print copy.

This magnificent and invaluable collage painting is a historical document featuring the Club’s initial purpose in supporting Home Rule, showing who were our founding fathers and early presidents including such notable characters as Dr. Michael O’Sullivan and Morgan Jaguers. Various iconic Irish and Australian emblems are included in the picture.

The picture required a degree of restoration as well as a protective glass cover. The delicate and damaged frame needed major restoration.

To safeguard against any future damage/deterioration a digital copy has been made of the restored painting.

The project preserved one of the Club’s most historical artefacts which through the generations was and will be treasured by its members, visitors and friends that visit the Club, and will strengthen the links between Ireland and the Global Irish.

Under the grant, the Club paid half of the costs of the project.