CONSTITUTION OF THE BLACKROCK COLLEGE BRIDGE CLUB
1. NAME & PURPOSE
The Name of the Club is Blackrock College Bridge Club.
Its primary purpose is to promote the game of Contract Bridge, and to that end, the Club and its members shall affiliate to the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland, in the manner set out by that body.
2. PATRONS
The following shall be invited to be Patrons of the Club
a) The Rev. President of Blackrock College.
b) The President of the Blackrock College Union.
c) The President of the Blackrock College Rugby Football Club.
3. MEMBERSHIP:
a) Total membership of the Club shall not exceed two hundred, (excluding Honorary and Life Members), or such other number as the members may decide in General Meeting.
b) The following shall be eligible for membership of the Club:
i) Past or present students of Blackrock College or Willow Park, their parents, their spouses, their siblings and their children.
ii) Members of the Holy Ghost Community.
iii) Staff at Blackrock College & Willow Park.
iv) Others, not exceeding thirty five per cent of the total permitted membership. (Amended from 25% at AGM May 2011)
c) All members shall undertake to be bound by this Constitution.
d) A member may resign membership, at anytime, by so notifying the Secretary in writing.
4. ( a ) HONORARY MEMBERSHIP:
On the recommendation of the Committee, and in recognition of outstanding service to the Club, promotion of the game of Contract bridge, or distinction in the Bridge World, a General Meeting may elect, by a simple majority of those present and voting, any such nominees as Honorary Life Members of the Club.
( b ) LIFE MEMBERSHIP:
Each member, on attaining 40 continuous years as a member of the Club, will be entitled to become an honorary life member. (Introduced at AGM May 2013)
NOTE: Honorary Life Members may participate in all Club activities, and be heard and vote at General
Meetings.
5. ELECTION OF MEMBERS:
a) All applications for Membership shall be supported by two proposers, each being a paid-up member of the Club of over two years standing. Applications shall be made on the official form as determined by the Management Committee from time to time, and accompanied by a written reference from each proposer. No proposer may support more than one application to the Management Committee Meeting at which applications for membership are to be considered.
b) All applications for Membership shall be posted on the Club Notice Board on at least four Club Nights prior to the Management Committee Meeting at which these applications will be considered. The Management Committee shall take cognizance of comments communicated to it by members arising from the advertising of these applications.
c) Elections to membership shall be by secret ballot of the Management Committee and no applicant shall be elected if twenty five per cent or more ( subject to a minimum of three) of the votes cast are adverse.
d) All newly elected members shall pay the prescribed Annual Subscriptions and Entrance Fee within thirty days of being notified of Election, failing which their election will be considered null and void.
6. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS AND ENTRANCE FEES:
The Annual Subscription and Entrance Fees shall be fixed by the Members in General Meeting.
Annual Subscriptions shall be due on 1st September of each year. Members, whose subscriptions are outstanding, may not play in any major/listed Club Competitions, and those whose subscriptions are outstanding for two months will be deemed to have terminated their membership.
7. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
a) The management of the Club shall be vested in a Management Committee, which consists of the following who shall be elected each year at the Annual General Meeting.
i) The President
ii) The Vice-President
iii) The Secretary
iv) The Treasurer
v) The Tournament Director
vi) The Membership Secretary
vii) Six General Members
viii) The Trustees
b) A total of six committee members present at any meeting of the Management Committee shall form a quorum.
c) To be eligible for election as President, a person must have been a member of the Club for at least five years, and have served on the Management Committee for at least one year; to be eligible for election to any other position on the Management Committee, a member must have been a member of the Club for at least two years.
d) The President shall take the Chair at all Meetings of the Management Committee. In his/her absence, the Vice-President shall take the Chair, failing which any member of the Management Committee may be moved to the Chair. The Chairperson shall have a casting vote.
e) The Management Committee shall have power to appoint sub-committees from the general membership of the Club, for specific purposes. All such appointments shall expire no later than the following Annual General Meeting.
f) The Treasurer shall have charge of the Club's funds and be responsible for keeping the Club Accounts. All withdrawals from the Club's Bank Accounts shall require the signature of two officers, authorized by the Management Committee. The Treasurer shall keep the Committee informed of the state of the Club finances and shall present a statement of the Income and Expenditure for the financial year to prior 31st March and a Balance Sheet as at 31st March, certified by the Club Auditor, to each Annual General Meeting, for adoption.
g) The Management Committee shall have power to fill any vacancy arising in its membership during its year of tenure.
h) The Management Committee shall have power to make local rules for the smooth running of the Club.
i) No member may hold any one office position [category iii - iv above] for more than five consecutive years.
8. TRUSTEES:
a) All Land, Building, including interests therein, and Investments of the Club shall be vested in Trustees on behalf of the Members.
b) Each Trustee shall be a member of the Club, and shall be appointed by the members in General Meeting. Each Trustee shall hold office for life, or until:
a) they cease, for any reason, to be members of the Club.
b) they resign as trustees,
or
c) be removed from office by a resolution carried by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting at a General Meeting of Members.
c) The number of Trustees shall not be less than three. Should the number of Trustees fall below that number, the remaining Trustees, pending the filling of such vacancies, shall have vested in them the powers and duties applicable to the full body of Trustees.
d) The Trustees shall act in accordance with the resolutions of the Management Committee, as duly recorded in the Minute Book.
e) The Trustees shall be indemnified out of Club funds for expenses and other out-goings incurred in the proper exercise and performance of their duties. The members of the Club shall indemnify the Trustees against any losses or expenses they may properly incur if and in so far as the assets of the Club may be deficient.
9. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
a) The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held not later than 30th June of each year.
b) The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:
i) to receive reports from the outgoing Secretary, Treasurer, Tournament Director, and Membership Secretary.
ii) to consider, and if thought fit, adopt the audited accounts to preceding 31st March.
iii) to elect Officers and Committee Members for the ensuing year. In the case of contest, elections shall be by secret ballot.
iv) to elect two Honorary Auditors. (Deleted AGM May 2012)
v) to determine motions, duly proposed and seconded in writing for consideration.
vi) to transact any other business proper to a General Meeting of Members.
c) Twenty one days notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given by publication on the Club Notice Board, and by distribution to members present at the Club during that period.
d) Notices of nominations to positions on the Management Committee, to the post of Honorary Auditors, and of motions for determination, must be submitted in writing to the Secretary at least fourteen days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting, and be posted on the Club Notice Board.
10. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS:
a) A Special General Meeting shall be called by the Secretary
a) at the request of the Management Committee
or
b) at the written requisition of twenty members of the Club.
b) Twenty-one days notice of, together with details of its purpose, shall be given in writing to all Members.
11. DISCIPLINARY POWERS:
a) The Management Committee shall have power to terminate the Membership of any member, when, in its opinion, such member
i) fails to observe the Constitution and Rules of the Club.
ii) fails to observe the Proprieties of the Game of Contract Bridge.
or
iii) conducts him/herself, within or without the Club playing area, in a manner likely to bring discredit upon the Club or the game of Contract Bridge.
provided that the Management Committee shall give that such member a reasonable opportunity of offering an explanation of his/her actions/conduct.
b) Should the Management Committee, despite the explanations (if any) offered, proceed to terminate a member's membership, this shall be effected by so notifying that member, in writing, and refunding the current year's subscription, if paid.
c) All further disciplinary procedures shall be in accordance with the Constitution and Rules of the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland.
12. DISSOLUTION:
The members may, by a two-thirds majority of those attending and voting, at a Special General Meeting called for the purpose, resolve to dissolve the Club. The Management Committee shall thereupon proceed to realise all club assets, discharge all Club liabilities, and transfer any remaining surplus to the Very Rev. Provincial of the Holy Ghost Order for the support of their missionary works or for charitable works, at his sole and absolute discretion.
12. ALTERATIONS TO CONSTITUTION:
This Constitution may not be amended or altered save with consent of two thirds of the members present and voting at an Annual General Meeting, or a Special General Meeting,
Effective Date: 20th June 1996 .