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Inside this issue
STATE VISIT TO THE UK
GOLD AWARD CEREMONY 2014
CIAN TIMMONS - A TRIBUTE
GAISCE ALUMNI NETWORK Welcome! Welcome to the first edition on the Gaisce Alumni Network Newsletter for 2014. We have been very busy over the last 5 months and this edition of the newsletter will bring you up to date with all the latest developments within the Alumni. We welcome back Christine Carty who was elected as Chairperson at the interim AGM of the Alumni in January. Details of the AGM for 2014 are included inside this issue. The Alumni were deeply saddened to hear of the death of Cian Timmons, Former Chairperson of the Alumni and Gaisce Council member in February 2014. We include a tribute to Cian in this issue. We once extend our sympathies to Cian’s family, friends and colleagues. In February the Alumni welcomed 54 new Goldies into the ranks at a Gold Awards Ceremony in Dublin Castle. This event was attended by Alumni who encouraged the new Goldies to continue on their journey now that they have completed their Gaisce challenges. In April 2014, Gaisce Alumni were delighted to be apart of President Higgins’s historic State Visit to the United Kingdom. Members of the Alumni attended the “Taking Charge of Change together event in City Hall London along with award holders from the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme. This joint venture is welcomed and we hope to forge more links with our UK counterparts over the next few years. As always, we are on the look out for news and pictures. We love hearing from Award participants and Alumni on how they are getting on. If you have any items that you want included in the next edition which will be published during the summer, pop me an email at gaiscealumni@gmail.com or drop us a Facebook message or a tweet @gaiscealumni Until next time, Peadar Ó Lamhna Newsletter Editor !1
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Alumni (Interim) AGM The Interim AGM of the Gaisce Alumni took place on January 19th in the Central Hotel, Dublin. The following officers were elected to act on an interim basis. As Gaisce Alumni is a registered company, the Annual General Meeting for 2014 will take place in June. Full details below.
! Chairperson
Christine Carty
Deputy Chairperson
Ronan Friel
Head of Events
Benny King
Treasurer
Rosemary Monaghan
Secretary
Vacant
Social Media / Newsletter
Peadar Ó Lamhna
PRO
Clara McDonald
P.A.L Coordinator
Helena McGee
Safety Officer
Liam O’Halloran
Ulster/Connaught Co-ordinator
Benny King
Munster Co-ordinator
Karen O’Sullivan
Webmaster
Barry Kennedy
Ordinary Committee Member
Oliver Clare
Ordinary Committee Member
Lorna Sweetman
Ordinary Committee Member
John Heffernan
PAL Training Being a PAL is important to the continued success of Gaisce. PAL training consists of a one day course organised by Gaisce HQ. The courses are free of charge but booking is essential. The next PAL training courses will take place as follows:
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September Saturday, 6th: Ratra House, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8
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October Thursday, 2nd: Ambassador Hotel, Cork City
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Thursday, 9th: Ratra House, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8
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Annual General Meeting
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The 2014 Annual General Meeting of the Gaisce Alumni Network will take place on Saturday June 14th in the Royal College of Surgeons, Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2
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Meeting commences at 12:00pm sharp
Thursday, 16th: Galway Education Centre, Cluain Mhuire, Well Park, Galway
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Thursday, 23rd October: Castle Oaks Hotel, Castleconnell, Limerick
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Book a place through the Gaisce Office at 01-6171999
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STATE VISIT
“Taking Charge of Change Together" was the title of the Youth Forum at the recent Irish presidential state visit to the United Kingdom. Gaisce Award holders were privileged to be part of that recent Irish history. Joining in collaboration with our friends and award cousins from the 5 nations saw bridges built and ideas shared. We were also joined by our friends from the British Youth Council and representatives of "Being Young and Irish"!
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The workshop aimed to explore ways of collaboration in key areas of youth participation, from the arts, sport, democracy and the Joint Award Initiative. The ideas were consolidated and presented to President Higgins at the end of the workshop.!
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Our representatives did our country proud, and contributed greatly to the ideas of the day. Taking each step in their stride, they showed just how amazing award holders are as brand ambassadors for Gaisce. In fact one of our representatives said that he didn’t realise the gravitas of the day until he came home and shared his experience with others. !
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We'd like to extend our gratitude to all involved in making the event so successful.!
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Gold Award Ceremony - February 2014 ! A huge congratulations to the 54 Goldies who received their Gold Awards from President Higgins in February at the Gold Award Ceremony. MC for the day was Síle Seoige with entertainment provided by Maud in Cahoots. Alumni Chair Christine Carty spoke to the award recipients about the Alumni and how to stay involved with Gaisce. A very special congratulations to Cuisle O Donovan, fiancée of former Gaisce Alumni chairperson Andrew Forde, who received her Gold Award on the day. A huge thank you to Gold Award participants from UCD who stepped in to help with the Alumni stand on the day. A great day was had by all and we look forward to meeting with the next batch of Goldies later this year. The next Gold Award ceremony is scheduled for November 2014 (subject to State Business). In order to be considered for inclusion in this year’s ceremony, portfolios must be returned to the Gaisce office in Ratra House by August 15th.
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Cian Timmons - A Tribute Andrew Forde
It is with deep sadness and regret that I learnt of the passing of Capt. Cian Timmons on Friday 21 February. A true friend, a gentleman and a great leader was taken from our community that day. Cian was a Gold Award holder, former Chairperson of the Gaisce Alumni Network (then Tar Éis Óir), a long standing President’s Award Leader and Civic Merit award recipient. He had been a member of the Council of Gaisce since 2012 and had represented the Award programme as a participant, a leader and an Award-ambassador at local, national and international levels for over fifteen years. He had participated in, organised and supervised Gaisce expeditions at all levels in every corner of Ireland and in more than ten countries throughout the world. I had the privilege of working alongside him at many of these events. My first memory of Cian is meeting him on a crisp spring morning in the upper car park in Glendalough before we set off for a day of hiking. A larger than life character, rigged out from head to toe in the finest of gear, he greeted me with a warm smile and a solid handshake. We had been put in contact a few short weeks earlier by a mutual friend who said that “you two should meet – I think you would get on really well”. Little was I to know that this passionate mountaineer who sat on a curb with me to work out our route that morning was to become such an important part of my life and ultimately would be my best man. He was also well on his way to inspiring a generation of people from many very different walks of life. Cian embodied everything that Gaisce stands for: community, humanity, discipline, challenge, learning, altruism, honesty, development, integrity, adventure, teamwork, ethics, purpose and fun. Living a meaningful life was his goal and engaging with the people and communities around him was his path towards achieving it. An accomplished professional in his field – and recently bestowed with the Freedom of the City of London for his activities with the Honourable Company of Master Mariners - he was also a committed youth and community worker, active in the realms of scouting, Rotary and the Royal Geographical Society to name but a few. His impact on the Gaisce community, particularly amongst its alumni, has been especially significant. He was a self-declared Gaisceteer with a moral and principled compass aligned to that of the Award programme. He firmly believed in the value of ensuring Award holders remain involved after completion of their Award journey. We often discussed the advantages of harnessing the energy and experience of those who have shared the Award experience including those from similar programmes worldwide. An alumni group could support outreach to young people, provide opportunities for the continued development of the alumni and continue to pro actively work with our communities at home and abroad. Cian left no stone unturned to make this happen and he can be very proud of his achievements to this end. I have no doubt Cian would wish to see the Gaisce Alumni Network continue to grow and develop in symbiosis with Gaisce and to continue its activities with renewed rigour. Let his motivation be our inspiration. He touched the lives of so many people and yet cherished every unique human interaction as if it were the only one that had ever mattered. With a calm but confident demeanour, armed with sharp and often subtle wit, he maintained admirable humility. Despite all of his achievements he was a committed and loving husband and father, with his beautiful family being the proudest achievement of his life. Cian may not have had many years in his life but he squeezed a lot of life into his years. His raison d’être was to learn, to live and to love. !5
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IN BRIEF Community Month Everyday during the month of May we are giving a daily shoutout on our Twitter and Facebook pages to various community groups that you can become involved with, whether you are participating in your award or you have completed your award. This initiative is gladly welcomed by the various organisations who are in need of volunteers to help organise their activities. So far the organisations we have mentioned have included the RNLI, Irish Red Cross, Pieta House and RAG Ireland with plenty more groups to come by the end of May.
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Congratulations Congratulations to Gaisce Council Member and friend of the Alumni, RuairĂ McKiernan who was married recently. We wish you and Susan all the best in the years ahead. We also extend our congratulations to Minister Frances Fitzgerald TD on her appointment as Minister for Justice and Equality and to Minister Charlie Flanagan TD who has been appointed as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (The Government Department with responsibility for Gaisce) and who replaces Minister Fitzgerald.
! Commiserations We extend our commiserations to Mike O Shea and Dr Claire O Leary who had to abandon their North Pole expedition due to an accident on the ice. After months of preparations it was a blow that they could not complete their polar adventure. They have however moved onto their next project in Iceland and this can be tracked on http://theiceproject.org/wp/ On behalf of everyone in the alumni we wish them both a safe adventure.
International Gold Event - South Korea Applications are now open for the International Gold Event (IGE) taking place in South Korea in October/November 2014. Applications must be received by Gaisce HQ by close of business on May 23rd 2014 !6
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! On your bike! NEURO – FIBROMA – TOSIS (NF for short) is a serious neurological disorder caused by a single gene affecting over 2,500 children and adults throughout Ireland. 50% of cases are inherited and 50% are the result of spontaneous mutation which effectively means anybody can have a child born with Neurofibromatosis. Dealing with Neurofibromatosis requires medical intervention from several specialists including Paediatric, Dermatology, Endocrinology, Neurology, Ophthalmic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Oncology, Neurosurgery and Plastic Surgery The Neurofibromatosis Association of Ireland largely depend on voluntary donations to deliver essential services to families affected by Neurofibromatosis in fact without voluntary donations and sponsorship events this support group could not survive. Currently the main focus is on the development of services at the newly established Neurofibromatosis clinic conducted by Professor Andrew Green at the Centre for Medical Genetics, Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin 12. A counselling services paid for by the association and available through the clinic can make a real difference particularly to the lives of those newly diagnosed with this common but little understood genetic condition Neurofibromatosis. Proceeds from the Mizen to Malin Charity Cycle and other fundraising initiatives go directly towards funding the salary of a Genetic Counsellors post at the Neurofibromatosis Clinic.
! The Mizen to Malin cycle will take place over 4 days (May 29th - June 1st) and will cover a distance of 415 miles. Further details are available from http://mizen2malin.nfaireland.ie/
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Irish Red Cross celebrating 75 years This year The Irish Red Cross are celebrating 75 Years of Service in Ireland.! The 3 Senior Compe..ons were held in Tralee in April with Gaisce Alumni member and Munster Rep Karen O Sullivan taking part in the Dominic Nugent Cup. Well done to Karen!
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UCD Adventure Back in October 2013, UCD staff and students came together in a hope of forming a Gaisce society in order to aid students who are trying to complete Gaisce. Even though the group hasn't received society status we decided to plan an adventure journey for the silver and gold participants. !
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We planned a route along the Wicklow Way, revised it a few times, and finally traced out our proposed route along the map. It was at this stage we sought the assistance of the alumni where Ronan Friel came in to give us a kit talk and offered some advice about our adventure. On the 22nd May, the group will take to the mountains and hike through the county. The group consists of one gold participant and four silver participants. Rebecca Hart, Sarah Kate Daly, Maria Cawley, Sinead Mulroy and Ciara Sobolewski will walk from Marley Park to Moyne, staying in An Oige hostels along the way.!
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Ronan made a second visit to UCD to show us how to use our map and compass and to answer any further questions we had. We worked together to plan our menu for each day to minimise the weight in our bags. We can not thank him enough for his work representing the alumni. ! On behalf of the girls in the group, I would like to thank all those who have provided invaluable support within!8UCD. !
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Rebecca Harte!
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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
!! Check out the Gaisce Alumni facebook page for news, award ideas and participants !! stories We are extremely keen on getting videos and pictures of you partaking in your Gaisce !! challenge
!! https://www.facebook.com/gaiscealumni?fref=ts
!! @gaiscealumni !! Follow the Gaisce Alumni team on twitter and join in on the conversation with the hashtags #gaiscealumni and #continueyourjourney ! !! ! !! ! !! LinkedIn
!! ! !! Gaisce Alumni Community on LinkedIn to see where award holders are now and how Join the the award helped them in finding employment!
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https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Gaisce-Alumni-Network-4649078?gid=4649078&mostPopular=&trk=tyah&trkInfo=tarId %3A1399888061062%2Ctas%3AGaisce%20Alumni%2Cidx%3A2-2-3
Spring 2014 Contributors! Editor- Peadar Ă“ Lamhna! Christine Carty, Ronan Friel, Benny King, Karen O Sullivan, Rebecca Harte, Andrew Forde,
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