1. (a) The name of the Club shall be “The Kilkenny Home Rule Club” and shall consist of ordinary members and such honorary members as may be elected from time to time.
1. (b) The Clubs only objective shall be the advancement of the interests of its members.
2. The property of the Club shall be vested in three trustees who shall be appointed by the Committee as and when the occasion may require but such appointments shall be subject to ratification at the next General Meeting. All property hereby acquired by the Club shall be vested in the trustees for the time being, who shall be bound to execute all documents and take such stepsin connection with any property for the time being invested in them, as shall in the opinion of the Solicitor for the time being acting for the Club, be necessary to carry out the directions of the Committee of the Club or of any General Meeting. Any Trustee who ceases to be a member of the Club shall cease to be a trustee.
3. (a) The business and affairs of the Club and the management of its property shall be managed by a Committee consisting of seven ordinary members elected by the whole body of members. The said Committee shall elect annually from its members as Officers of the Club a President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. The outgoing President, Secretary and Treasurer shall become members of the Committee in the year following their term of office. All other members shall retire annually and shall be eligible for re-election. Notwithstanding the above, all Committee members must stand for election at least once every three years.
3. (b) No member shall be eligible for nomination for election to the Committee unless he/she has had six months continuous membership immediately preceding the date fixed for the receipt of nominations.
3. (c) The Committee have power to co-opt a member to fill any casual vacancy on the Committee.
4. The Committee shall have power to appoint the time for opening and closing of Club premises and the hours during which excisable liquor may be obtained in the Club, but subject to the Intoxicating Liquor Acts, and shall do all things necessary for the annual re-election of its members and make such regulations as they think fit, consistent with these rules for the proper conduct of the Club.
5. (a) The election of members shall be in the hands of the Committee. Applicants for membership will apply therefore on the official application form. Applicants for membership must be duly nominated by being proposed and seconded by two members of the Committee. The application for membership shall be accompanied by the amount of the subscription and entrance fee. The Committee shall have power to elect or reject applicants. The mode of election shall be by ballot and the person nominated shall be elected or rejected by a simple majority.
5. (b) A new member submits him/herself to the rules and regulations of the Club.
5. (c) Rejected applicants shall be so notified and their subscription and entrance fee returned by the Honorary Secretary without delay.
5. (d) Membership of the Club is confined to persons over twenty one years of age except in the case of an immediate relative of an existing member who may be accepted if he/she is over eighteen years of age.
6. The entrance fee and annual subscription of members shall be fixed from time to time by the General Meeting. The membership year shall commence on the first of January in each year and members shall pay their subscriptions within one month of receipt of notice of same being due.
7. The Honorary Secretary shall keep minutes of all Club meetings.
8. Correct accounts and books shall be kept by the Honorary Treasurer showing the financial affairs and receipts and disbursements of the Club for each year ended thirty first of December and shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting.
9. All complaints should be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary who will submit them to the Committee.
10. Should any complaint be formally made to the Secretary concerning any member affecting his character as such member, or his conduct on Club premises or should the Committee think fit to take cognizance of such themselves, they may, after giving opportunity to the member concerned to defend or explain such complaint, suspend or expel such member.
11. The Committee may, from time to time, elect as honorary members of the Club any persons whom they consider have rendered valuable services in promoting the objectives of the Club.
12. The Committee shall have power when so directed by a General Meeting to borrow or raise or secure the payment of money in such manner as such General Meeting shall direct and in particular by the issue of debentures, perpetual or otherwise, or by mortgage charges on all or any of the property of the Club.
13. A meeting of the Committee shall be held each month and additional meetings may be held as and when the Committee may decide. Prior notification of Committee meetings must be given to all Committee members.
14. At meetings of the Committee four shall form a quorum. At these meetings the chair shall be taken by the President or in his/her absence by the Vice-President. If neither of these officers is present any member may be elected chairperson. The chairperson shall have a casting vote in addition to his/her ordinary vote.
15. (a) The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the Spring each year for receiving the Committee’s Annual Report and the Financial Statement for the preceding year, for nominating members to serve on the Committee, making or amending any rule of the Club and transacting other business of the Club. Fourteen days notice at least of such Annual General Meeting shall be given to the members of the Club.
15. (b) Special General Meetings may be called at the request of the Committee or on a requisition to the Honorary Secretary signed by at least twenty members and stating the business to be brought forward. The procedure for convening such meetings shall be the same as for the Annual General Meeting. The written notice concerning such meetings shall state the business to be considered.
15. (c) No member shall be eligible to vote at any General Meeting unless he/she is a fully paid up member to the previous thirty first of December.
15. (d) No proxy votes at Committee or General Meetings shall be allowed.
15. (e) If a majority of the members present wish any question under discussion to be put to a vote by ballot, that mode of voting shall be adopted.
15. (f) In the case of equality of votes, the Chairperson shall have a casting vote.
15. (g) Nominations for the Committee shall be taken at the Annual General Meeting and for seven days thereafter.
15. (h) Voting for the election of the Committee shall take place for seven days after the close of nominations therefore and shall be conducted by secret ballot.
16. No person other than a member of the Club shall be supplied with excisable liquor in the Club and no visitor shall be so supplied unless on the invitation and in the company of a member.
17. The Committee shall have power to suspend the rule permitting the introduction of visitors at any time and to refuse permission for any particular visitor to use the Club.
18. (a) The Committee may alter or add to the rules for the purpose of complying with the provisions of the Regulations of Clubs (Ireland) Act 1904 or of any Act which may be passed amending same
18. (b) But (except for the purposes aforesaid) no rule of the Club shall be repealed or altered or new rules made except at a General Meeting.
19. No manager or servant employed in the Club shall have any personal interest in the sale of excisable liquor or in the profits arising from such sale.
20. All personal belongings of members, visitors and others brought to or left on the premises of the Club shall be at the risk of the owners and the Club or Committee shall not be responsible for any loss or damage thereto, however arising, but this rule shall not prejudice any claims by the Club or the owners against insurance companies in case of fire or when otherwise covered by insurance.
21. In case any question should arise as to the interpretation of these rules and regulations, the same shall be decided by the Committee.
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