Knockmealdown Active Group elects new chairman and some new committee members at AGM

Knockmealdown Active community group elected a new Chairman and some new committee officers at its Annual General Meeting in Ballyporeen where members looked back on a very busy year of tourism events and initiatives.

The new committee for 2023 is led by Chairman Joe Byrne from Ardfinnan. Noeline Bergin, also from Ardfinnan, is the new Secretary.

Marian O’Dwyer, from Newcastle, remains as treasurer. Other posts filled at the AGM at Ballyporeen Community Hall on February 7 included Mark Rylands from Goatenbridge as Grants Officer and the Newcastle pairing of Kevin O’Donnell as Trails Officer and Richard Gorodecky as PRO.

Gráinne Moynihan from Lismore continues as St Declan’s Way Liaison Officer. She is also Chairperson of the St Declan’s Way Steering Committee.

In his address to the AGM, outgoing Chairman Conor O’Brien thanked members for all their work over 2022 and advised that he and Secretary Jenny Tavener, were stepping down after three years in their positions.

Conor outlined the highlights of last year. These included an exceptionally successful five stage walk of St Declan’s Way in the spring.

This has now become a much anticipated annual occurrence, with booking currently open for the 2023 event at www.stdeclansway.ie.

The group raised almost €20,000 for Pieta and the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association through the Climb With Charlie Walk driven by Charlie Bird last April. There was a huge turnout for the climb at Mount Melleray Abbey.

During the year, the path to Bay Lough was resurfaced, to make this amenity more accessible to a wider range of people. This was completed by Edmond McGrath, using €20,000 in funds raised in conjunction with South Tipperary Development CLG, via the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS).

In July, members of the group filmed an episode of The Summer Show with RTE’s Nuala Carey and Derek Mooney, covering the portion of St Declan’s Way from Mount Melleray to Cahir.

In August, Newcastle was host to the largest Knock ME Down Adventure Race to date, with more than 500 participants taking to their bikes along the Knockmealdown Mountains, before running to Bay Lough, then kayaking around the lake and running back to their bikes.

From there they either took the long road, cycling to Mount Melleray before a further gruelling run and cycle over the mountain, or headed along the foot of the mountains back to base in Newcastle.

The 2022 Adventure Race event was run in conjunction with a These are my Mountains photo competition that attracted hundreds of entries from around the Knockmealdowns. It was won by Vanessa Summerhayes from Ballylooby.

In October, Knockmealdown Active hosted a very successful gathering of more than 100 people in Newcastle to celebrate the group’s 10th anniversary and the growth it has experienced over the past decade. In attendance were past and present members, representatives of the clergy and a number of local politicians.

Further information on the group and the activities it undertakes can be found at www.knockmealdown
active.com.