The IABA’s 2022 AGM has taken place, and two non-executive Directors have been elected to IABA’s Board of Directors, following a ballot of members. They are: Fiona Hennigan and Darren O’Neill. 2 seats on the board were available and 3 candidates contested the election.

		Number of Votes
Hennigan, Fiona		81	Elected
O’Neill, Darren		81	Elected
Reilly, Geraldine		60	Not Elected
		Ballots
Total ballots issued		372
Ballots returned		119
Total valid poll		116
Spoiled votes		3

The Board of Directors now includes:

• Thomas Geraghty (Interim Chair) 
• Neil Gough
• Charles Toland
• Ted Barry
• Fiona Hennigan
• Darren O’Neill.

Fiona has become the second ever IABA female member of the Board of Directors, after former Leinster President Bernie Harold in the mid 2010s. Her election means female representation on the Board stands at 16.6%.

Interim Chair, Tom Geraghty, outined in his address to the AGM, affirmed that the recruitment of an independent Chair, for a 3-year term, is underway and is being managed by Boardmatch. More information is available here and is also available here. Boardmatch is conducting this process in accordance with the Rules and under the stewardship of the Nomination and HR Committee.

The interim Chair also outlined his appointment and the provisions which underpin that appointment: After the resignation of the previous Chair on September second, an election was held between the continuing Directors to appoint an interim-Chairperson, and that the interim-Chairperson should be formally recognised. Continuing Directors fixed a quorum as 3 Directors, under exceptional circumstances – this is to allow the convening of the AGM as envisaged under the Constitution. This was done in accordance with Article 52 of the Constitution – for the express purpose, as allowed under Article 53, where it is intended that two additional Board members will be elected and appointed at the AGM.

Auditor’s report:

The report, for the financial year ended December 31^st, 2021 is attached and is available in the AGM series of articles, published here. Clubs are invited to submit any questions they may have on the audit/auditor’s report to ciara@iaba.ie before 5pm on December 14^th.

Re-appointment of Auditors:

Nexus Accounting was duly re-appointed as IABA’s auditors following a motion proposed by Anita McGovern of Setanta Boxing Club and seconded by Darren McGavin of Moyle Park Boxing Club.

The 2022 IABA National Safeguarding report.

Auditor’s Report, for the year ended December 31st, 2022

The IABA’s Officer Board has bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award on Ollie O’Neill.

The award was made in recognition of the Kilkenny man, and Paulstown BC Head Coach’s contribution to boxing over many decades.

The award was bestowed on the occaision of 50th anniversary celebrations for Paulstown Boxing Club, which first opened its doors in 1972; the club, fittingly, held a show to mark the occaision.

One of the attendees, Cllr. Denis Hayes, said in a statement on Facebook “It was a great pleasure to be at the 50 years celebration of Paulstown Boxing Club last night. I remember 30 years ago Ollie organising bouts for myself and fellow local man Jimmy Dunne. You don’t feel the years going by, but I have to say Ollie along with his team has done a great job in keeping the boxing club going. Communities need people like this to keep them alive.”

Ollie, of his award said in a statement on Facebook “Big thanks to the iaba for the lifetime in boxing award at our 50 anniversary celebration last I was absolutely stunned”

The Board of Directors is seeking feedback and observations on the Governance Review of IABA, conducted by Brian McNeice. The review, which covered all aspects of the association and issued over 60 recommendations, is attached.

The IABA commissioned two workshops on the report, which were open to all adult members of all affiliated clubs.

Watch Workshop One

Watch Workshop Two

All adult members of your club are invited to take part in the survey, which is available here.

All views are welcome, and the survey includes the facility to suggest reforms which may not have been included in the survey, as well as the facility to state which reforms you feel IABA should act on, and which reforms IABA should not act on. The survey will remain open until December 14^th

Over 200 children have taken part in a Try Boxing camp in Belfast.

The camp, hosted by IABA Ulster Branch in Glenparent Community & Youth Centre – in all, six schools took part.

Training was delivered by coaches Brendan Irvine and Patrick Gallagher. The children were introduced to the basics of footwork, pad work and head movement along, and took part in team races and games. More importantely, they had great fun!

This project was supported through the Belfast Boxing Strategy funded by Belfast City Council.

Auditors, Nexus Accounting, have confirmed they will accept, and count, ballots in the election of 2 non-Executive members of the Board of Directors arriving in their offices until 5pm this evening. This is an extension from midday on November 30^th.

These ballots were posted, on November 11^th,  to the postal address clubs included in your Blocworx portal as part of affiliation for the 2022/2023 season. They must be returned, with the enclosed signed slip, to 31 Grange Ter, Kill of the Grange, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, A94 A3E7, by 5pm on Thursday, December 1^st.

Elections: Non-Executive members of the Board of Directors

No. of candidates: 3

No. of seats: 2

For guidance, please note:

1. Place a tick or an X in the box beside the name of the person(s) you wish to elect to the Board of Directors
2. There are two seats available – your club may vote for 2 people
3. When your club has completed voting, please place this ballot paper in the envelop provided and post.
4. Your ballot must arrive before 5pm on 01/12/2022 in order to be counted and included in the final result
5. Results of this election will be made known at the IABA’s AGM in the National Stadium Dublin at 3pm on Sunday, December 4th, 2022.

For guidance, please also note

• Ballots which contain any marks, writing or annotation outside of the relevant boxes will be adjudged spoiled and will not be counted.
• Ballots which include a vote for all candidates will be adjudged spoiled and will not be counted.

The Annual General Meeting of the IABA has been scheduled and registration is now open to all clubs which successfully affiliated by November 1st. Registration will close at midday on Thursday, December 1st. The results of the election will be declared at this meeting.

Time: 2.30pm

Date: Sunday, December 4^th

Location: The National Stadium, Dublin.

Eligibility: All clubs who have submitted affiliations for the 2022/2023 season up to November 1^st are eligible to attend

Attendees: Eligible clubs may nominate any two adult members to attend as delegates – one to be a voting delegate, one to be a non-voting delegate. Delegates nominated by clubs must verified members – this means they must be included in the club’s affiliation application, through Blocworx, for the 2022/2023 season as members and be over the age of 18. *Please note, delegates will be required to present photographic identification (passport, drivers’ licence, etc) on the day of the EGM.  

Registration: available here

At its meeting on the evening of November 30^th, IABA’s Board of Directors have decided that the proposed votes on Motion 1 and Motion 2 will not proceed on December 4^th, pending further consultation with clubs.