Visit by District Governor Martin Moloney

Looking resplendent in their matching salmon pink shirts President Peter Irwin and Honorary Secretary Robert McIlveen introduced District Governor Martin Molony to the members of Donaghadee Rotary Club at last weeks meeting (24.8.05.). The members are somewhat concerned in case the salmon pink shirt replaces the Rotary sweatshirt.  

Prior to inviting the District Governor to speak President Peter announced that the street collection in Donaghadee on 20.8.05 for Rotary Foundation had raised £621.59.

The club members would like to thank the people of Donaghadee for their generosity and also Ivan Currie for making his premises available for the Rotary display.  

The District Governor from the Dublin Central club then gave an address that in its presentation and content could only have come from a university lecturer in Communications. He explained that after consulting the various Rotary club presidents he realised that the balance between friendship, craic and raising money had gone out of kilter. He emphasised that his projects this year were not about raising money but about getting the publicity due to Rotary. He explained that in Rotary a lot of tradition had got in the way of friendship and doing good.  

He continued by saying that his project this year would be TABU towards a better understanding with the underlying theme of Service Before Self. He emphasised that Service meant getting ones hands dirty, not always about money but hands on stuff. In connection with this he cited two examples, clean water and literacy. He quoted that “to teach someone to read and write is to take them to another sphere”.  

The District Governor then explained the thinking behind Challenge 32 in which two blind people will run 1 mile in each of the 32 counties of Ireland in 32 hours .In each county the blind runners will be accompanied by 32 Rotarians. Each Rotarian will be sponsored for at least £100.  

The District Governor then issued  Club President Peter with 3 challenges

1. To sponsor a new member this year

2. To celebrate Rotary's Centenary

3. To obtain a Presidential citation  

The District Governor ended with a commercial for this years District Conference in Dublin in September encouraging all Rotarians to attend.  

After his address President Peter Irwin presented the District Governor with a gift and banner from Donaghadee Rotary Club. Peter wished him well in his goal of visiting 50 clubs before conference.

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