MEET: Outside old Irish Press Offices, Burgh Quay, down from Spar shop.

DEPART Sundays 10.00 A.M. (or when the bus is full)

COST: Private bus. Cost €9.00.

NOTE: The leader has the right to refuse anyone who is not adequately equipped (i.e. without adequate rainwear, spare clothes, food, torch and hiking boots). The leader has the right to extend, curtail or alter the route from that described in the program. The leader sets the pace of the hike and walkers are expected to obey his/her instructions at all times.

During winter months it is essential to bring a (head) torch on all Sunday hikes and weekends away. Don’t forget to check your batteries and bulb.

Your club membership card MUST be carried and produced, if requested on all Sunday hikes. Numbered tickets will be given out on the quays by a committee member. People with a valid membership card and ticket will be given preference on the bus.

Mountaineering is an activity with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants should be aware of and accept these risks. People who take part in our club activities do so at their own risk and are responsible for their own actions and involvement. The Committee requests that anyone who is on medication or with a medical condition inform the leader before the start of the hike.

Try to reduce the erosion and widening of trails, e.g. do not walk on the edge of worn tracks; walk through the centre of the original track or go several feet into the scruff where the ground is untrodden, walking parallel to but not on the track.

Litter is unsightly and dangerous to animals. Even bio-degradable items like orange peels and banana skins take years to disappear. Bring all your litter home and try to include at least one extra item from each day out. Do not bury litter – animals will dig it up.

In the interest of safety and comfort please keep the pointed end of your walking stick covered, especially when travelling on the bus.

Happy new year folks. Detailed above are a list of walks guaranteed to undo the damage of all that turkey & triffle over Christmas. Please note that this issue of the Hillwalker contains important notices relating to:

1. 2003 Membership Application Form
2. Club AGM on January 28^th
3. Club constitution
4. Weekends away for St. Patrick’s Weekend & Easter.

Please study the details well. We encourage all members to renew their membership promptly and to attend the AGM later this month where we will vote on the newly proposed club constitution.

The hike co-ordinator has asked that we take note of the following points of safety for the late Autumn & Winter walks, especially hike leaders:

All hike participants should carry suitable waterproof torches, reflective armbands or strips and adequate winter attire from the end of October until the end of the winter period. Leaders should insist that all participants are suitably attired and using torches when required. Leaders should plan to finish all hikes between 1700 and 1730hrs (earlier if severe adverse weather conditions prevail). Every effort should be made (without dragging or hurrying the group) to reach a recognised safe track or road way before the onset of darkness. Leaders should slow the pace down when encountering any type of awkward or difficult terrain, steep or slippery inclines etc. Extra vigilance should be exercised during the periods of dusk, darkness, dense fog or mist, snow and icy conditions etc. Walks should be altered or shortened  to take account of adverse weather conditions e.g. possible flooding or icy roads.

Here is the slide-show schedule for the New Year:

All at 8.30pm, Upstairs Lounge, Palace Bar. Meanwhile, if anyone would like to present a slide show, please contact Donal Finn.

We hope those who came along enjoyed themselves at this year’s club Christmas party in Glendalough. Our thanks to everyone who helped out with hikes, stereos, prizes, crowd control, et cetera. Our thanks also to the musicians who entertained us on the night. Congratulations to Caroline Carswell and Don Reilly for winning the awards for Best Newsletter article and Best Newsletter Photo respectively. Mick Heneghan is also to be congratulated for keeping most of his clothes on. A big thanks is due to the Committee members who gave so much of their time and effort to ensure the success and enjoyment of the weekend (don’t worry: the Editor hardly did a tap, so this is not a case of self-congratulation J ).

Chairperson: Donal Finn
Secretary: Frank Rooney
Treasurer Prionsias Mac an Bheatha
Editor Warren Lawless
Sunday Hikes: Jim Barry
Acting Membership Secretary: Donal Finn
Membership Secretary: Gerry Walshe
Training Officer: Joe Kellegher
Young Hillwalkers: Dave Rooney

Distribution: Cyril McFeeney & Pearse Foley
Webmaster: Matt Geraghty

Note: Donal is currently handling membership applications for Ger.

Please see new application form and AGM notices for 2003 membership. The club intends giving preference to members for places on the Sunday bus, so please be sure to renew your membership now. An application form is enclosed and should be sent to the Acting Membership Secretary at the following address: Mr. Donal Finn, 24 Glenmalure Park, South Circular Road, Dublin 8.

8.00pm, Tuesday Jan 28th, 2003

Upper Lounge, Palace Bar, Fleet Street, Dublin 2

Proposed Club Constitution

2.1 To organise hillwalking events and associated activities.

2.2 To promote awareness of the need to maintain access, conservation and protection of the mountain environment.

2.3 To strive to attain best practice in all organised activities.

4.1 Membership of the Club shall only be open to members of An Óige, the Irish Youth Hostelling Association, who are over 18 years, hereafter referred to as "the Club Membership".

4.2 In addition to 4.1 above, Membership of the Club shall only be open to individuals who accept that hillwalking is an activity with a danger of personal injury or even death. Members shall be aware of and accept these risks, wish to participate in these activities voluntarily and shall be responsible for their own actions and involvement. Members shall accept that An Óige Hillwalkers Club establishes the bounds on its activities through the constitution and rules of the club and members shall agree to abide by these.

5.2 The Officers of the Club shall be the Club President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Editor, the Membership Secretary, the Sunday Hike Coordinator, the Weekend Coordinator, and if required, a Training Officer and a number of additional Officers-at-Large, giving a minimum of seven Officers, hereafter referred to as "the Officers". These Officers shall constitute the Club Committee.

5.3 Officers shall be elected on either a denominated or non-denominated basis at the Annual General Meeting of the Club and can serve for a period up to but not exceeding five consecutive years. After five consecutive years have elapsed, Officers shall retire from the Committee. Retiring Officers shall be eligible for re-election to the Committee once a period of three years has elapsed since retirement.

5.4 At least one Officer shall retire in rotation from the Committee each year. Should the membership at the AGM fail to elect replacement Officers, then the incoming Committee may invite a retiring Officer or any other Club member to serve for a period of one year.

5.5 The first meeting of the Committee shall be held within eight weeks of the AGM. At that meeting the Committee shall by mutual agreement,

1. select a chairperson from amongst the incoming Committee members to chair regular committee meetings,
2. assign responsibilities to the Officers of the Club who shall hold their positions for a period of one year.

5.7 The Committee shall meet at least four times per year. The quorum for any meeting shall be at least four Officers.

5.8 The Committee may invite observers to attend a Committee meeting from time to time. Such observers shall have the right to speak but shall not have the right to vote.

5.9 An Officer of the Club shall have discretion to engage Club members to assist with ongoing Club activities subject to approval from the Committee.

6.2 An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by the Committee or at the written request to the Secretary by at least ten Members. Seventy-five (75) days written notice of an EGM shall be given to every Member.

6.3 The quorum for a General Meeting shall be twenty Members or fifty per cent of the membership which ever is the lesser.

6.4 Voting at General / Extraordinary Meetings shall be by simple majority save as where otherwise provided by the Constitution.

7.3 The election procedure for new Club Officers shall be as follows:

1. Seventy five days (75) prior to the AGM, members shall be informed in the club Newsletter of how many Committee places will be available. At this point, nominations for new candidates shall be sought from the membership.
2. Forty five (45) days prior to the AGM, a list of potential candidates shall be presented by means of the Newsletter to the club membership.
3. If the number of candidates proposed is equal to the number of positions, then no election will be deemed necessary, otherwise,
4. A ballot paper in a form approved by the Committee shall be available for eligible electors at the AGM.
5. All votes must be cast in person at the AGM.
6. Each elector is entitled to vote for the number of candidates equivalent to the number of vacancies on the committee. The candidates shall be ranked according to the number of votes received and the highest ranked candidates shall be deemed elected to the Committee. In the event of there being candidates with an equal number of votes for the final place or places, then there shall be second ballot for such candidates, each elector at the annual general meeting have one vote for each vacancy remaining.
7. The counting of votes shall be carried out by at least two scrutineers drawn from the general membership.

7.4 Should any emergency arise which renders the holding of an election impossible at the AGM, the outgoing Committee shall make arrangements for holding the election on an alternative date.

8.2 The Club President will be responsible for, (i) fostering initiatives and furthering development within the club through consultation with members of the club, (ii) establishing club policies and practices by consensus with the Committee, (iii) setting dates for regular committee meetings, (iv) reporting to the Membership at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Club, (v) representing the club at regular meetings of the Mountaineering Council of Ireland (MCI).

8.3 The Club Secretary shall be responsible for, (i) formulation and preparation of all correspondence relating to Club affairs, (ii) preparing and circulating in advance the agenda for committee meetings, (iii) recording all decisions taken at regular meetings of the committee, (iv) producing and distributing of minutes from those meetings.

8.4 The Treasurer shall be responsible for, (i) all financial affairs of the Club, (ii) maintaining an up-to-date financial record for presentation at all committee meetings, (iii) producing a verified annual financial statement of the club, verification to be carried out by an additional club member who has been nominated by the Committee, and (iv) reporting this statement to the Membership at the AGM of the club.

8.5 The Editor shall be responsible for, (i) producing a monthly newsletter, which will be distributed to all members of the Club, (ii) co-ordinating (and delegating if necessary) the production and management of the web page of the Club.

8.6 The Membership Secretary shall be responsible for, (i) receiving and processing membership applications from applicant members, (ii) maintaining an up-to-date database of all members, (iii) informing the MCI of the membership status of the club on a monthly basis, (iv) production of newsletter postal distribution labels.

8.7 The Sunday Hike Officer shall be responsible for, (i) organising all Sunday hikes throughout the year, (ii) maintaining a database of potential hike leaders, (iii) ensuring that acceptable practices are maintained with respect to all aspects of the Sunday hike programme as recommended by the Committee.

8.8 The Training Officer shall be responsible for, (i) co-ordinating and organising all matters relating to the annual course in mountain skills as organised by the Club, (ii) ensuring that acceptable practices are maintained with respect to all aspects of the training programme as recommended by the Committee.

8.9 The Weekend Officer shall be responsible for, (i) coordinating all weekend events or extended holiday events throughout the year, (ii) ensuring that acceptable practices are maintained with respect to all aspects of these events as recommended by the Committee.

9.1 The Committee shall have the power to set Club rules. Such rules shall be in accordance with the articles of the Club's Constitution and the policies of the MCI and can be altered at any time by the Committee.

9.2 The Club shall strive to maintain a positive financial balance at all times and will aim to report an end-of-year balance equivalent to at least 75% of the cumulative annual membership fee receipt.

Hostel accommodation: Modern Luxury Hostel (An Óige Franchised)

Booking: EUR 60 NON REFUNDABLE deposit to An Óige Head Office by credit card or cash deposit (8304555). Booking facilities available from 1^st January 2003.

Cost: EUR 155 (includes 3 bednights & Transport costs)

Meals: available at hostel (included in the price of the weekend)

Food: as above - stopping at local shops for extras etc.

Bring: Suitable Walking Boots, Rain Wear/Change of Warm Clothing/ Sheet Bag/Towels/ Toilet Gear/ Flask/Torch/ First Aid Kit/Camera/Binoculars/ valid An Óige membership card.

Departure: Friday evening from Custom House Quay at 4pm/ 1600hrs sharp.

Return: Monday evening /arriving Dublin City centre at 8pm(2000hrs) approx.

• Northern Fells: Skiddaw and surrounding Peaks(G.R.260 291)

• Eastern Fells: Helvellyn and surrounding peaks(G.R.342 151)

• Southern Fells: Scafell Pike Area(G.R.216 072)

• Southern Fells: Old Man Of Coniston(G.R.272 978)

• Low Level walking facilitated at each of the above locations

• Social Events

British Ordnance Survey Maps: 1:50.000 Landranger Series Sheet 90/97