1) The Club shall be called Tullamore Rugby Football Club and shall be affiliated to the Leinster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union. The Club shall be a “Sports Club” within the meaning of Section 55(2) of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 1927.
2) The registered address of the Club shall be Spollanstown, Tullamore.
3) The colours of the Club shall be red jersey, black hoop and black knickers. Members must play in complete Club costume.
4) The Club shall consist of Life, Honorary, Pavilion, Playing, all hereinafter described as Ordinary Members, Associate Members and Youth Members. Associate and Youth Members shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting.
5) Membership of the Club:- All persons shall be proposed by an Ordinary Member and seconded by another and balloted for by the Executive Committee, a minority vote of one in four to exclude. The names and addresses of persons proposed as Ordinary members of the Club shall be displayed in a conspicuous place in the Club premises for at least a week before their election, and an interval of not less than two weeks shall elapse between nomination and election of Ordinary Members.
6) The annual subscription of Playing Members, Pavilion Members, Associate Members and Youth Members shall be fixed by the Annual General Meeting in each year.
7) The Club year commences on the 1st May. Subscriptions become due immediately and must be paid before the 30th November. A Member whose subscription is not paid before that date shall cease to be a Member of the Club unless he can account for the omission to the satisfaction of the Executive Committee.
8) That any member wishing to resign must send in a written notice to that effect to the Honorary Secretary before the 1st October or he will be held liable for the current years subscription.
9) The Annual General meeting of the Club shall be held in May to elect Officers and other Members for the coming season and to receive reports and statement of accounts from the Executive Committee. In addition to the above the business of the Annual General Meeting shall include consideration of matters submitted by an Ordinary Member and any other matter submitted by the Executive Committee, of which 7 days notice in writing shall have been given to the Honorary Secretary save as provided in Rule 24.
10) A special General Meeting shall be held whenever the Executive Committee may deem such meeting expedient, or whenever a request in writing be delivered to the Honorary Secretary signed by at least ten Ordinary Members and accompanied by a statement of the reason for which such a meeting is required, such meeting to be held within 10 days of the receipt of such a request , and that three days notice must be given to all Members of the business to be brought forward at such Special General Meeting.
11) The property of the Club shall vest in the Trustees. The number of such Trustees shall be not more than three, nor less than two. From and after the date on which a loan shall be made by the I.R.F.U. to the Club, and until such time as the loan shall be repaid, no person shall be elected as Trustee until he has been approved of by the Committee of the I.R.F.U. The Trustees shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and they shall hold office until death or resignation, unless removed from office by resolution of a General Meeting, or unless they cease to be members. The Trustees shall be ex-officio Members of the Executive Committee. They shall deal with the property of the Club as directed by a resolution of the Executive Committee (of which an entry in the Minute Book signed by the Chairman shall be conclusive evidence), and in so far as the assets of the Club shall may be deficient, they and the other members of the Executive Committee shall be indemnified against liability and expenses incurred by them by reason of their position as Trustees or Members of the Executive Committee by the Ordinary Members of the Club for the time being (excluding Honorary Members).
12) The Management of the Club shall be vested in the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the Trustees, the President, President-Elect, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and Chairman and five Ordinary Members.
The President, President-Elect, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and Ordinary Members shall be elected annually at the A.G.M. of the Club. In the event that 5 Ordinary members of the Executive are not elected at the AGM due to insufficient proposals then the Executive shall be entitled to co-opt additional members of the Executive Committee.
The Chairman shall be elected at the A.G.M. for a 2 year term and all subsequent elections to be held every second A.G.M. thereafter.
The Executive Committee shall have power to appoint Chairman of Sub-Committees and member of any Sub-Committee, to run and manage different aspects of the Club as the Executive Committee shall decide.
Membership of these Sub-Committees shall be for a period of one year.
The Executive Committee shall have power to fill any vacancies occurring in any of the officers of the Club other than that of the Trustee that occur during the year, the person so appointed by the Executive Committee shall hold office until the following Annual General Meeting.
13) At the election for membership of the Executive Committee all Members of the Club present at the Annual General Meeting shall have right to vote by secret ballot, but no voting papers containing a lesser number of votes that there are vacancies shall be invalid. Where there is any dispute as to voting procedure to be adopted at the General Meeting of the Club or at any Executive or Sub-Committee Meeting, the Chairman shall be the sole arbiter. Any member whose subscription is in arrears shall not have the right to initiate, vote or take part in a General Meeting.
14) The President, or in his absence the Meeting shall elect its Chairman from those present, shall preside at all General Meetings and at all Executive Meetings and Sub-Committee Meetings, shall have a deliberate as well as a casting vote.
15) The Executive Committee shall meet at least once per month throughout the season. Three members to form a quorum.
16) For the purpose of carrying out any of their powers and duties the Executive Committee may make regulations not inconsistent with these rules and may appoint Sub-Committee including Selection Committees as may be considered necessary and may determine the functions to be exercised by such Sub-Committee.
17) The Honorary Secretary shall convene all Executive and General Meetings, keep a record of such meetings in the Minute Book of the Club, conduct correspondence of the Club and submit an Annual Report. He shall keep a list of the names and addresses of Ordinary Members (noting the date of election) and shall on request furnish to each member on his election, a copy of the rules.
18) The Honorary Treasurer shall keep correct accounts and books showing the financial affairs and receipts and disbursement of the Club, and shall furnish the Executive with particulars of same from time to time as may be required. He shall submit annual accounts duly audited.
19) The Executive Committee may take such banking arrangement in the name of the Club as they may deem expedient.
20) If at anytime the Club in General Meeting shall pass a resolution authorising the Executive Committee to borrow money, the Executive Committee shall thereupon be empowered to borrow for the purpose of and on behalf of the Club such amount of money either at one time or from time to time at such rate of interest and in such form and manner and upon such security as they shall think fit, and thereupon the Trustees shall at the discretion of the Executive Committee make all such dispositions of the Club property or any part thereof and enter into such agreements in relation thereto as the Executive Committee may deem proper for giving security for such loans and interest. All Ordinary Members after passing of such resolution , shall be deemed to have assented to same as if they had voted in favour of such resolution.
21) The Committee shall have the power to order goods or make contracts for the day to day running of the Club provided however, orders, contracts and other agreements for expenditure of a capital nature must be sanctioned by the Trustees in writing if the sum exceeds €5,000.00.
22) The Executive Committee shall have power to raise money for the purpose of the Club by such means as it may deem expedient in the interest of the Club.
23) If any Member shall, in the opinion of the Executive Committee, be guilty of conduct likely to endanger the welfare or good order of the Club, the Executive Committee, after giving such member an opportunity of being heard, may, by a two thirds majority of those present and voting, suspend such Member for such period as the Executive Committee may think fit, or expel such Member, whereupon he shall immediately cease to be a Member of the Club and shall forfeit all rights to or claim upon the Club or its property.
24) No alteration or addition shall be made to these Rules save as stated in Rule (31) except at a General Meeting, and at least three weeks notice of such alteration or addition shall be given in writing to the Honorary Secretary.
25) The Executive Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of these Rules and of any regulations made thereunder.
26) A visitor shall not be supplied with excisable liquor in the club premises unless on the invitation and in the company of an Ordinary Member, and that the Ordinary Member shall, upon the admission of such visitor to the Club premises or immediately upon being supplied with such liquor, enter his name and the name and address of the visitor in a book which shall be kept for the purpose, and which shall show the date of each visit.
27) No exercisable liquor shall be sole or supplied by the Club to any person under the age of 18 years. No exercisable liquor shall be sold for consumption outside the premises of the Club except to Members of the Club between the hours of 8.00a.m. in the morning and 10.00p.m. at night. No exercisable liquor shall be supplied for consumption on the Club premises to any person or be consumed on the Club premises by any person.
a) on any weeks-day, before the hour of half-past ten o’clock in the morning, or
(i) after the hour of half-past eleven in the evening, or
during a period which is not a period of summer-time, after the hour of eleven o’clock in the evening, or on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and 12.30am Saturday and Sunday
b) on any Sunday before the hours of half past twelve o’clock in the afternoon or after the hour of eleven o’clock in the evening, or
c) on St. Patrick’s Day where that day falls on a week day before the hours of half past twelve o’clock in the afternoon or after the hours of eleven o’clock in the evening, or
d) Anytime on Christmas Day or Good Friday.
28) All members of the Club shall be bound by the Rules of the Club and by the Bye-Laws laid down or any Regulation made from time to time by the Executive Committee. No member of the Executive Committee and no Manger or Servant employed in the Club shall have any personal interest in the sale of excisable liquor therein or in the profits arising from such sale.
29) No member shall be absolved from the effect of the Rules, Bye-Laws or regulations of the Club on the ground that he was not supplied with a copy or had not notice of the same.
30) a) The Executive Committee may elect as Honorary Life Members, any
persons, who being eligible for membership in accordance with Rule (5) hereof, have given exceptional service to the Club or whose status or position in the State would in the opinion of the Executive Committee merit election as Honorary Life Member.
b) No person shall be elected as Honorary Life member unless by unanimous vote of the Executive Committee present at a meting for which at least seven days notice has been given of the intention to propose such person for election.
c) The members of a visiting team playing on the Club’s grounds shall for the day of the match only be temporary Honorary Members of the Club, as shall the referee of any match between the Club and any visiting team played on the Club’s grounds.
d) Honorary Life Members and temporary Honorary Members shall be relieved of the payment of the regular entrance fee and subscriptions.
31) The Executive Committee may alter or add to such Rule or Rules as may from time to time deal with the supply or consumption of excisable liquor for the purpose of complying with the Licensing Laws for the time being in force, or for the purpose of satisfying the requirements of the Members in accordance with such laws.
32) The position of Club Captain to be elected annually at the A.G.M. on the nominations of Rugby Sub-Committees which said nomination to be laid before the A.G.M.
33) Selection policy for Tullamore R.F.C. shall be as follows:-
a) The First XV Coach/Selectors have first choice of all adult (Players over 18) at their disposal.
b) In the event of a conflict between the Firsts and U 20’s or in the situation of any other conflict between any team and lower graded team (or in youths rugby a lower age team) then a three man arbitration committee will discuss the selection conflict and give a ruling and their decision shall be binding on both teams.
This three man committee will be selected and nominated by the Rugby Committee and ratified by the Executive Committee at the commencement of each season.
c) Verbal permission must be obtained from a parent for any under age player who is selected to play on a team at an age group higher.
d) Any Coach who requests a player from another team must first approach the other team Coach, only in the event of the player not being released is the matter referred to the Arbitration Committee.
e) In respect of any player who is an under age player (at U 18, U 16, U 14, U 12 or U 10), then that player can only be selected for an age group higher than his normal age group if he is in his second year playing at that age group.
Rules of Tullamore Rugby Club.649 (1).doc