Founder members of Offaly Lions club honoured for 50 years of service

TWO founder members of Tullamore Lions Club – Andy Galvin and Tom Maher – were honoured at a welcoming reception for the over 300 delegates from all over Ireland and overseas who gathered for the body's national convention in Tullamore last weekend.

Fittingly the event coincided with the 50^th anniversary celebrations of Tullamore Lions.

Tullamore Lions Club is affiliated to Lions Club International, the largest service club organisation in the world, with 1.4 million volunteers serving communities in over 200 countries and territories.

Friday's welcoming ceremony took place in the Esker Arts Centre and the highlight of the occasion was a talk on the history of Tullamore and its environs by the Secretary of Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society, Michael Byrne.

The informal evening also included music from local performers including Ferbane's Diarmuid Guinan and traditional musicians.

The Tullamore Court Hotel was the nerve centre of the Convention during the weekend with all meetings and exhibitions taking place in the conference facility at the venue.

Apart from the business meetings of the convention, some of the social highlights of the weekend for guests and visitors included golfing at Tullamore Golf Club on the Friday morning prior to the start of the Convention, and visits to Tullamore Food Market, Duffy and Scott candle-makers and the D.E.W Distillery Visitor Experience in Clonminch on the Saturday.

Mr John Lyons, Chairperson of the Convention Committee explained that there has been huge support from local businesses for the event with many showcasing window displays and offering special discounts to the visiting delegates. Offaly County Council have also been very supportive in preparation for the Convention.

The programme of events concluded with a booked-out Gala Ball on the Saturday night.

“This is a huge honour for Tullamore Lions Club especially as we are celebrating 50 years of service to the town this year” said Larry Fleming, Club President.

“Our work involves providing support where it’s needed in our community, so it is great to be able to showcase some of the work we have done to our fellow Lions in Ireland and abroad’’

Tullamore Lions Club assists various groups and individuals in the locality when a need arises. It does this through financial support funded from fundraising events, sales of the Tullamore Annual, golf classics in support of many local causes and donations from benefactors.

For further information email; contact@tullamorelionsclub.com