What a Year!! Following the cancellation of all club rugby last March, little did any of us think that by the end of December 2020 that we would still not have seen an AIL, a Metro League or a JP Fanagan game or had a post match drink and chit chat in our clubhouse, unfortunately that is the case and if recent days are anything to go by it will be another while before we get to have our “Normal “ back. It has been a very tough year for many of our members, supporters, sponsors, players and coaches and we hope that 2021 will be an easier and more enjoyable year.

To our credit, the Lansdowne family has again shone brightly from helping out frontline staff with our very successful Go Fund Me campaign last April to the Players Movember raising vital funds for the Movember campaign and cancer research to also making a sizeable donation to The Peter McVerry Trust on the clubs behalf. Our Your Club Your Country Fundraiser was also a great success and we had members, supporters and sponsors all responding very positively to our call, to help us in our time of need and for all of those worthy causes that so many of you donated to thank you so much for your continued support. We have proven that we can and are champions off the pitch as well as on it and it is one of the reasons why I treasure being President of Lansdowne FC.

It is my job and that of the club executive to be the custodians of Lansdowne FC and to guide us trough the tough times as well as the good times and in that regard I am delighted to report that the executive made up of myself as President, Vice President Steven Rooney, Junior Vice President , Michael Dawson, Honorary Secretary Kieran Walsh, Treasurer Karl Kleere, Chairman of Rugby Enda Bohan, Director of Mini & Youth Rugby Brian Moran and Player Rep John Sparks have all worked tirelessly on your behalf to have our club in the best shape possible considering all of the challenges we have faced this year and we owe them all a debt of gratitude and I want publicly acknowledge their fine work and thank them for their dedication to Lansdowne FC and putting in the work behind the scenes. As an executive and as a club we are very fortunate to have Michael and Elayne in our office backing up the club executive and carrying out the day to day running of our club without whom we simply wouldn’t be able to operate as efficiently as we do. Along with bar manager Dave, Louis and Anne in accounts on behalf of the members I want to thank you sincerely for your help and cooperation this year. It has been a tough year for you all as well and I hope you all get to enjoy Christmas.

We have great work going on also by our 150th committee led by Michael Ryan and our Business Lunch Committee led by Ciaran O’Reilly announcing a virtual business lunch early next year where we once again will be looking for all of your support but more details on that post-Christmas, to all of our sub committee members many thanks! Our player numbers have not been as healthy for a number of years and all we need now is some games for them!! A huge thanks to the players for sticking with us and to the coaches and managers who have kept the players engaged and as occupied as possible, than you!. Not the year we had hoped for but the year we have and they have made the most of it. For all the doom and gloom in the world, we have a lot to be happy about and grateful for. Thank you all for the support you have given me personally and to all that turn out for Lansdowne be it on the pitch, on the side-lines, behind the scenes, supporting the club however you can, I thank you! To the country and world wide Lansdowne Family on behalf of Your club executive, trustees and office staff we wish you a Happy, Healthy & Merry Christmas & New Year, Roll on 2021!!

Regards,

Colin Goode
President 2020/21
Lansdowne Football Club