Monaghan Motor Club hosted their annual awards presentation on Saturday night last in the splendid surroundings of the Hillgrove Hotel. This year’s event also had the added attraction of honouring the ladies of our club. A large crowd gathered for what was a truly enjoyable night as stories and banter of the year gone past rang around the ballroom.
Proceeding’s kicked off with a fabulous dinner followed by the club chairman Paul Hughes’s address. Through his speech the chairman acknowledged the achievements of our club members at competition level. These included Arthur and Macartan Kierens winning the Border Rally Championship, Arthur and Ashley McAdoo winning the national night navigation championship as well as Sam Moffatt and James O Reilly winning the group N category and 2nd over-all in the National Rally Championship. Paul also recognised the success of the younger generation of competitors within Monaghan as South Monaghan brother’s Johno and Padraig Doogan won the national junior rally championship. He highlighted the fact that five of the seven nominee’s for this years prestigious Billy Coleman award were from Monaghan with Sam Moffatt and Daniel McKenna being short listed for the final three which would be announced on Tuesday 6th December. He also congratulated all award winners within our club championships and followed on with an extensive list of thank-yous rangeing from the clubs main sponsor, the Hillgrove Hotel along with the Gardai and Monaghan County Council to name but a few.
Following on from the chairman’s address last year’s stages CoC Conor Maguire took over at the microphone to announce the Gary Nesbitt club navigation award winners. The display of crystal for this championship along with all of the awards was second to none. Award winners in navigation circles include Niall Kelly and Mac Kierans winning the beginners class, Sean McKenna and Gary Farrelly winning the novice class. Damian Treanor and Jonathan McGovern were top of the semi-expert class while Michael and Ciaran Tynan took the expert class honours. Michael Carbin and Evin Hughes were over-all club navigation champions and indeed both club members had a path worn to the stage to collect crystal by the end of the night!
Club member, MC and DJ for the night Sean McCaffery then took over at the helm to announce the remainder of the award winners. These included Janice Mackarel winning the ladies award, Karl Moen winning the perpetual McElvaney cup for his exploits in this years gravel surface autocross. Perpetual cup winners for our stages rally included Niall Maguire and Enda Sherry winning the Maguire International cup while Daniel McKenna and Andrew Grennan won the Keenan Stainless Steel cup for 2.4ltr class. The squealing Pig cup went to Damian Hagan and Fiona Boa with Darren and Nicola McKenna lifting the JG Kelly supplies cup. Sam Moffatt and James O’Reilly won the Combi-lift cup. The Gerry McNamara award was also presented on the night with Cora Maguire as the worthy recipient. This award is in recognition of the trojan work Cora carries out not only in her role as club and events secretary but also in promoting Monaghan Motor Club outside of events.
The climax of the awards ceremony came as Michael Carbin was crowned over-all traders club champion. After competing in all eight of the events the club ran this year Michael clinched the 2011 traders club championship by a single point on the final round, the Drumlin navigation trial. On the night Michael thanked everyone who helped him achieve this goal, especially is navigator Evin Hughes.
During the course of the awards ceremony spot prizes were awarded with all of the ladies in attendance hoping to win some of the magnificent prizes on offer which included spa treatments, beauty makeovers and vouchers to name but a few. Monaghan Motor club would like to take the opportunity to thank everybody who sponsored prizes for our ladies night. These include the Hillgrove Hotel, Hi-Maintenance, Magill’s, Cavan Crystal, Phyllis Moffett, Beauty Box & Ward’s Chemist and everyone else who helped out in anyway. The night concluded with a disco into the early hours to the sound of Sean McCaffery. A full array of photographs of the night can be viewed on the club website at www.monaghanmotorclub.net All in all an excellent night and well done to the organising committee as well as all award winners and especially our new club champion, Michael Carbin.
County Monaghan Motor Club 