This article is from page 104 of the 2007-12-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 104 JPG
THE long-term future of two Clare hurling clubs hangs in the balance before an historic joint-vote at the weekend.
Sunday is set to become a pivotal occasion in the history of both the Inagh and Kilnamona hurling clubs as a proposal to amalgamate both has been put forward.
The matter will be voted on this Sunday when Inagh and Kilnamona will hold their AGM?’s simultane- ously. A three-quarters majority is needed from both clubs if the motion is to be formally passed.
The connotations of such a move are far reaching as the amalgama- tion will lead to the folding of two historic institutions in order to create one new super-club.
Inagh and Kilnamona are currently amalgamated at underage level where they have experienced great success in recent years, winning minor and under 21 A titles.
In the past, they have also merged at senior level but never to the detri- ment of their own distinct club sides at intermediate level.
If the proposal is passed by both clubs, it will mean that at adult level a senior and an intermediate side will represent the new club after In- agh consulted the county board at the November meeting.
Kilnamona were relegated from senior this year after losing out in a relegation play-off against Smith O’Briens while Inagh just missed out on a quarter-final spot.
With such an important issue, some Opposition to the proposal is antici-
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However, some speculation in the Kilnamona camp yesterday [Mon- day] suggested that this motion is being railroaded through by their executive committee without the full backing of the club.
Further speculation of a member- ship controversy on the Kilnamona side 1s starting to build as confusion over full membership means that some members find themselves inel1- gible to vote next Sunday.
A source said, “In recent years the amalgamation of Kilnamona and Inagh at underage level has yielded success and most people in the par- ish would not have an issue with the clubs amalgamating for senior hurl- ing but not at the expense of winding up Kilnamona hurling club.
‘There is a lot of opposition to the
proposed winding up of Kilnamona but its looks like most of the opposi- tion is from people in the parish who are not going to be allowed vote in the meeting to decide something that is the cornerstone of most rural par- ishes in the country.”
A splinter club known as the Kil- namona Gaels is also being touted if the move goes ahead. ‘Inamona’, as the amalgamation is affectionately known, could bring to an end 120 years of the Kilnamona club who have been in existence since the ear- liest days of the GAA. A team repre- senting Inagh first made an appear- ance in 1918 and officially reformed as the Inagh hurling club in 1953.
Historic clubs in even more historic times but there’s set to be much de- bate at the respective AGM’s next Sunday.