Greetings to members Laois RTAI,
As previously notified the RTAI Laois Branch Social Meeting for April takes place on Tuesday next April 12th and I now wish to confirm the venue change for this get-together which will feature a TABLE QUIZ by Michael Lenihan. The venue will be a new one for us at the MDA (Mountmellick Development Association) Building in Mountmellick. For any one not familiar with this building it is on the main entrance into the town from the Portlaoise side (after the junction for the Hospital) and on the left hand side. There is plenty of car parking space there. The starting time is 2.00 pm and the quiz is usually a casual enough one with teams picked randomly so you dont need to bring any one with you. If any one has concerns about attending due to the continuing pandemic please feel free to wear a mask for the meeting/quiz.There is no obligation to join the quiz if you attend .
The Golf Outing goes ahead as planned on the following THURSDAY April 14th at Rathdowney Golf Club with a 1.00 pm starting time. Mary Dooley and Mary McCarthy will be co-ordinating and all you have to do is turn up at the Clubhouse for the start where tea/coffee scones will be available before heading out on the course.
A few teachers have expressed an interest in helping out with the Ukraine situation through the Portlaoise Parish Centre (as requested in previous correspondence). If anyone is interested in giving some time as a volunteer to help newly arrived Ukrainian refugees with conversational English please offer your services to Portlaoise Parish Centre or attend their Meet And Greet Meetings on any Tuesday between 10.00 and 12.00 for further information.
The Annual Congress of the RTAI took place in Croke Park Conference Centre on Wednesday last and the Laois branch was represented by myself and Bernadette Clear. The Laois Motion (Convention demands that all services obtained from a GP for those 70 years and older with a GP card to be free of charge) was passed without objection.Two other Laois members were in attendance at the Meeting. Sheelagh Coyle was a guest as ex-President and Mary McCarthy was present as outgoing District Representative. Mary was elected as Vice President of the Association and will take over from the newly elected president (Padraig O Conaill) at next year’s Convention . Congratulations to Mary on her achievement.Also at the Congress a motion was passed to donate €10,000 from the RTAI accounts to the Irish Red Cross-Ukraine Fund.
Further details on the Annual Congress can be found on the RTAI national website.
Sean Mullaney (Runai RTAI Laoise 2021) rtailaois@gmail.com 087-6324547
(Laois website www.rtailaois.com Administrator paddybates42@gmail.com)
Laois Branch RTAI (RTAI Laoise) is a constituent branch of the Retired Teachers Association of Ireland (R.T.A.I.) having its registered office at Vere Foster House, 35 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.
(Vere Foster House eircode DO1 ET 35 Phone 01-2454130 Web www.rtaireland.ie e-mail info@rtaireland.ie )