The  2010 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND SEMINAR Held on  15th to 17th OCTOBER   

 

Every October, the Network organises what is usually the main event in its calendar – our Annual General Meeting and Seminar Weekend. The event is hosted by a different member-organisation each time and, for 2010, we were welcomed by the Dublin Fire Brigade Museum.

 

The event began with a social evening at the nominated conference hotel, Jury’s Inn at Christchurch in the city centre, giving everybody a chance to catch up and get themselves in the mood for another excellent “Network weekend.”

 

The following morning we were driven by coach to the conference venue, Dublin Fire Brigade’s Training Centre at the O’Brien Institute, Marino, in suburban Dublin, which also houses the Brigade Museum.

 

Some 42 delegates from 17 separate member groups across the UK and Ireland assembled in the conference room, located in a former chapel on the site which was once a Catholic Boys School.  A number of speakers were lined up for what was a very full day, including Las Fallon, Curator of the DFB Museum, Michael Corcoran of the National Transport Museum of Ireland, Martin Thompson of the Fire Service Trust (Ireland), Dora Murphy from the National Museum of Ireland’s Conservation Department and Michael Kernan of the Fire Service College, Moreton-in-Marsh. Subjects included the history of Irish fire engines, the preservation scene in the Republic, the history of DFB Museum and the conservation and care of uniform items.

 

Highlights of the day were the tours of the Museum and a gathering of purely Irish fire engines on the drill yard, which took place in wonderful sunshine. A number of early Land Rover appliances and Bedford pumps were lined up for the photographers in the party, along with a long-wheelbase Timoney-bodied GMC 4x4 formerly of Co. Cavan Fire Service.

 

We were also joined on the day by a number of DFB retired members who were able to regale delegates with some wonderful tales. The afternoon was taken up with the Annual General Meeting itself.

 

Saturday evening was our eagerly-awaited Network dinner, which took place at the New Arlington Hotel in Temple Bar, and featured Irish traditional music and dance for our entertainment.

 

Sunday of the AGM Weekend is traditionally reserved for “study visits,” and this year we were treated to a special visit to the Dublin Civil Defence and Auxiliary Fire Service Headquarters, in the shadow of the famous Guinness brewery. Here delegates heard a presentation on the work of the CD and AFS, which is similar to the pre-1968 UK set-up, and were able to inspect the unique fleet of blue-and-white pumps, specials and ambulances.

 

From here, we were taken by coach to the National Transport Museum of Ireland, situated at Howth Castle, which houses a truly amazing collection of Irish commercial, passenger and fire service vehicles. Many are still under restoration, and members were able to take a closer look at some of the ongoing projects.  After lunch at the celebrated MacTurcaill’s Bar in central Dublin, it was back home after another successful Networking event.