About The Artillery Club

Mission

The Artillery Club supports the preservation of the Artillery Corps unique legacy and distinctive traditions, promotes professional excellence, provides a focal point for remembrance and camaraderie, in order to encourage and foster the Corps admirable Esprit de Corps.

Current Focus

In the short term, the Artillery Club will focus on key measurable outputs such as organising appropriate activities and projects (including the elaboration of the Club’s history), extending its Membership base, enhancing its communications strategy through its newsletters, enhancing its dedicated Web Site, improving interface with other Corps Clubs, and active involvement in the Decade of Centenaries.

Objectives

The Irish Defence Forces Artillery Corps was formally established in Islandbridge Barracks, Dublin on 23 March 1923. The establishment of the Artillery Club was authorised by the military authorities in 1972.   To date, the Club has had seventeen Presidents – the first holder of the chain of office was Lieutenant-Colonel J.P. Kane, Officer Commanding 4 Field Artillery Regiment. The Club refrains from any political activity.

The main objective of the Artillery Club is to focus on its mission and maintain, promote and foster the Artillery Corps unique legacy and solidarity, distinctive customs and traditions, lasting ethos, valuable fellowship and the bond of camaraderie.

The Artillery Club supports the preservation for posterity the proud military heritage of the Irish Defence Forces Artillery Corps, and promotes professional excellence through sponsoring the Best Student Award on Artillery Young Officers and Number 1’s Courses.

The Club provides opportunities for implied activities arising from its mission.

The Artillery Club provides a focal point for remembrance and comradeship, both of which are vital for the cohesiveness and operationality of the Artillery School and the Regiments of the Artillery Corps.

The Artillery Club promotes the study of military history associated with Field Artillery, Air Defence Artillery and Cost Defence Artillery, circulates appropriate publications and information.

The Artillery Club supports military and regimental museums, in the maintenance and display of Artillery weapons, equipment, material and artefacts.

The Artillery Club promotes effective and efficient liaison and mutual support between other Corps Clubs.

Finally, the Artillery Club facilitates a networking environment throughout Ireland, enabling serving and former commissioned officers of the Artillery Corps to maintain a lasting bond with colleagues, coupled with retaining contact with their parent Regiments, the Artillery School, and by extension the Corps.

Governance and Rules

The Rules of the Club are the basis of the Club’s effective governance, transparency and accountability.

Read Club Rules here: Arty Club’s Approved Rules (V 04 Dec 15)

The management, control and direction of the Club are exercised by a Committee consisting of serving and retired Artillery officers, geographically spread over Ireland.   Members of the Committee are elected by the Club’s Annual General Meeting. The current tenure of office is for one year. Under the chair of the Club’s President, the Committee arranges functions and activities as it deems appropriate to achieve the Club’s objectives. The Club’s President presents a report to the Annual General Meeting, which takes place during the month of December.

The Club is a non-profit organisation. Financial accounts are audited on a yearly basis and presented by the Club’s Treasurer for approval at the Annual General Meeting.

Committee

During the course of the 2017 AGM, the following were elected as Officers, Committee Members and Auditor:

The Committee co-opted Colonel  Conor Fitzsimons (Retd) and Commandant Derek Coulter (Retd) to its forum for 2018.

The President will be inviting Regimental Commanders and the School Commandant to nominate a Liaison Officer to the Committee.

President’s CV  Brigadier-General Paul Pakenham (Retd)

Past Presidents

The establishment of the Artillery Club was authorised by the military authorities in 1972. To date, the Club has had seventeen Presidents – the first holder of the chain of office was Lieutenant-Colonel S.P. Ó’Catháin, Officer Commanding 4 Field Artillery Regiment.

1973                Lt Col S.P. Ó’Catháin

1974                Lt Col J.P. Kelly

1975                Comdt J. Curtain

1976                Lt Col M.J. O’Donnell

1977                Lt Col R.A. Childers

1978                Col J.S. Nolan

1979                Lt Col T.A. Ryan

1980                Lt Col T.V. Furlong

1981                Col P.J. Quinlan

1982 – 1983    Lt Col K. O’Halloran

1984 – 1989    Comdt P.R. Eager

1990 – 1994    Col J. Croke

1995 – 2008    Col J. Hall

2009 – 2010    Col B. O’Connor

2011 – 2012    Comdt M. Flood

2013 – 2014    Comdt C. O’Flanagan

Activities

Regarding its activities, the Club acknowledges the encouragement and support provided by the Director of Artillery, the Artillery School, the 1 Artillery Regiment and the 2 Artillery Regiment.

The Club’s activities are of an Artillery nature, appealing to a large number of members.  A programme of events is published on a yearly basis and is well supported.

Tried and tested activities include the award of the Best Student on the Young Officers Artillery Course and the Number 1.’s Course, attending Live Firing Shoots conducted by the Artillery Regiments, visiting Artillery Emplacements and Battlefields in Ireland, Foreign Trips, Annual Saint Barbara’s Day Celebrations, attending Artillery Parades, and National and Regional Commemorations.

In recent years, on an annual basis, the Club conducts a Foreign Trip such as visiting Battlefields in Belgium and France. For example, during 2015, the Club visited Madrid and the Royal Artillery School in Segovia.  In 2016, the Club visited the Spanish Training and Doctrine Command in Granada and in 2017 the Portuguese Combined Arms School in Mafra.

Other activities include lectures, visits to military installations and museums and an annual Golf Competition for Club members, including their spouses, partners and guests.

Merchandise

On 23 April 2015, the Club’s Committee formally approved the Clothing Catalogue kindly produced by Commandant C. O’Flanagan listing garments listing garments (Jackets, Polo Shirts, Headdress, Tie, Bow-tie, Lapel Pin and Tie Clasp), sizes and price list. An Irish version of The Artillery Club title is available on request.  The Catalogue is updated as required.

Please click below for link to Catalogue

 Artillery Club Clothing Catalogue 2017 (V09 Oct 17)