UNION NEWS

2016 saw the biggest ever attendance at the Unions annual business lunch with over 400 past students and their guests turning up at Elm Park Golf Club on Friday the 27^th of November. The business lunch is now firmly established as the premier event in the Unions social calendar where rock men from as far back as 1945 right up to 2012 come together to renew old friendships, network and enjoy the excellent hospitality provided by Elm Park.

President of the Union David Coen Class of 1986 took the opportunity to outline to the gathering the introduction of universal membership and how this will benefit and strengthen the Unions reach across the many generation of past students who can now become a member of the Union without the obligation to commit to an annual membership. It was clear from the response to the Presidents message that the introduction of universal membership was extremely well received with quite a number of those attending signing up to become members there and then. Huge thanks must go to all who attended the lunch and gave so generously in the raffle in support of the various charitable activities carried out by the Union.

This year was the 3^rd presentation of the Business Person of The Year Award. Congratulations to Bernard Byrne Class of 1986, recently appointed CEO of Allied Irish Bank Group. Bernard was extremely gracious in his acceptance of this year̢۪s award where he acknowledged with a very well received humorous tone the role the banks must now play in ensuring a sustainable economic recovery for all and a more prudent banking sector in the future. It was particularly great to see so many of Bernard̢۪s fellow class mates from 1986 in attendance to see him receiving his award.

A very warm welcome was extended to Kingsley Aikins the guest speaker and a great friend to Blackrock College over many years. Kingsley delivered a highly entertained speech in his own extremely polished way. No rock man was safe from his words of ridicule which has to be said was so much enjoyed by all. Kingsley is a world renowned expert on all things diaspora and his message of encouragement to the Union as we set out on our journey of universal membership and reaching out to over 13,000 past students were very much appreciated.

As usual the lunch went on well into the evening with quite a number stopping off in Gleeson̢۪s for what is now the traditional way to finish off an extremely enjoyable Union event.