U.C.D. C.C. President elected as Honorary Secretary of A.U.C.

U.C.D. Cycling Club’s Maoilíosa Ó Dubhthaigh (a.k.a. Mil) replaced Gerry Horkan as Honorary Secretary of the Athletic Union Council (A.U.C.) – college’s sports governing body - at the 2009 A.U.C A.G.M which was held in October. Mr. Horkan took over from Dr. Alan O’Grady as A.U.C. President after the latter stepped down after years of distinguished service.

Ó Dubhthaigh has been involved with sport in U.C.D., both as an athlete and administrator, for the past 18 years. He was a founding member of 2 of U.C.D.’s clubs and served as Club Captain and Secretary of both which is a unique achievement in itself. In 1992, he formed a very successful Pool & Snooker Club and during his playing career with the college won honours at every level from college to senior international. He was President of the Higher Education Snooker & Pool Council (H.E.S.P.C.) from ’94-’99.

However, cycling was his passion and he co-founded the U.C.D. Cycling Club with his brother, Cormac, in 1994/95. He held the role of Club Vice-President from 1994 to 2000 before taking over the Presidency in 2001. He initiated the Sports Scholarship programme in cycling in 1997/98 and has acted as Club Senior Treasurer since 1996.

Over the years he has been an active voice on many committees such as being an executive member of the Athletic Union Council, Student Consultative Forum and the Freshers’ Week Committee. Outside of U.C.D. Maoilíosa also served as Chairperson of G.A.A.’s Cumann na mBunscol (which is by far the biggest schools sporting association in the country) from 2006-2008, and he has been an executive member of its central council since 2003. Furthermore he has been a member of the Steering Committee of St. Olaf’s G.A.A. Club in Sandyford since 2006.

Ó Dubhthaigh has collected numerous U.C.D. awards. He received the prestigious U.C.D President’s Award for excellence in student activity in 1997 and he remains one of the few sporting administrators to have done so. He has also won 7 U.C.D. Sports Achievement Awards and 5 inter-varsity team titles and 3 U.C.D. ‘colours’ during his time as a student. He won the U.C.D. Cycling Club League Championship in 1995/96.

I have little doubt that Maoilíosa will see his new post as a great honour to both him and to the Club. He has spoken many times in the past of his respect for the late Dr. Tony O’Neill (U.C.D. Director of Sport and A.U.C. Honorary Secretary from 1991 to 1999) and Gerry Horkan who succeeded ‘the doc’ after his untimely death. Maoilíosa regards the before-mentioned as the two people who have had the greatest influence on his sporting life and it is therefore fitting for him that he should succeed them in this role.

I don’t doubt that he will wish to retain his strong ties with the Cycling Club, but his latest challenge will be to champion the needs of all 60 plus college sports clubs. Having acted as Vice-President since 2001, I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of U.C.D. Cycling Club as a whole, to wish Mil every success in his new post.

Brendan Kilbride