JANUARY 1999

MAG OFFICE
Our new office at 1b Ring Terrace, Dublin 8 opened on schedule on 5th January. Over the holiday period our Clerk of Works, Life Member Paul Murran and his team of helpers worked excessively hard to get the office ready for us. Massive ingenuity was the order of the day and thanks to the excellent response to the MAG Office Appeal in the Winter 98 issue of Roadrunner the work was done at a fraction of the commercial cost. In addition virtually all items of furniture were donated, we spent a mere £ 96 on some chairs and £ 150 on a window blind. The cost of materials has been (just) covered by cash donations. We have the promise of a photocopier and a safe. The only outstanding expense is the solicitor's bill concerning the lease, at £ 886 a huge but unavoidable expense.

NATIONAL COUNCIL
The first meeting of the new National Council was held in Athlone on 16th January. Also present, as "observers" were key officials from MAG Northern Ireland. From time to time MAG Ireland attends MAG UK NC meetings, so this was a return courtesy. Despite atrocious road conditions all but one Rep. managed to be there and special commendations should go to John Hourigan (Dublin North) who slip sledded all the way from Dublin in a solo and one-armed Pat Conlon (Carlow) who bravely froze all the way from Carlow on his trike. Main business was the Plan for 1999, mentioned below.

MAG WEST
A new MAG groups has been formed, based on Tuam and to be known as MAG West, it held its first meeting on 17th January. John Wheeler (General Secretary, MAG Ireland) was the main speaker. Thanks to John Brin and Martin Hogan who publicised the meeting throughout Co's Galway and Mayo, and to the 20 odd bikers who turned up.

DRIVING TEST
Another example of the effectiveness of MAG Ireland - the DoELG who until now have always insisted that the motorcycle test could only be taken on a solo machine have (after reading the EC directive and discovering they've been in the wrong) agreed that any applicant for the motorcycle test who, by reason of genuine disability, could not take the test on a solo machine, can now do so on a trike or combination. Note however that special arrangements have to be made for this facility and that anyone interested should contact John Wheeler at the MAG Office for advice and guidance.

RIDER TRAINING
Our discussions with the DoELG continue in a very positive fashion and the DoELG have expressed the hope that funding can be agreed and in place "by the end of March". It seems they are very keen to see something in place before the first anniversary of the publication of their strategy for road safety. To date 14 of the first 17 instructor candidates have been passed for instructor training. More instructors will be needed. Anyone genuinely interested in becoming an IRTA instructor should contact the MAG Office (which also acts as the IRTA office) as soon as possible. All potential instructors will first have to undergo a Preliminary Assessment to both assess their current riding skills and to give some idea of their ability to communicate.

NEXT ROADRUNNER
Goes to press on 15 February please ensure that any contributions especially Local Groups news and forthcoming events are passed to the office before then. Please also note that we need as much advertising as possible and now all adverts can be in full colour. Advertisements do not have to be solely bike-related; bikers are consumers of all manner of good and services. Why not get your company to advertise?

ADVERTISING SALES
We urgently need more help with advertising sales, especially from folk who have previous advertising sales experience and who can be relied on to achieve results against deadlines. If you can, or if you know of anyone who can, we'd love to hear of him or her.

PUBLIC RELATIONS
Tracie Talbot has had to relinquish the Public Relations brief which will be taken over by *********** at an early date.

MAG OFFICE VOLUNTEERS
The aim is to have the office open 9-5 weekdays and 1000-1600 Saturdays. We need more Volunteer Receptionists to help us achieve this, most especially for Saturdays and from time to time on the occasional weekday.

LOCAL GROUP ACCOUNTS FOR 1998
ALL local groups must send in to the office their accounts for 1998 - as previously requested! These need not be any more complex than In-come, Out-go (i.e.: expenditure) and balance in hand. The National Council has raised the amount, which a local group can retain locally to £ 100; any surplus should be passed to the MAG Office. In the event of a local group genuinely needing to spend over £ 100 for a particular purpose MAG will endeavour to help as much as possible.

Summary of the Plan for 1999.
The key components of our plans for 1999 are as followed, more or less in order of priority, for ease of summarisation they are grouped under general headings but obviously there is quite a degree of overlap and "inter-departmental" co-operation:

Training: Get IRTA off the ground, funded and fully operational.

Safety: Tackle appalling road conditions.
Help revise the NSC's "This is your Bike" booklet.

Insurance: By every means this side of dishonesty to get more choice and better rates for riders, especially for the under 25's.

Legal: Find a MAG friendly solicitor who can act for us at an affordable (better still NIL) cost!
Press for realistic speed limits (soon to be changed from MPH to KPH)
Test the Roads Act 1993 (which exists but is totally ignored!)

Transport: Produce a "Smart Wheels" booklet, emphasising the value of powered two-wheeled transport in both the urban (reduces congestion) and rural environments (personal transport where public transport inadequate) to go to planners, politicians, civil servants etc., - part of the process of "educating" them.
Get the Dublin Transportation Office to change their anti-motorcycle policy.
Press for permission to use Bus Lanes.
Attend two more LUAS enquiries, objecting to dangerous tramlines on road space.
Press for toll free status on the Port Access Tunnel.

Security: Continue to press for the full implementation of Datatag by the Garda.
Campaign for legal and secure parking spaces in urban areas.

Membership: Increase MAG Membership by at least 1000 more.
Get MAG leaflets in all bike shops.

Roadrunner: Continue to improve quality and content; sell enough advertising to make it self-financing.

Local Groups: Support in every way possible.
Try to get a group(s) going in the South-East.

Products: We have been offered a caravan (FREE) to use as a Products Stall cum Information Point at larger rallies, bike events etc; this can also help promote IRTA. Volunteer towers needed! Also has anyone safe storage for the caravan in or close to Dublin?

Research: Study of alternative repair methods (alternatives to tar banding, tar spray & chippings) etc.
Statistical analysis of insurers rates Ireland versus UK.

Government Continue discussions with
relevant departments regarding implementation of the EC driving licence directive, legalisation of motorcycle trailers, proper classification of trikes and trike licences, get funding for rider training, oppose tram lines, tolls on Port Tunnel, get regulators to investigate insurance companies more closely etc etc.

Europe: Keep a watching eye on the Multi-Directive, Noise emissions proposals, leg protectors, protective clothing, parallel imports and any and all other issues emanating out of Brussels.

Organisation: Recruit a suitable person to be appointed in late 1999 as Assistant General Secretary to eventually take over as General Secretary from John Wheeler.

Reminder:
All MAG Groups and Clubs affiliated to MAG are actively encouraged to try and hold at least one specific fund-raising event each year for MAG Ireland. We have kept the subscription as low as possible and always will but this means that we RELY on additional support to keep going. MAG is a 100% "volunteer" organisation but as we continue to grow the day is not far off when, to tackle all the work we must do, we will have to employ some paid staff as well.

MAG Ireland's Events Calendar, 1999

FEBRUARY
20th Uisce Beatha Aris Rally (Tipperary) Suirside Riders MCC Ger Power 051 - 643883
28th No Limits Rally (Listowel, Kerry) No Limits Mike Molyneaux 068 - 47147

MARCH
7th Hanged Man's Run IVVMCC Ray Byrne 01 - 2980045
27th Youghal Rally Youghal MCC 024 - 92703
27th Nutts Corner - Short Circuit MCUI
28th Mondello Park - Short Circuit MCUI
APRIL
2nd/4th MAG-NI-ficent Rally (Co. Down) MAG Northern Ireland Trevor Baird 01232 704853
2nd/3rd Aghadowey - Short Circuit MCUI
3rd Rooters Rally Rooters MCC Murty Campion 056 - 51990
3rd/5th Easter Show Leinster CMCC Harry Bayliss 056 - 29956
5th Kirkistown - Short Ciruit MCUI
17th Bishopscourt - Short Circuit MCUI
17/18th Bellingham Run Blackchurch RA Eoin O'Reilly 01 - 8374752
18th Mondello Park - Short Circuit MCUI
24th 3rd Waterfall Rally Laker's MCC John Howard 063 - 81345
24th Cookstown 100 - Road Race MCUI
MAY
1st Back in the Saddle (Cork) Ducks CBC Michael Dooley 087 - 2467041
1st/3rd Galway Rally Galway VMCC 091 - 751489
1st Tandragee 100 - Road Race MCUI
8th Nutts Corner - Short Circuit MCUI
8th/9th Inchigeela Run Munster C&MCC Morgan O'Regan 021 - 841824
15/16th Looper's Rally (Clare) West Coast MCC Kevin Collins 065 - 28160
15th NW200 - Road Race MCUI
16th Spring Run Blessington VMC 045 - 874510
21/23rd Slievenamon Run IVVMCC Ray Byrne 01 - 2980045
22nd Nutts Corner - Short Circuit MCUI
23rd Mondello Park - Short Circuit MCUI
JUNE
5th/6th Munster Run Munster C&MCC Morgan O'Regan 021 - 841824
6th Bishopscourt - Endurance MCUI
6th Jim Gaffney Memorial Run IVVMCC Ray Byrne 01 - 2980045
12th Pack Rally (Tipperary) Lone Wolf MCC Ray Brady 067 - 31374
12th Aghadowey - Short Circuit MCUI
12/13th Shadow Rally (Sligo) Rebel MCC Eoin Lappin 071 - 43758
13th Mondello Park - Short Circuit MCUI
13th JCOCI Run JCOCI 01 - 4973387
18th Dundrod 150 - Road Race MCUI
20th Veteran Run D&DMCC John Poynton 01 - 2986383
26th Aghadowey - Short Circuit MCUI
27th Blue Smoke Run Leinster CMCC Harry Bayliss 056 - 29956
27th Dundalk - Road Race MCUI
JULY
3rd Thomond Rally Thomond MCC John O'Brien 061 - 345476
3rd Skerries - Road Race MCUI
3rd Ballinspittle Run West Cork MCC 023 - 33654
4th Mondello Park - Short Circuit MCUI
10/11th Classic International Rally Leinster CMCC Harry Bayliss 056 - 29556
11th Motor Cycle Hill Climb West Cork MCC 023 - 33654
13th Nutts Corner - Short Circuit MCUI
17th Bishopscourt - Short Circuit MCUI
18th Fore - Road Race MCUI
24th Druids Rally Druids MCC Pat Conlon 0503 - 61203
24th/25thMondello Park - Short Circuit MCUI
25th JCOCI Run JCOCI 01 - 4973387
31st Unlimited Frenzy (Mayo) Unlimited John Geraghty 094 - 24062
31st Temple 100 - Road Race MCUI
AUGUST
1st Unlimited Frenzy (Mayo) Unlimited John Geraghty 094 - 24062
7th Moy Riders Moy Riders Kieran Staunton 094 - 56106
7th Celtic Rally (Clare) Celtic New York Wendy Whitehead 718-324-5102
7th Mid Antrim 150 - Road Race MCUI
8th Blessington Run Leinster CMCC Harry Bayliss 056 - 29956
14th MAG Benefit Weekend MAG Ireland Catherine Donnelly 01 - 457 0634
Stop the Rot '99 (Tipperary)
15th Monaghan - Road Race MCUI
21st Ulster Grand Prix - Road Race MCUI
21st Full Bore Rally Illegals MCC Woody Dinsmore 073 - 34305
28th Nutts Corner - Short Circuit MCUI
29th Leitrim - Road Race MCUI
31st International Rallies Munster C&MCC Morgan O'Regan 021 - 841824
SEPTEMBER
1st/4th International Rallies Munster C&MCC Morgan O'Regan 021 - 841824
4th Carrowdore 100 - Road Race MCUI
10/12th Don Hemingway Run IVVMCC Ray Byrne 01 - 2980045
12th Killalane - Road Race MCUI
18th Kirkistown - Short Circuit MCUI
19th Blessington Run Blessington VMC 045 - 874510
25th 1st Full of the Pipe Rally (Meath) Redliners MCC Karen Dolan 046 - 22271
25th Joe O'Neill Run Blackchurch RA Eoin O'Reilly 01 - 8374752
OCTOBER
2nd/3rd Joe Barry Memorial Run West Cork MCC 023 - 33654
3rd Delgany Run IVVMCC Ray Byrne 01 - 2980045
10th Hardship Run Leinster CMCC Harry Bayliss 056 - 29956
15th/17thFir Bolg Rally (Lisdoonvarna) Fir Bolg MCC Keith Shiggins 045 - 871854
24/25th Autumn Run Blackchurch RA Eoin O'Reilly 01 - 8374752

NOVEMBER
20th Autojumble & Show (Taney Hall) IVVMCC Ray Byrne 01 - 2980045

The above information is correct to our knowledge and belief as we got to press but MAG Ireland cannot guarantee its accuracy. The next update will be issued along with the next issue of RoadRunner and the Touring Directory, due out about 4th March, 1999. Details of any additional / revised events taking place from March onwards should be advised to the MAG office before 15th February 1999.