LOCAL GROUP CHAIRMEN & CLUB OFFICERS PLEASE NOTE:

CLUBS LIAISON, EVENTS & SOCIAL: Catherine Donnelly. Contact Catherine on 01 457 0634 or email: maglink@magireland.iol.ie.

LOCAL GROUPS (Development & Issues): David Gibson - Contact MAG Office 01 453 0797, Mobile 086 832 5780, or email gensec@magireland.iol.ie

ADMINISTRATION (membership, club insurance, products): Maeve Roche, Admin Secretary, Contact MAG Office 01 453 0797 or email: magsupport@magireland.iol.ie.

ROADRUNNER: Ray Beach has taken-on the task of editing the next issues of the magazine. Suitable articles on subjects like Rider Profiles, Favourite Roads, Owners' Bike Tests, Motorcycle Maintenance are welcome. Manuscripts and adverts should be sent by email to: roadrunner@magireland.iol.ie. Photos & written material should be posted to the Office, 1b Ring Terrace, Inchicore, Dublin 8.

IRISH DEVELOPMENTS

Direct Access

Several postcards will be included in every copy of the June edition of RoadRunner. More are available from MAG Reps, motorcycle shops or the MAG Office. Please post it to Mr Noel Dempsey TD. Minister at the Department of the Environment.

During the Summer MAG will campaign on the following issues: Direct Access, Roads Maintenance, Motorcyclist Awareness and Insurance Choice. A National Day of Action is planned for Saturday 19th August. Our demand is very clear and very simple. Motorcyclists want parity with other road users

Powered-Two-Wheelers in the City, Parking, Bus Lanes & 'Quality Bus Corridors' Campaigns

Fingal Council and Superquinn are to be congratulated on establishing secure motorcycle parking bays in Swords and at the Sundrive Road store. MAG Dublin are working on a survey of where motorcycle parking is needed in the Dublin Corporation area. Contact Jimmy Kenny, Dublin Rep. Cork MAG and the Cork Echo paper are lobbying Cork Corporation. MAG Longford/Westmeath are active. Demand creates supply - Demand !!

EYROY 2000

O.K!. So obviously you haven't been nice enough or violent enough! At the closing date we had received a grand total of 2, yes 2 applications. So firstly we are extending the closing date to July 9th to give you all a chance to rush off and either send in your applic-ations, or encourage! others to do so. Secondly and in many ways of equal importance I've had no response to my appeal for prizes/sponsorship.

As an organisation MAG needs young people to join so as to carry on fighting for bikers' rights, if we don't encourage them after a few years they'll get fed up with the hassle, especially where licences are concerned, and go off and start driving cars. Secondly we need to raise public awareness about us so when we are fighting the government they are on are side and not indifferent or worse still against us. So come on help out get participants and or prizes/sponsors.

EVENTS INSURANCE

Clubs must be affiliated to MAG Ireland. Annual affiliation fee is £20- per club.

Public Liability: Club Insurance Scheme is, strictly, cover for clubs for their legal liability for third party injury or third party property damage arising from the organisation of their events. It covers Runs, BBQs, Rallies, etc. It does not take on risks insured under other policies, ie pub owners. Cover for hired-in plant (Marquees, generators, etc) is extra.

For a claim to succeed, the 3rd party would need to prove that their injury or property damage was caused by the negligence of the Policyholder. If the policy is extended to indemnify another party, such as a property owner, this would mean the Policy picking up claims which are purely due to the negligence of the property owner.

If the club hires a marquee and a rally-goer accidentally slips on a beercan and breaks an arm, then our insurer takes the claim. If the rally is in a pub or hall and somebody falls on a slippy floor, or a rock band hired by the club sets the pub's faulty wiring on fire which burns down the pub, then the pub-owner is at fault and any claim has nothing to do with the club. If there are claims being paid under this scheme which have nothing to do with MAG or our clubs, this could mean the premiums would increase due to other peoples' negligence and make the scheme too expensive for clubs. Where property-owners already have their own Public Liability Insurance, the practice of indemnifying property-owners will be stopped.

Club Liability Policy insurance rates @ £35.98 per event or from £77.10 per annum are unchanged for 2000. The first £250 in each claim is excluded. Call the Office in good time (min 5 days) for event or annual public liability insurance.

PRODUCTS:

If a club or local group wants inventory for a rally or meeting, they can obtain stocks by contacting the office in good time (5 days). Alternatively products may be purchased by visiting the Office, by phone, mail order or via e-mail.

Sew-on MAG Eire, Ride Free patches: 3.00
Ride Free stickers 2.00
Year 1999 Enamel badge Red 2.00
Year 2000 enamel badge Yellow 3.00
MAG Eire T-shirt 8.00
MAG Neckwarmer 10.00
MAG Baseball Cap 10.00
MAG Zippo lighter 20.00

NEW WEBPAGE

MAG Ireland has a new Web Site - please use the following address, where necessary & change your Favourites

www.iol.ie/~maglink.

INTERNET CLASSIFIED ADVERTS

A new facility for members: if you have a bike, or bits, or whatever, for sale, exchange or wanted, we can now offer FREE Internet classified adverts. Send details of your advert to the office, please.

IRISH RIDER TRAINING ASSOCIATION

Contact: IRTA Phone 01 453 0797 & we will give you a Driving Test Help sheet and a List of instructors and put you in touch with your nearest trainer:

Terry Cronin (N Dublin) David Gibson (S Dublin) Jim Fisher (Longford) Marc O'Loideoin (S Dub)
David McMahon (Athlone) Ray Murray (N Dublin)

RoSPA preparation of the successful wanabes has started, leading to inclusion in the Instructor Preparation Course. Everyone on our list should have been contacted by now. If not please tell the MAG Office.

RoadRunner and MAGLINK

Please keep the office fully informed of the date and venues of your regular meetings and of all other events and activities. News of events, insertion in the new Local Groups Calendar with if at all possible good quality photographs afterwards - most welcome. Advise the MAG Office All Club Events should be either notified directly to the Clubs Liaison Officer at 01 - 457 0634 or by e-mail maglink@magireland.iol.ie or sent to the MAG Office.

MISCELLANEOUS

The Motorcycling Marshals Association
is in urgent need of bodies to marshal the new racing season. Remember people - no marshals, no races. If you can spare a few hours, you get to see the races free! Phone Orla on 4930997 or Tony on 4947820.

Roll of Honour
Brian Swee'Pea Bolger R.I.P. 8th April 2000

Swee'Pea (Brian Bolger) of the Rooters MCC was tragically killed on the 8th April on his way to the Rising Sun Rally. It has been a grievous blow to the biking community to lose such a young, cheerful man who brightened the lives of those around him with his ready smile and sunny nature. Ironically, Swee'Pea was a finalist in the Irish heat of the European Young Rider of the Year Awards last year. He was involved in many charitable events and along with the Rooters had a special association with St. Patrick's Special School in Kilkenny. Over 500 bikers attended his removal and funeral to bid him a poignant farewell on his final earthly journey. For all of us who knew Swee'Pea - we will never forget you, ride free through the heavens forever.

DATATAG

Special MAG discounts with every unit sold. Protect your property against crime.

STOP THE ROT

Our Annual Fundraiser of the year - the MAG Benefit Weekend - Stop the Rot Rally will take place on 19th/20th August. The venue is The Portlick Inn, Glasson, Athlone. A lot of organisation is going in to ensuring this rally is a success and a memorable and enjoyable event for all concerned. Games have been organised and include: slow bike race - lancer - seesaw - grab the weeny - bungee run - reverse pillion obstacle course. We need the support of all local groups to help out and have called on our affiliated clubs to lend a hand with security. Local groups will be contacted in order to ascertain how many people will be available and rosters will then be prepared. The more people chip in with a couple of hours of their time, the less work there will be for all concerned, but we need to have definite numbers.