MEATH ARCHAEOLOGICAL & HISTORICAL SOCIETY

MEATH ARCHAEOLOGICAL & HISTORICAL SOCIETY

CONSTITUTION and RULES 2002

The society shall be called "The Meath Archaeological and Historical Society"
The object of the Society shall be to locate, preserve, examine, publish and illustrate the antiquities, records and traditions connected with the territory comprised within the boundaries of the Ancient Kingdom of Meath, corresponding in the main with the modern Diocese of Meath.
In furtherance exclusively of the foregoing main objective the Society shall have the following subsidiary objectives; to fundraise by whatever means, and to do all other such things necessary, in order to achieve the main objective.
The Society shall be non-political and non-sectarian.
Membership shall be open to all without territorial limitations.
A person shall become a member of the Society on being proposed by a member, accepted by the Council and having paid the annual subscription.
The Council shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Publications Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Public Relations Officer, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Auditor, Editor and eleven other members elected at an Annual General Meeting to take the total Council membership to twenty. The Council may also co-opt additional members as considered necessary to advise on, promote or complete selected and agreed programmes. Non-members so co-opted must become members on co-option. All co-options are for a period of one year only, or until the next AGM
The Council shall have the authority to transact all business of the Society.
Five members shall form a quorum.
The Council be elected each year at the AGM, which shall be held during the month of April.
The Council shall review / determine membership subscriptions as considered necessary.
The Council shall hold a minimum of four meetings each year.
The President, Vice-President and members of the Council shall hold office for a period of three years, at the end of which they must retire and shall not be eligible for re-election in the same year.
The Secretaries, Treasurers, P.R.O., Auditor and Editor shall be elected annually at the AGM, and there will be no time limit to the period during which they may hold office.
The property of the Society shall be vested in two trustees, i.e. the Secretary and Treasurer, holding office.
The accounts of the Society shall be checked / endorsed annually by the Auditor, presented to the AGM and made available to any member, or the Revenue Commissioners, on request.
Paid-up members shall be entitled to receive annually a copy of the Journal, Riocht Na Midhe, as published.
The Council may arrange meetings, lectures, displays, outings and any other function considered appropriate.
Responsibility for all publications of the Society shall be in the hands of the Council.
Any additions, alterations or amendments to this Constitution, or in its provisions, can only be made at an AGM; be given in full on the notice of the AGM and be approved in writing by the Revenue Commissioners.
The income and property of the Society shall be applied solely towards the promotion of its main objectives as set forth in this Constitution. No portion of the Society's income or property shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly, by way of dividend, bonus, or otherwise howsoever by way of profit to the members of the Society. No Officer shall be appointed to any office of the Society paid by salary or fees, or receive any remuneration or other benefit in money, or money's worth, from the Society.

However, nothing shall prevent any payment in good faith by the Society of: -

... Reasonable and proper remuneration to any member (not being an Officer) for any services rendered.

... Interest at a rate not exceeding 5% per annum on money lent to the Society by any member or officer.

... Reasonable and proper rent for premises demised / let by any member / officer to the Society.

... Expenses incurred by any Officer in connection with the Society, i.e. materials supplied, work, travel etc..

... Fees, remuneration or any other benefit in money, or money's worth, to any Society of which an Officer may

be a member holding not more than one hundred part of the issued capital of such Society.

If on the winding up or dissolution of the Society there remains, after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, it shall not be paid to, or distributed among the members of the Society. Instead, such property shall be given or transferred to some other charitable institution having main objectives similar to the main objectives of the Society. The institution or institutions to which the property is to be given or transferred shall prohibit the distribution of it's or their income and property among it's or their members to an extent at least as great as is imposed on the Society under or by virtue of the clauses stated in this Constitution. Members of the Society shall select the relevant institution or institutions at or before the time of dissolution, and if and so far as effect cannot be given to such provisions, then the property shall be given to some charitable object.

The above Constitution was carried unanimously at the Annual General Meeting of the Society, in St. Patrick's Classical, School, Navan, on Wednesday, April 17th. 2002.

SIGNED:

JOHN GAVIN. OLIVER WARD. ANN O’Reilly

(President)) (Treasurer) (Secretary

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