Rules of the Military History Sociery of Ireland

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RULES OF THE MILITARY HISTORY SOCIETY OF IRELAND

1 . Title
The Society shall be called “The Military History Society of Ireland”. The title in Irish shall be: “Cumann Staire Míleata Éireann”.

2. Objects
The Society shall promote the study of military history and, in particular, the study of warfare in Ireland and Irishmen in war.

3 Membership
a. Candidates for membership of the Society shall require the approval of council.

b. A complete list of members may be published from time to time in the journal of the Society.

c. The council may elect to honorary membership any person whom it deems worthy.

d. The council may suspend or expel any member whose conduct, either inside or outside the Society, is or has been, in its opinion, injurious to the character or interests of the Society.

e. A suspended member shall not be eligible to enjoy the privileges of the Society.

f. A member shall have his current year’s subscription refunded upon expulsion and shall forfeit, ipso facto, all right to or claim upon the Society or its property.

4 Council
a. The affairs of the Society shall be managed by the council, which shall consist of the officers together with not less than five nor more than fifteen ordinary members elected by the Society.

b. The officers of the Society shall consist of -
the president,
past presidents,
vice presidents, and
executive officers who fill the posts of -
honorary record secretary,
honorary correspondence secretary,
honorary membership secretary,
honorary treasurer, and
honorary editor.

c. (1) If it shall be found expedient, the officers and members of council may elect from among themselves -
(i) an honorary executive chairperson who shall hold office for up to one year,
(ii) such other persons to assist in carrying out the functions of any other executive officer post.
(2) The presiding chairperson shall have an ordinary and, in addition, a casting vote.

d. (1). The president shall be elected for a period of five years.
(2). The president shall not be eligible for election for more than one further term of five years.

e. The executive officers and any vice executive officers elected under Rule 4c shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election.

f. Ordinary members of the council shall be elected to serve for a period of three years and shall be eligible for re-election.

g. Subject to rule 4a., the council shall have power to co-opt additional persons to its body for the period to the next annual general meeting only.

h. The names of the council shall appear in each issue of the journal.

i. .. A member elected to hold office at an AGM for a fixed term shall hold such office from the end of the AGM at which they are elected until the end of the AGM at which their term of office ceases.

5 Business and Procedures of Council

a. The quorum for a council meeting shall be five and shall include at least one officer.

b. The presiding officer shall have an ordinary and, in addition, a casting vote.

c. The council may arrange such functions, historical conferences, lectures or tours as it deems appropriate.

d. The council may enter into association or correspondence with any body or person for the purpose of furthering the

objects of the Society.

e. (1). The council may, at any time, appoint from among the members of the Society such committees as it deems necessary or expedient, and may refer to them such matters for report or recommendation as the council, at its discretion, shall determine.
(2) Such committees shall conduct their business in accordance with the directions of the council and periodically report their proceedings to that body.

6 Subscriptions
a. The annual subscription shall be determined by the council.

b. Annual subscriptions shall fall due on 1st January each year.

c. Members who fail to pay their current subscriptions, in full, by 31st March shall not receive further copies of the society’s journal until settlement is made.

d. The council shall have the power to terminate the membership of any member whose full current yearly subscription is unpaid on 31st December.

e. Receipts shall not be issued for subscriptions paid by cheque, bank credit transfer, credit card or other electronic means unless requested.

7 Annual General Meeting
a. . The Society shall hold an annual general meeting. It shall be held not later than 15 months following the date on which the previous AGM was held.

b. . The council shall give notice of the annual general meeting to members not later than ten weeks before the date of the meeting.

c. A member desirous of moving a resolution at the annual general meeting shall give notice thereof in writing to the honorary record secretary so that it is received not later than six weeks before the date of the annual general meeting.

d. . The council shall, not later than three weeks before the date of the annual general meeting, give notice to members of the agenda of the meeting. Such notice shall include a copy of all resolutions on the agenda along with the names of the proposer and the seconder of each resolution. Such notice may, at the absolute discretion of council, be given on the Society’s website www.mhsi.ie instead of by notice in writing, provided that the notice referred to in Rule 7b indicates that the notice under this Rule would be given on the website.

e. . A resolution means any motion, proposal or nomination upon which members at the meeting are required to vote.

f. . The presiding officer shall have an ordinary and, in addition, a casting vote.

g. . The proceedings at such meetings shall include:
(1) ... The presentation by the honorary treasurer of a report and accounts for the preceding year, such accounts to bear the certificate and observations (if any) of the auditor or auditors.
(2) Such other reports as council deems appropriate.
(3) The election of members to fill vacancies on the council.
(4) The appointment of an auditor or auditors for the forthcoming year.
(5) Such other matters as are on the agenda for the meeting.

8 Extraordinary General Meeting
a. The council may, at any time, call an extraordinary general meeting of the Society upon giving fourteen days’ notice and specifying in the form of a resolution or resolutions the subject for discussion and these shall constitute the sole business of the meeting.

b. An extraordinary general meeting shall also be called by the council, with all convenient speed, upon receipt of a written requisition signed by twenty-five ordinary members of the Society, setting out in the form at a. ante the matters for discussion and the agenda shall be limited to them.

9 Publications
a. The Society shall publish a journal, to be called The Irish Sword, at such times as the council may decide.

b. The journal shall be issued free to all members subject to rule 6c.

c. The council shall have power to authorise the issue of other publications.

10 Auditor
a. The financial affairs of the Society shall be subject to external audit. A registered auditor or auditors shall be appointed at the annual general meeting to be the auditor of the Society, save that, in the case of a vacancy or other urgent necessity, the appointment may be made by the council,

b. It shall be the duty of such auditor or auditors to inspect the books and other records of the Society and to certify, with such observations as may be required, the accounts proposed to be tendered by the honorary treasurer to the annual general meeting.

11 Alteration and Availability of Rules
a. No alteration, addition or amendment may be made to these rules except and with the approval of two-thirds of the members present and voting at a general meeting.

b. A copy of these rules shall be furnished to all members and shall be available on the Society’s website.
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These rules were adopted at an annual general meeting of the Society on 25th November 2006.
Amendments:
24th November 2007: Paragraph 4c deleted.
9th March 2019: Rule 4 c inserted.
.................. ........ Rule 4 e amended.
.................. ........ Rule 4 i inserted.
.................. ........ Rule 7 a amended
.................. ........ Rule 7 d amended.

Signed _____________________
Anthony Kinsella
Hon Record Secretary
9th March 2019