A Chairde

As we enter the 130th year since the formation of Lucan Sarsfields it is important for us to look forward and lay the foundations for the future development of our Club. In 2014 the Executive of Lucan Sarsfields decided that the Club needed a strategic plan to provide a coherent development path for our Club. The process of devising the strategic plan started with some exploratory meetings between members of the Executive where the roadmap for completion of the Club’s strategic plan was agreed. To ensure that the plan would be driven by the needs of the membership, our members were asked to complete a survey. The survey was intended to give us a clear vision on how our members view the current state of the Club and how they see our Club developing in the future.

A summary of the findings is included in the document below.

The Lucan that our Club was formed in, expanded in and moved locations in over the years has changed dramatically beyond what was seen as t for purpose in 1886, 1986, 1996 or even 2006. The population size, social background and ethnicity of our area has changed radically in the last twenty years. The motivation to formulate a strategic plan was primarily to ensure that we are well positioned to meet the challenges presented by this rapid expansion in our catchment area. In 2016 we expect our Club membership to exceed 2700 members. The population of the Lucan area is approximately 50,000. There are 18 primary schools and 7 second level schools servicing the Lucan area. Whilst our primary purpose as a Club is to provide GAA sporting and cultural opportunities to our membership, it is important that we include the greater Lucan community in our plans for the future.

Our strategic plan will provide Lucan Sarsfields with a framework to grow and develop. It will provide us with a roadmap to help us reach our goals. The plan must be reviewed on a regular basis to allow us to measure our successes and learn from our failings.

Our Strategic Plan is a plan devised by our members for our members. Through our survey, our workshops, our working groups and our steering group we have received input from a wide variety of our Club members. To make this plan work you, the membership, need to take ownership of the plan and work with the Club Executive to ensure that it is delivered successfully. There are multiple strands to this plan and I would appeal to all members to volunteer their time and expertise to help us to drive our Club to the next level. Finally I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this plan. The spirit of meitheal, so often evident within the Club, came to the fore again. This spirit will continue to be required through the coming years to ensure that we as a Club successfully deliver the goals de ned in this plan.

Is mise le meas,

Deaglan O’Laoire

Cathaoirleach