The IMQS Annual Dinner Dance was held at the K-Club on Saturday 11th November. This was a new venue for the IMQS and it reflected a move from a variety of city venues to a location that was easily accessible and yet offered a very stately setting in the countryside of Kildare, alongside the River Liffey.
The Dinner Dance was a great success with 260 people in attendance and entertainment provided by the band Vegas Nights, followed by a disco to a packed dance floor to the early hours. The singsong in the hotel bar afterwards lasted until 5am.
The IMQS Vice-President, John Francis, was MC for the night and he introduced speakers IMQS President – Brendan Morris, Chairman of the Institute of Quarrying Northern Ireland – Sam Eccles and Guest Speaker – Mrs Deshnee Naidoo, CEO of Vedanta Zinc International, who delivered a very interesting account of the world class closure of the Lisheen Mine, Vedanta’s international projects and women in mining.
Such was the demand for this event, that the 90 allocated IMQS rooms at the K-Club Hotel were booked out well in advance of the event.
In advance of the Dinner Dance, a golf tournament was held at the K-Club Smurfit course, with 17 participants. The coveted IMQS trophy was won by Jason Hopps of the Irish Salt Mine, while Garfield Harrison won the overall best score, with the team prize going to Sean Finlay, Jason Hopps and John McNally.
The new IMQS website and logo were officially launched on the night and the website will be managed by Nicola Nixon, our most recent addition to the council.
The Dinner Dance committee of Carol Sanderson, John Francis and Ciaran Greenan worked very hard to ensure that this event was a great success. A decision will be made in the next few weeks regarding a location for the 2018 event.
Photos were taken by Gary Loughran and will be posted in the Gallery section of the new website within a few days.
I would like to thank all of the attendees, Council members and the K-Club management and staff for making this a great success.
Brendan Morris
President IMQS