Fantastic day on sunday 29th April in Lahey, Co. Donegal. The organizers deserve sincere congratulations for a job very well done.

See the june issue of Vintage Scene magazine for a nice article on our run to Cong on 25th march, Thre are some nice photo's too!!

Hi Guys,

Don't forget the next meeting in The Wishing Well, Ballyvary, Next tuesday 5th June at 9PM.

I hope everybody had a great weekend in Ballina for our Main Run!!

I have up-loaded a nice selection of photos from the event courtesy of Pat Mullan, But if any club members have any interesting snaps that you would like to share with the club please forward to web@cvvmc.ie and i will add them to the site ASAP.

Regards

Stephen Fleming

Hi
Just a gentle reminder that the Bawnboy Show is on this sunday and if any of you are attending please smile if i point my camera at you or your car.
Kind regards
Patrick Mullan
Club PRO.

Hi All.

We had another lively monthly meeting this Tuesday in Ballygawley.

Remember that all members are welcome to attend monthly meetings on the first tuesday of each month. Its your opportunity to air your views!!

Next meeting in The Wishing Well, Ballyvary on Tuesday 4th September at 9:30PM.

Hi
I took a couple of photographs last weekend at the Erne Vintage Clubs Parade and Main Run in Fermanagh. I hope that this link works.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oakfield_photography/sets/72157631119692048/ />
Club Pro
Patrick Mullan.

Ps. working on Bawnboy and Ballygawley pictures and will upload them this weekend.

My first time to meet Eugene Gillespie would have been about 11 years ago at the first meeting that I went to of the Connacht Veteran & Vintage Motor Club in the Wishing Well, Ballyvary, Co. Mayo.

I had met Keith English in Henderson’s Garage previously when I was getting work done on the bus I drive for work a couple of weeks before, and I was talking about joining the Club.

The whole group welcomed me into their Club with open arms, as was done for all that have joined since, and it seems to have been the way before I joined as well.

When I hear people talking of someone that has died, I sometimes used to find it hard to believe that the person could have been so good and kind. It has taken Eugene’s death for me to realise that yes, there are people out there like that. Eugene was a true friend to me, my family and to all that got to know him. I never heard him say anything bad about anyone or anything (except the weather!) in the time that I spent with him.

A few years ago he invited me to give him a hand and to learn a little bit about an Austin sixteen six that he was restoring. I rang him to let him know that I was on my way in that evening and the response that I got on him answering the phone is the one that I believe he gave everyone that rang: - “Go Maith Dia Ditch, Eoghan Mac Giolla Easpaig anseo, cé bhfuil tú mo chara?” and before too long I was able to answer him with a small bit of Gaeilge back, with which he was impressed.

When I arrived in I was first introduced to Tiny, his long time companion and man’s best friend. Eugene would hold conversations with Tiny and they seemed to understand each other. The coffee perk was next and I was shown what to do and this was my job when I would go in from there on. He loved the Fox’s Thick Tea biscuits, so I would stop at McKim’s in Collooney and bring them in to him, he would always have a variety of buns and cakes as well. Of course it would only take an hour or so for us to get into form to go working on the Austin and hours would go by in a very short time. He liked to do things at his own pace but you could be sure that it would not have to be done again. I picked up a lot along the way with Eugene about the older cars but without realising it, I learned a lot about Sligo in past times - the history of things that I didn’t even know existed.

Eugene’s home in Old Market Street was a place that time seemed to stop. Despite Eugene having no interest in television, radio Na Gaeltachta would be on in the background almost all the time. He was up to date with everything that happened in and out of the country.

Eugene was very proud of his family roots and he had worked out that we were related after about the second meeting of the Club. I have to say I felt very proud of this.

From the first time I met him he was the type of person that everyone got on with. One of the many things that Eugene thought me was that it is better to want what you have rather than having what you want.

I have made a lot of friends through the club, but Eugene would never leave you out in the dark if he thought that you hadn’t met someone before, his motto was “If you don’t know them at the start of an event know them at the end”.

He always spoke very highly of his neighbour’s and could tell stories that would have you in good form for hours.

He could always have a good laugh, but it would never be at anyone’s expense.

Eugene, you were one in a billion, it was my privilege to have been part of your life. I think everyone that met you feels the same.

May you rest in peace.

Your friend

Fabian White

Thanks to everyone who came out and supported us on our 1st. CVVMC run, it was a great success.

I hope everyone enjoyed the day. It was great to see the large number of cars that came out.

Thanks again to everyone who helped in anyway.

Regards,
John Rattigan.

Dear Members.

Such a sad event to report but funeral arrangements are as follows:

Reposing at the Foley and McGowan Funeral Home, Market Yard, Sligo from 6pm to 8:30pm on friday, Mass of the Resurrection in St. Anne's Church on Saturday at 12 noon, Internment in Sligo Cemetary afterwards.