Founding members and members of the Wexford Rotary Club are pictured at their 38th anniversary celebrations in the Riverbank House Hotel. Pic: Christy Farrell
IT GREW out of a comment made a Christmas dinner back in 1977 and thanks to a lot of hard work and community spirit shown since, the Rotary Club of Wexford recently celebrated its 38th birthday.
The Wexford branch of the oldest service club organisation in the world gained official recognition for the first time in February 1979 when the President received the Club’s Charter from the President of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI).
Jurgen Sassmannshausen had put the wheels in motion after Seán Scallan mentioned after a dinner for the Association of Wexford Industries at the Talbot Hotel that he would love to see a Rotary club in Wexford.
As current members described, “despite many difficulties, the forming of a club in Wexford began to gain interest and on September 25th 1978 the Rotary Club of Wexford held its inaugural meeting.”
The club’s President Ronan Furlong later received the Club’s Charter on a “wonderful occasion and one that was enjoyed by 37 of the then 40 clubs that existed on the island of Ireland.”
Since that day, male and female members in Wexford have joined in common cause with Rotary volunteers in clubs across the world in using their professional skills to make a difference.
‘Service above Self’ is Rotary’s international motto and, in this vein, members serve selflessly for the benefit of others.
The work of Rotary continues to make a difference in Wexford in 2017.
Read more in the Wexford Echo.