Eamonn Coghlan is guest speaker at ESB Club Week

The coffee dock Area in Head Office Restaurant was a hive of activity at lunchtime on Tuesday and Wednesday April 28th and 29th. Various clubs, both sporting and non-sporting, were present to promote their activities during ESB Club Week. The week was the brainchild of Head Office Restaurant Catering Manager, Joe Mescall, who was ably assisted by James Foley of ElectricAid and Charlie Cronin of ICT.

The following clubs and activities were promoted and encouraged: Athletics, Badminton, 10-Pin Bowling, Cycling, ElectricAid, French Society, GAA, Golf, Hockey, MADSOC, Music, Rugby, Soccer, SPORTSCO, Squash, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Toastmasters, Volleyball and Walking. Most clubs gained some ‘new blood’ and ESB Club Week also sparked the formation of an ESB Italian Club. The idea of ESB Club Week was embraced wholeheartedly by all of the clubs and societies. Notably, Cyril Morley (Retired) travelled all the way from Cork to help at the ESB Walking Club Table!

ESB has always had a great track record over the years when it came to supporting organisations, sporting or otherwise. Athletics, Basketball, GAA and Hockey have benefitted from sponsorship and ESB Club Week would not have been a success without the financial help from both Brid Tunney and Kristin Quinn of Corporate Affairs. The new changing facilities in Head Office will contribute hugely to both the sustainability and healthy living agendas within ESB.

Veteran athlete Eamonn Coghlan was the guest speaker at the launch of Club Week and John Redmond, Company Secretary and Head of Corporate Affairs, described Eamonn as one of Ireland’s greatest athletes competing in many Irish, European, World and Olympic Championships culminating with the famous 5000m win in Helsinki in 1983. Eamonn was known as ‘Chairman of the Boards’ for his exploits on the indoor circuit in America. He was a World Record holder for the indoor mile but, according to himself, his greatest achievement is being the first and only person to break sub-4 for O/40! (For the uninitiated that means running the mile in under four minutes when over 40 years of age!).

Eamonn Coghlan regaled his audience with his experiences both on and off the track. During his scholarship days in Villanova, his coach Jumbo Elliott stressed the importance of routine, routine, routine! He referred to his ESB connections and his work with his father, Bill Coghlan, on electrical projects. Now retired, Eamonn continues to coach juveniles while watching for Anthony Leggio at the London Olympics! His new passions are golf and motorcycles. These hobbies have opened-up new contacts for him and he said the same applies to large companies like ESB. He urged people to get involved in new clubs and Club Week was an ideal place to start.

Brid Horan, Executive Director Customer Supply & Group Services, thanked Eamonn for his enlightening talk. She referred to a slide from a Health and Wellbeing Project that highlighted that wellness depends on four factors: Environmental, Physical, Emotional and Social. The timing of Club Week was opportune, she said, as it helped to highlight the importance of social interaction within ESB.

The banners that were used during Club Week in Head Office can be used in any ESB location. Please contact Joe Mescall, James Foley or Charlie Cronin if you wish to organise a similar day in your location.