Minister urges teenagers to take up shooting

Sparks

Clare gunner wrote:

It boils down to the fact that some types of shooting are "fieldsports" and a public convience isnt around every field.

CG, the original question was "what should we do if we want younger members in the club", not "what will we demand that everyone in the shooting community does". If you're happy with the status quo, stay happy with it.
Those who aren't, who want something bigger, well, they're not learning huge amounts from this thread I suspect, because the odds are that they're actually doing this stuff already

sidneyreilly

Sparks wrote:

CG, the original question was "what should we do if we want younger members in the club", not "what will we demand that everyone in the shooting community does". If you're happy with the status quo, stay happy with it.
Those who aren't, who want something bigger, well, they're not learning huge amounts from this thread I suspect, because the odds are that they're actually doing this stuff already

Indeed we are, but it isnt enough. Part of the problem is 1. we arnt young enough to grasp what we need to do for younger shooters 2. we havnt enough female shooters to grasp what we need for female shooters.

How about that survey Sparks? It would be of great benefit.

Vegeta

rrpc wrote:

MNSCI is a relatively new club/range. They have sixty acres of land, and are looking to buy more. They started with very little only a dozen or so years ago. And they're not in Dublin

Do they own the land, I thought they just had a long lease or something.

Learn something new everyday

bullets

I'm surprised the the likes of UL here in Limerick as
nothing to acomadate students that may have an interest
in shooting after all they have an Archery club so maybe
there are students that would also have an interest
in getting a projectile to target in other ways.

10m of space with suiteable backstop and a few air rifles
and sort out some sort of range/safety course or get some of
the Dublin Lads to travel down to help on occasion and
it could be possible. Indoor would be nice and safe if
you had a privite gym all and portable backstop.
For outdoor maybe a moderated .22 to stop noise pollution.

(If I had land or even a shed with 10m I would buy an Air rifle and
happily fire to my hearts content every day and invite the odd friend
and workmate to give it a go) Probably not legal though.

~B

rrpc

Sparks wrote:

Call up DURC and UCDRC and advertise.

I've spoken to both captains, I've made it clear on many occasions that our facilities are there for them to use for very little cost and at any time. So far only UCD have taken up the offer. I'm not sure what else I can do bar driving up in my car and collecting them myself.

Maybe if I laid on a bus :rolleyes:

Sparks wrote:

So don't drop it on them all at once. Keep in mind that they're undergoing massive changes in their life and make allowances for a year or two.

This is a two-way street, any interest at all would be nice. We've included a booking facility on the website to help make it easier and more approachable, we've published joining and membership fees, we've bought club jackets and rifles and are about to invest in club pistols, We've spent almost €40,000 in the last year on upgrades and are planning more.....

But we can't do all that without money, and we need new members to fund these things. We would love to have everything a new shooter would want, but we can't do everything at once. We seem to be spending the money, and not seeing the stuff being used.

rrpc

bullets wrote:

(If I had land or even a shed with 10m I would buy an Air rifle and
happily fire to my hearts content every day and invite the odd friend
and workmate to give it a go) Probably not legal though.
~B

From such small acorns are mighty oaks grown

Sparks

rrpc wrote:

I've spoken to both captains, I've made it clear on many occasions that our facilities are there for them to use for very little cost and at any time.

Which isn't advertising for membership. How many times have you told DURC or UCDRC members of the special graduation membership offer for RRPC, where they have to pay only €50 for their first year's membership and how you have club gear for them to use and so on?

We've included a booking facility on the website to help make it easier and more approachable, we've published joining and membership fees, we've bought club jackets and rifles and are about to invest in club pistols, We've spent almost €40,000 in the last year on upgrades and are planning more.....

All of which is excellent - but no prospective new members can see that.
Look, go to http://www.rathdrumrpc.org.
Where's the bit on the front page, right at the top about how to join, how to get involved in the club?
You dig into the FAQs and find that there's an application form on the front page, but when I go back there, I can't find it.
Members have to be proposed by existing members, and so on and so forth.
I'm not saying you're doing stuff wrong, but if you want to advertise yourself effectively, you've a barrier or three there to get out from between yourself and the prospective new members.

Put together a leaflet about the club (like the one that DURC use) and how to get into it and what it's like, print up a hundred or two, then give them to the college clubs to give to their members. Pushing the club is the other half of this whole thing. No point doing as much to improve the club as you guys have if noone knows how good it is!

Sparks

BTW, about that bus - hiring a 52-seater for a day trip from TCD and UCD to RRPC would set you back about €500 or so (or at least it did last time I looked at the colours budget). That's what, two year's membership? You get three people to join up as a result of an open day in RRPC like that, and you've made a profit...

Whats the point in that?

DURC has a .22 range and those who shoot, know about Rathdrum.
I think that you are both missing the point here;

Following graduation the ex student goes on to get a job somewhere. They are no longer just five minutes away from the range, instead that have now entered a much more complicated life of full 9-5 jobs, new flat, etc etc.

Also, RRPC is 50 mins away from Dublin with screw all public transport near there apart from an early bus. Now the dedicated, wants to win medals target shooter who just graduated will make that trip, but sparks, out of the 200 memebrs we loose each year, maybe 10 are in this group.

The rest just do it for a hobby, and for them, its far too much effort to keep up. If DURC or UCDRC could accept open members (and I get weekly emails from people asking me about this - they get forwarded to RRPC / Courtlough) then you'd see a surge, but until there is an easily accesible range in Dublin that is open to the public, then you're going to loose out on the majority of the college students

rrpc

Sparks wrote:

Which isn't advertising for membership. How many times have you told DURC or UCDRC members of the special graduation membership offer for RRPC, where they have to pay only €50 for their first year's membership and how you have club gear for them to use and so on?

Eh??? Where did you find that one? I didn't even know it existed.

Sparks wrote:

All of which is excellent - but no prospective new members can see that.
Look, go to http://www.rathdrumrpc.org.
Where's the bit on the front page, right at the top about how to join, how to get involved in the club?

See, this is where I hate that 'out of the box' Joomla crap. I tried to get more than two things on the front page, and the whole lot got screwed up with one article beside the other. I had it on the old site, in fact it's still there if you care to look , but now it's on the 'read more' bit of the Club Information article on the front page of the new site.

All very dinky, if you like your website looking the same as everyone elses

While you're in that glasshouse Sparks, could you tell me where to find the same information on the Wilkinstown website?

Sparks wrote:

Put together a leaflet about the club (like the one that DURC use) and how to get into it and what it's like, print up a hundred or two, then give them to the college clubs to give to their members. Pushing the club is the other half of this whole thing. No point doing as much to improve the club as you guys have if noone knows how good it is!

I'll do that Sparks, It's worth a try, but I suspect it'll be a wasted effort. Anyway I'm willing to give it a go and see what happens.

sidneyreilly

Guys, my original point was getting young people and females into the sport, not maintaining those already interested. Any ideas? Do you think it would na idea to invite a (for example) a Gaa to team toan open day or girls hocky team or whatever?

P.s. no need for inter-club mud slinging now.

rrpc

sidneyreilly wrote:

Guys, my original point was getting young people and females into the sport, not maintaining those already interested. Any ideas? Do you think it would na idea to invite a (for example) a Gaa to team toan open day or girls hocky team or whatever?

Approach a local school and try and get an open day for TY students. They all should be over 16, so there's no problem. Even less so when the current/future Minister signs in the training licence.

P.s. no need for inter-club mud slinging now.

Of course there is, so long as it's only mud

Clare gunner

rrpc wrote:

Agreed.

MNSCI is a relatively new club/range. They have sixty acres of land, and are looking to buy more. They started with very little only a dozen or so years ago. And they're not in Dublin

True,but look at exactly where they are;on the great bog of Allen.On used Bord Na Mona ground.Miles from anywhere.Well and good,but try getting 60 acres closer to a pouplation centre,because remember one thing ,if we are trying to get younger people to come into this sport,they are going to still suffering the transport bugbear.Plus,there is the issue,if you want to train you want somwhere local,not spend a 4 hour round trip drive.

Nobody said it would be easy. You either need a shooter with some land they're willing to set up a range on, or enough members to put money together to buy some land. A hundred people putting up a grand each is a hundred grand. Get the land, and raise some more, and you could have a lottery grant for 70% of the cost of any permanent structures, planning permission etc.

Kind of specific conditions with a Catch 22 thrown in.You need a shooter who has land and is willing to go the hassle of setting up a range.So a farmer,and/or busisnessman .His question..whats in it for him? Next a 100 people with a 1000 quid handy.Ok not much but I can see that being another problem,you need to form a company,or somthing to regulate how that money will be spent.OK it is a good downer on 60 acres,but we havent got to even turning the first sod. 70% lottery grant is good news...But again I am wondering with the UN PCedness of shooting ,will the grant applications just keep getting shoved to the bottom of the big pile???
Has any club or anyone got any experiance of these grant applications???

It's not impossible, just difficult

No doubt thats what that king said to Hercules when he handed him the list of 12 tasks.:rolleyes:

rrpc

Clare gunner wrote:

True,but look at exactly where they are;on the great bog of Allen.On used Bord Na Mona ground.Miles from anywhere.Well and good,but try getting 60 acres closer to a pouplation centre,because remember one thing ,if we are trying to get younger people to come into this sport,they are going to still suffering the transport bugbear.Plus,there is the issue,if you want to train you want somwhere local,not spend a 4 hour round trip drive.

If you build it, they will come
Seriously, if that's the biggest obstacle, then it's a piece of piss. MNSCI is not exactly close to a major population centre yet they have 560 members and the place is full every weekend. You're in the Limerick/Clare area, surely there are bits of bog out there that no-one can farm/build on, plus building a range falls under the amenity/sportsground heading which makes it easier to get planning permission than a block of apartments.

Clare Gunner wrote:

Kind of specific conditions with a Catch 22 thrown in.You need a shooter who has land and is willing to go the hassle of setting up a range.So a farmer,and/or busisnessman .His question..whats in it for him?

No CG that was one choice, the other one was getting the members to buy land. There's a chap down your neck of the woods who's been on the phone to me a couple of times, looking for advice on how to build a range on his own land, and he's willing to put his own money into it. So it's not a Catch 22 (maybe a catch .22 )

Clare Gunner wrote:

Next a 100 people with a 1000 quid handy.Ok not much but I can see that being another problem,you need to form a company,or somthing to regulate how that money will be spent.OK it is a good downer on 60 acres,

No you form a club, and open a bank account in its name, create a trust that owns the club and it's assets and nominate three trustees that will be nominally in charge of it, but that won't last long because: Step 1; find the land you need, and get a price agreed, Step 2; Get your members together and get the bickies from them and put it in the account until the sale goes through. Now the trustees own a spot of land.
You may not need 60 acres. Rathdrum's new range will be on 7 acres and that's up to one hundred metres and 25 firing points, plus indoor ranges.

Clare Gunner wrote:

but we havent got to even turning the first sod. 70% lottery grant is good news...But again I am wondering with the UN PCedness of shooting ,will the grant applications just keep getting shoved to the bottom of the big pile??? Has any club or anyone got any experiance of these grant applications???

You've your good mate Willie O'Dea down there to help smooth the way for you, plus it's not impossible, Rathdrum got €12,000 for the electronic targets last year and Esker shooting grounds got €50,000. This year Bishops Mountain shooting club got €35,000 and Glenfame Gun club got €4,000. In 2005 Templemichael Ballymacormick Shooting Club got €8,000 and Courtlough got €10,000.

I haven't gone back any further, but I think Courtlough got money before 2005. The point is, the money is there if you have the gumption to go out and get it.

bullets

What do ya reckon CG?

I was actually thinking of the phrase from the film the field
"If you build it they will come" earlier on today.

A big pile of earth as a backstop in that field of yours or convert
one of the sheds and bobs your uncle Limerick/Clare Rifle Club could be born.
I'm sure us Limerick Lads would be more than willing to help out in any way we
could! and it could generate a bit of interest. Have some specific days were
you could invite some guests in small groups where the days would not
intererfere with your privicy/family life.

If you went on a range safty course or some other official course
or had some experianced shooters to coach and train newbies
then you could be onto something!!

~B

Clare gunner

It is possible Bullets.IF I can get that owner to move that junk out,and we can swing the public liability,and,and and.....
But if there is enough intrest and demand in the area,and I can put together a viable biz plan...We could be on t o somthing.

BTW folks,another bit of movie trivia.Anothe mis quoted line.

The line is actually; If you build it...HE will come.

rrpc

Clare gunner wrote:

It is possible Bullets.IF I can get that owner to move that junk out,and we can swing the public liability,and,and and.....
But if there is enough intrest and demand in the area,and I can put together a viable biz plan...We could be on t o somthing.

If you want any help CG, just ask. I've a lot of experience in this having been involved in the planning applications for Rathdrum, as well as working with the ballistics section of the Gardai for authorisations.

PL insurance is difficult enough, but talk to Tullamore and see what they have. There are other schemes out there for sports clubs, and with a 0% claims history, we're the safest sport in the country.

Of course we need to keep it that way

btw, the quote "If you build it, they will come" is attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, which kind of predates the movie that it's more commonly attributed to; 'Field of Dreams'.