Rules & Byelaws

The Bohemians Mission Statement

The Bohemians is a Club providing evenings of Music, Song and Comedy in a Fraternal Atmosphere, with a Special Ethos and Emphasis on Respect for Performers, Fellow Members and Guests.

THE RULES OF THE BOHEMIANS

The rules of The Bohemians shall be as follows:

Where the context in these Rules so admits or requires, references and inferences to the male or masculine therein shall include and impute and mean the female.

The Club shall be called “The Bohemians”.
The object of the Club shall be to hold Social Musical Evenings to which members may invite guests.

The Management Committee and Chairpersons of said social evenings shall be entitled to invite guests as performing artistes.

In addition:

(a) A Dinner and Musical Evening to be known as the Members’ Dinner may be arranged annually to which members may invite guests.

(b) A Special Musical Evening to be known as “The Bohemians Charity Evening” may be arranged annually for the purpose of providing funds for the Club or a charity or charities to be decided by the Management Committee, to which function, Guests and Guest performing Artists may attend and participate.

A guest may attend a Social Musical Evening only in the company of a member who shall enter the guest’s name in the Visitors Book.
Members inviting guests to any Bohemian function shall be responsible for ensuring that the Rules of the Club and its established standards of decorum are observed
The Club year shall, for the purpose of subscription, be reckoned from the 1st October in one year to the 30th September in the following year.
The membership shall consist of performing and non-performing members.
(i) The number of performing members shall be at the absolute discretion of the Management Committee

(ii) The number of non-performing members shall be limited to one hundred and fifty, which number may be varied in the interest of the Club by a decision of the Management Committee.

Every candidate for admission to membership must be proposed and seconded by paid up members. A nomination paper containing the full name and address of the Candidate, and bearing the signatures of the Candidate, Proposer and Seconder, must be submitted to the Honorary Secretary.
A Candidate when duly proposed and seconded shall be considered for election at a meeting of the Management Committee. Such candidate shall be declared elected if the votes cast in favour of his/her admission as a member are at least twice as many as those cast in favour of rejection. Otherwise, he/she shall fail to secure election.
A limited number of Members who have rendered special service to the Club may, on the recommendation of the Management Committee, be elected at a General Meeting to be Life Members of the Club. The number of Life Members shall not exceed six. Each shall hold office for life or until he/she resigns or becomes subject to Rule 27 pertaining to removal.

The Club shall have Trustees. All assets of the Club shall be vested in the Trustees on behalf of the members. The number of Trustees shall not normally be less than three. Each Trustee shall be a Member of at least 10 years standing and shall be elected at a General Meeting of the Club. Each shall hold office for five years or until he resigns or ceases to be a member or becomes subject to Rule 27. Whenever the number of Trustees shall fall below three the resulting vacancy shall be filled as soon as practicable. Pending the filling of such vacancy the remaining Trustees shall have vested in them the powers and duties applicable to the full body of Trustees. No personal liability shall attach to any Trustee except to the extent of property or funds of the Club actually received by him/her, nor shall he/she be liable for any loss, damage or misfortune which may happen to or be incurred by the Club in the exercise of this Trusteeship or in relation thereto, unless the same shall happen through his/her own fault or dishonesty. The property and investments of the Club shall at all times be administered for the benefit of the members and shall not be disposed of except in accordance with a decision of the Management Committee. Acquisition of assets must be approved by the Management Committee.
The Management Committee may at its absolute discretion elect to Honorary Membership for one year such persons as they consider worthy of the honour. The list of such members shall be formally reviewed annually by the Management Committee and approved at the Annual General Meeting.
Entrance Fee/Annual Subscription.

Subject as hereinafter otherwise provided; Persons admitted to Ordinary membership shall pay an Entrance Fee of such amount as shall be decided by the Management Committee from time to time. The Entrance Fee together with annual subscription shall be payable immediately on notification of election to membership and the Entrance Fee or part thereof may never be reclaimed. Ordinary Performing and Non-Performing Members shall pay by way of annual subscription such amount(s) as may be fixed by the members in Annual General Meeting, PROVIDED ALWAYS THAT,

1: Members under 30 years of age shall not be required to pay an Entrance Fee.

2: Members who are students under 30 years of age involved in a full time Course of Musical Education or Drama, as determined and accepted as such, by the Management Committee shall only be required to pay 20% of the amount of the Annual Subscription prescribed for the Ordinary Members; Save further that the Management Committee at its discretion in special circumstances shall be entitled to reduce further such amount of the Annual Subscription payable by such Members under 30 years of age.

Persons admitted to Membership shall be entitled to be supplied, free of charge, with a Membership badge which should be worn at all Bohemians functions, and a Club tie.
The Honorary Treasurer shall report to the Management Committee at its first meeting after 31^st December the name of any member whose subscription remains unpaid. The Management Committee may at its absolute discretion at that meeting or any subsequent meeting order the name of the member to be removed from the Register of Members whereupon he/she ceases to be a member without any claim or right whatsoever against the Club.
Administration.

The Club shall be administered by a committee called the “Management Committee” consisting of the President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary, Assistant Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Assistant Honorary Treasurer, Communications Officer, the outgoing President, and four Ordinary Committee Members, all of whom with the exception of the outgoing President shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

No member shall be eligible for election or co-option to the Management Committee who has not been a member of the Club for at least two full consecutive years immediately prior to nomination.
The Management Committee shall hold their meetings at such times as may be decided. They shall have the power to make and rescind Bye-Laws, Protocols and Guidelines for the administration of the Club and may appoint Sub-Committees as required. Five shall form a quorum for all Management Committee meetings and three shall form a quorum for all Sub-Committee meetings.
Should any vacancy occur in the Management Committee during the club year, the Management Committee may fill such a vacancy by co-option.
The Management Committee in each Club year shall settle the place, days and times of the Social Musical Evenings for the subsequent year and any changes in the current year.

(a) A nominee for President shall be a member of at least five years standing and on election shall hold office for one year. A former President shall not be eligible for re-election until a period of five years has elapsed from the time, he/she ceased to hold the office of President.

(b) The President shall nominate his/her successor at the Annual General Meeting, following consultation with the Past Presidents of the Club at a meeting formally convened. The President and Vice President should attend the Past Presidents meeting. Such meetings may discuss any matters affecting the Club but shall be purely consultative and shall have no decision-making authority.

(c) No member shall be eligible to hold the office of Honorary Secretary or Assistant Honorary Secretary or Honorary Treasurer or Assistant Honorary Treasurer for a period longer than three consecutive years and shall be ineligible for election to each respective office until two years shall have elapsed from the date of ceasing to hold office.

(d) No member shall be eligible to serve on the Management Committee as an Ordinary Committee Member for a period longer than six consecutive years and shall be ineligible for election to such position until two years have elapsed from the date of ceasing to hold such position. This would not apply should he/she be elected an officer of the Club. In the context of this rule a Past President shall be considered an Ordinary Committee Member, save in his year as Immediate Past President.

The Honorary Secretary shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting at any time on receiving a requisition signed by the President or not less than twenty members. Seven days notice of the holding of an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be sent by ordinary post or electronically to each member.
An Annual Report and Statement of Account shall be submitted to the Annual General Meeting and in this regard the Honorary Treasurer shall close the year’s account not later than 30th June and submit his Report to the Honorary Auditor not later than 31st July. He should include in such Report inter alia a full disclosure of all incoming and outgoing balances of Cash in Hand and At Bank whether held directly, in trust or quasi trust.
The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the final week of September in each year. Seven days notice of the holding of the Annual General Meeting shall be sent by post or electronically to each member. The business of the Annual General Meeting shall be:

i To receive the reports of the Officers.

ii To elect Officers and Management Committee.

iii To consider recommendations of the Management Committee for Life Membership.

iv To consider Notices of Motion received in accordance with Rules 25 and 26

v To set the Annual Subscription

vi To elect the Honorary Auditor

vii To elect the Honorary Archivist

viii General Business.

Members shall be entitled to bring up for discussion at the Annual General Meeting any matter affecting the interests of the Club. Appropriate Notices of Motion must be proposed, seconded and signed and be submitted in writing to the Hon. Secretary not later than the first day of September preceding the Annual General Meeting. The restriction shall not apply to Motions proposed by the Management Committee. It shall be the sole prerogative of the Management Committee to propose financial resolutions. Motions not dealing with rule changes shall only require the approval of a majority of those present and voting.

A new Rule shall not be made and an existing Rule shall not be, altered, amended, repealed or added to, except at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting. Any notice seeking to alter, amend, repeal or add to an existing Rule shall be proposed, seconded and signed and be sent in writing to the Honorary Secretary not later than the first day of September prior to the Annual General Meeting. This restriction shall not apply to Motions proposed by the Management Committee. Any such change shall require the approval of at least two thirds of the members present voting in person or by Proxy or Postal ballot.

Should the conduct of any member be deemed to be prejudicial to the well being of the Club and/is likely to bring the Club into disrepute the Management Committee shall be empowered to investigate the matter fully, subject to fair procedures, and to impose appropriate sanctions, including removal from membership of the Club. No member may be removed from membership other than by a two thirds vote of the membership at a General Meeting..

28 The Club may permit within its membership the existence of a Golf Society which shall be known

as “The Bohemians Golf Society”, the purpose of which is to provide an opportunity for the members to fraternise and hold concerts in a golfing environment

The Management Committee’s decision on the interpretation of these rules is final