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SOLICITORS' GOLFING SOCIETY
Spring Meeting at Headford G.C. Kells
on
Saturday 8th June
1968
Results
1. President's (Mr. Patrick Noonan) Prize and
Law Society Challenge Cup.
Winner
Andrew P. Curneen (10) Dublin 40 pts.
Runner Up
Padraig Gearty (9) Longford 38 pts.
2. Ryan Challenge Cup (Handicaps 13 and over)
Winner
Edward W. Hughes (15) Graiguena-
managh 37 pts.
Runner Up
James P. McGeough (13) Monaghan
34 pts.
3. Best Score—1st 9—Basil Doyle (12) Dublin
19 pts.
Best Score—2nd 9—Hugh J. Fitzpatrick (9)
Dublin 22 pts.
Best Score by Member from more than 30
miles from Kells; Aidan O'Carroll (9) Athlone
36 pts.
Best Score of 3 cards by lot; Michael E. Hana-
hoe(18) Dublin 30 pts.
Next Outing:
Captain's Prize at Baltray on Sat
urday 5th October, 1968.
FEDERATION OF PROFESSIONAL
ASSOCIATIONS
Annual General Meeting 30th April, 1968
Mr. Brendan A. McGrath solicitor, President of
the Association, addressed the meeting as follows.
The function of a profession is to serve the
public interest. It is no less a public service because
it also provides a means of livelihood.
There is a growing desire on the part of the
community at large to share in and accept respon
sibility for the formulation of aims, the assessment
of resources and the selection of procedures which
direct government policy.
The profesions have from time to time been
criticised in that they tend to pursue their own
material sectarian interests to the exclusion of a
positive contribution to the welfare of the com
munity at large. They have received such adverse
criticism in the N.I.E.G. Report on Full Employ
ment.
Whether one accepts the form in which these
criticisms have been made or not, there can be
little doubt that there is room for much improve
ment. The professions have a social role calling for
a fully responsible participation in society. But the
extent to which they have played their part in this
connection may leave much to be desired. We must
ask ourselves what contribution do we, as pro
fessional people and in our professional capacity,
make towards the structure and development of
our society. What influence do the professions
exert, and how representative are they ?
Within the professions are to be found many
of the skills upon which the functioning of modern
society depends. The industrial structure and tech
nological knowledge essential to advancement and
growth lie almost exclusively in their hands. Yet
one sees that, whilst they give specialist guidance
and advice, they have not, notwithstanding their
expertise, secured any noticeable degree of part
icipation in the formulation of social policy.
Specialist advice is given only within the terms
of reference devised for it; it does not follow that
the giver of the advice takes any part in the re
solution of the problem situation in which the
advice has been called for. The professions may
function as
technical problem-solving machines
within the limits of their own techniques, but in
the wider context of the social problem they sur
render decision to others and become merely the
tools of those who determine policy.
It is, however, gratifying to note that of recent
years, many professional associations have become
increasingly aware of the new social dimensions
which emphasise their functions as social institut
ions and call for closer association with the organs
of government.
The Federation is now a cohesive body rep
resentative of a large and identifiable sector of the
community having a unique orientation. Whilst
not claiming any superiority over other determin
ing factors in the social economy—such as business
management, commercial enterprises, investment
policy and manpower distribution—professional
training, which is designed to give precedence to
and develop a capacity for probing analysis and
objective thought, should serve as a catalyst in
the more controversial fields where conflict of in
terest is found to be a significant factor.
It is in relation to the concepts of 'Management'
and 'Labour' that one sees the professions in their
most distinctive light. Although the scope of pro
fessional employment has been widening steadily,
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