About Us

Our culture

The ethos of Kinsale & District Lions Clubs is rooted in serving our community through a culture of friendship, integrity, and service. We operate on the principle of empowering service-minded people to help others without personal financial reward, fostering a spirit of good citizenship and global understanding. Key values include diversity, collaboration, and a dedication to innovation and high ethical standards in both private and public endeavours. Kindness is at the core of everything we do.

An international community, acting for you locally

Lions club international is the Worlds largest service club with 1.4million members representing more than 44,500 clubs in approximately 185 countries and geographical areas around the world. Since its international convention in in 1925 when Helen Keller challenged the delegates to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness” Lions club members have adopted part of their mission of aiding the blind and visually impaired. The organisation has also made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth throughout the world.

Past Presidents of Kinsale & District Lions Club

We would like to thank the past presidents of our club for their dedicated service

Name	Date
PJ Keating	1992-1993
John McNamara	1993-1994
Pat O’ Farrell	1994-1995
Tony Boland	1995-1996
Hal McElroy	1996-1997
Diarmuid O’ Shea	1997-1998
Joe Brennan	1998-1999
Louis McNamara	1999-2000
Jack Walsh	2000-2001
Eddie McCarthy	2001-2002
David Tucker	2002-2003
Fread Treacy	2003-2004
Bernard Greaves	2004-2005
Gary Fitzsimons	2005-2006
Mike Walsh	2006-2007
Ted Whitaker	2007-2008
PJ Power	2008-2009
Tony Cierans	2009-2011
Denis Healy	2011-2012
Eamon Jackson	2012-2014
Richard Ennos	2014-2016
Con Cadogan	2016-2018
Gerry O’ Dwyer	2018-2020
Dan Cummins	2020-2022
Alice de la Cour	2022-2024
Cormac Fitzgerald	2024 to 2026

Supporting Our Community

All profits from all our activities go directly to our supported charities funding.

• Cork Hospital Children’s Club
• Suicide Prevention/Pieta House
• Community School Bursary
• Men’s Shed
• KYSS Counselling and Support Services

• SVP
• Kinsale Youth Club
• Meals on Wheels
• Community Defibrillators
• Community Hospital

Our Mission

The Objectives of the Lions Club

To create and foster a spirit of understanding among the peoples of the world
To promote the principles of good government and good citizenship
To take an active interest in the civic, cultural and social welfare of the community.
To unite the clubs in the bonds of friendship, good fellowship and mutual understanding

To provide a forum for the open discussion of all matters of public interest, provided however that partisan politics and sectarian religion shall not be debated by club members.
To encourage service minded people to serve their community without personal financial reward and to encourage effciency and promote high ethical standards in commerce, industry, professions, public works and private endeavours.

History of the Lions club

The International Association of Lions Clubs began as the dream of a Chicago insurance man Melvin Jones, who wondered why local business clubs — he was an active member of one — could not expand their horizons from purely business concerns to the betterment of their communities and the world at large.

Jones’ idea struck a chord within his own group, the Business Circle of Chicago, and they authorized him to explore his concept with similar organizations from around the United States. His efforts resulted in an organizational meeting at a local hotel on June 7, 1917.

The 12 men who gathered there overcame a natural sense of loyalty to their parent clubs, voted the “Association of Lions Clubs” into existence, and issued a call for a national convention to be held in Dallas, Texas, USA in October of the same year.

Thirty-six delegates representing 22 clubs from nine states heeded the call, approved the “Lions Clubs” designation, and elected Dr. William P. Woods of Indiana as their first president. Guiding force and founder Melvin Jones was named acting secretary. Thus began an association with Lionism that only ended with his death in 1961.

That first convention also began to define what Lionism was to become. A constitution and by-laws were adopted, the colors of purple and gold approved, and a start made on Lionism’s objective’s and code of ethics.

One of the objects was startling for an era that prided itself on mercenary individualism, and has remained one of the main tenets of Lionism ever since. “No Club,” it read, “shall hold out the financial betterment of its members as its object.”

Community leaders soon began to organize clubs throughout the United States, and the association became “international” with the formation of the Windsor, Ontario, Canada Lions Club in 1920. Clubs were later organized in China, Mexico, and Cuba. By 1927, membership stood at 60 000 in 1 183 clubs.

In 1935, Panama became home to the first Central American club, with the first South American club being organized in Colombia the following year. Lionism reached Australia in 1947 and Europe in 1948, as clubs were chartered in Sweden, Switzerland, and France. In 1952, the first club was chartered in Japan.

The International Association of Lions Clubs is today the largest service organization in the world with over 1,4 million members in more than 43 300 clubs in 714 Districts covering 182 countries and geographic areas. Lions Clubs are not social clubs, although there are social benefits to membership. Lions Club members give their time, skills and resources to raise funds for charitable giving both in their communities and internationally.