Nerd, whether or not Comhaltas is a democracy in a distraction from the central issue.
The Clontarf branch overran their budget to the tune of 2 million. They produced a business plan and needed the executive to act as guarantor on the loan , which Clontarf were willing to shoulder. For whatever reasons, the member of the ard comhairle involved with the Clasach project declined to do this.
At an E.G.M to present their case to Clontarf, the ard stiurthóir of my organisation delivered a rant to the people present, which offended them greatly, and being articulate and intelligent they were having none of it. The dissolution stems from this event.
To my mind in an act of personal vengeance at the lack of respect accorded to Labhrás, Paddy Kelly and others, the ard stiurthóir personally initiated the dissolution of Clontarf. I have spoken to some of the members of the the county board who were involved in this process. They said they were brought into a room and had a meeting with Labhrás, who alerted them to "the problem", and who showed them documentation to substantiate his position. I suggested that they might have asked for Clontarf's side of the story and in fairness, they accepted what they were shown at face value.
Labhras instructed the county board to dissolve Clontarf, and the board felt they had no choice but to do this. This is how your model of a corporation is working. To assume it can function as a transparent democracy is naive, as most organisations are run by its executive officers.
Labhrás O'Murchú has been central to the dissolution of Clontarf. This had nothing to do with vat refunds, taking control of assets of Clasach or anything of that nature. Another distraction.
The decision of the ardstiurthoir to dissolve Clontarf has done incredible damage to the work and mission of Comhaltas. I say this foremost as a musician, but also as a card carrying member of Comhaltas, a committee member, music promoter etc.
I felt that the whole project was too big for one branch in the first place, however Labhrás was happy to let them go ahead.
Music is about people, and the creation of community in a world that is becoming more alienating. Some of us would rather work with the Clontarf's of this world, and with the Labhrás' also to create these connections between people.
An offer of mediation sprung from this desire to avoid all that has happened in the public domain, which has discredited the efforts of all of us who promote music. Whether the offer was from a truly independent source, or one more favourable to one side than the other, well who's to say.
Some of us care deeply enough about this to look at and listen to both sides, without trying to score clever points with clever arguments.
The mediation was offered to help solve this "in house", but that channel was declined.
In the overall scheme of things for Comhaltas worldwide, Clontarf may be just very small spuds. But the human cost in the way these people were treated is enormous.To the best of my knowledge only three members of the Ard Comhairle have questioned the ard stiúrthóir on this .Staggering, even for a'corporation' that has met many times to discuss this issue.

Your suggestion that the former Clontarf sue the members of the Ard Comhairle, I think this has already happened. All members of the Ard Comhairle received a solicitor's letter in the past two days.
Also, the accusation in the press release from the Ard Comhairle referring to the exploitation of children by the former Clontarf branch is totally unacceptable. This kind of language has no place in an organisation seeking to promote music in children.
It casts a shadow over the work we do in our branches to foster a climate where children can join our organisations in safety.
This is the wrong message from the Ard Comhairle.
The involvement of children in protesting outside congress was done in a dignified and non hostile manner. All credit to the leadership in Clontarf, for this.
Children are often involved in branch activities, and the ard comhairle was happy to let them busk for 15 years to raise the funds for Clasach!
Some of us will keep hoping that eventually sense will prevail, and if only for the good of the organisation and its image, Clontarf's dissolution will be overturned by the Dublin County Board at some future date.
Now if you want to explore the manipulation of the county board Nerd, and the use of the Bunreacht as a whipping tool,you have material for months of work ahead of you.
Beir bua.