Glorney Cup 1954

The Glorney Cup 1954 was held at Cathays High School, Cardiff, from July 28-29, 1954. Once again, four teams participated, and again, only match results counted.

Unfortunately, there was no BCM report on the event, and the available newspaper reports only give full scorecards for the Irish matches. Player names may not all be correct, particularly for the English team, and we may be missing one or two players.

Ireland had finished in last place the previous year, for the first time ever in a 3- or 4-team event. Possibly in reaction, a preparation match between Glorney Past and Glorney Present was arranged in June 1954. Whether because of that or for some other reason, Ireland did vastly better, vaulting to a convincing second place.

On the opening day, Ireland beat Scotland, runners-up the previous year, 4-2, while England beat Wales 5-1.

On the morning of the second day, England beat Ireland 4-2, while Scotland drew 3-3 with Wales.

In the afternoon, Ireland narrowly beat Wales 3½-2½, and England beat Scotland 5-1. (Note: OlimpBase gives 4-2 for the Ireland – Wales match.)

England thus maintained its unbroken string of wins in the competition, though this time with a less dominating performance than the previous year. Ireland earned a very creditable second, while Scotland and Wales shared 3rd and 4th places.

One game is available (pgn).

The Irish team was Richard Grogan (Synge St. C.B.S., Dublin), 1938-2016, Irish Schoolboys’ champion 1954 and Olympiad team member 1956 (obit.), Tom O’Neill (Synge St. C.B.S., Dublin, & Eoghan Ruadh C.C.), b. 1937, Donal Déiseach, Coláiste Mhuire, Dublin, & Clontarf C.C.), Irish Schoolboys’ championship 1st-2nd 1954 (lost on tie-break), James Johnston (Belfast High School), Ulster Schoolboys’ champion 1954, Dermot O’Connell (St. Mary’s, Dublin), Leinster Schoolboys’ champion 1954, Con Deasy (Synge St. C.B.S., Dublin, & Eoghan Ruadh C.C.), and P. O’Donnell (Terenure College, Dublin), Leinster Schoolboys’ championship 1st-2nd 1954 (lost on tie-break). Of these, all but O’Neill made their début.

The English team was W. S. Powell (Stoke), David A. Tidmarsh (London), b. 1936, later joint British Schoolboys’ champion 1955, (probably) Michael Lipton, b. London, 1937, later a noted problemist, IM of Composition 1976, and author of problem books (list), D. Brook, N. Lewis, (later Sir) Anthony James Leggett (see report on the Glorney Cup 1955), and possibly one other player. All of these players except Powell made their début.

[See important note on update of May 7, 2023 below.]

‘D. Brook’ does not appear to have played in British Boys’ championship around this time. Also, because only one match scorecard involving the English team is available, there may be an additional player.

The Scottish team was Michael Fallone (Our Lady’s, Hamilton), b. Bellshill, Lanarkshire, 1938, later Scottish champion (1963), Olympiad team member in 1956, 1964, and 1966 (biographical sketch), James Blair (King’s Park, Glasgow), B. Lindsay (King’s Park, Glasgow), N. McCarry (or McGarry?) (St. Aloysius’ College, Glasgow), T. Stothers (Allan Glen’s School, Glasgow), W. Speculand (Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow), and J. McCann (St. Mungo’s Academy, Glasgow). All except Fallone made their début.

The Welsh team was (David) Keith Peters (later Sir Keith Peters) (Glan Afan Grammar School, Port Talbot), b. Neath, South Wales, 1938, Anthony J. Davies (Bishop Gore School, Swansea), Welsh Schoolboys’ champion 1954, R. A. Rees (Cardiff High School), P. M. Perry (St. Illtyd’s College, Cardiff), B. B. Trott (North Cardiff C.C.), and Paul Wentworth (Whitchurch Grammar School, Cardiff) (b. Cardiff, 1937). (W. B. Sullivan (Old Illtydians) was named in one report that omitted Peters, but it is not known if he played.) All of these except Peters (and Sullivan, if he played) made their début.

The top scorers for each team were David A. Tidmarsh and Michael Lipton (England), 3/3, Con Deasy (Ireland), 3/3, Michael Fallone (Scotland), 2½/3, and R. A. Rees (Wales), 2/3.

David McAlister points out a notable story from the closing ceremony, recounted in the Western Mail & South Wales News:

‘The case of the cup that went astray clouded the prizegiving ceremony at the end of the two-day schoolboys’ international chess tournament in Cardiff yesterday. […] The reason is that the cup is being held by H.M. Customs department somewhere in Britain.

“The English boys have won each of the six annual tournaments,” [W. Ritson Morry] said, “and last year they thought it would be a good idea if they could each take the championship cup to their home for a month or so. Against our advice, they did this.

“You see, the cup comes from Ireland and Customs regulations are involved. The boys were permitted to hold it for 11 months, and then return it to Mr. Andrew Higgins, a Dublin jeweller, who is the conductor of the Irish team. … [T]he boy who sent it from England overlooked one thing. He registered it at the Post Office for £100 and the cup went on its way, but he did not have an export licence. In fact, we never dreamed that it would be necessary.

“The cup has not reached Ireland. It is in the Customs’ hand, and we do not know what has happened to it.”’

[Update, September 8, 2021: added details on Davies based on reference below; modified format slightly.]

[Update, June 20, 2022: corrected Déiseach’s name (deleting fada in first name), based on his own rendition in Family Life Education in Canadian Schools, Canadian Education Association, June 1977.]

[Update: May 7, 2023: Previous versions of this report (cf. archived version (May 7, 2023)) gave “D. Leggott”, as reported in contemporary sources. However, I’m delighted to report that (Professor / Sir) Anthony James Leggett has kindly confirmed, via email, that he played in both the 1954 and 1955 Glorney Cups.]