The recent update here on Irish championship players added first names for many players. One of these was Roddy Galvin, who played in the 1967 championship in Cork.
No games of his are currently in the ICU games archive. However, one appeared in the Cork Examiner, November 27, 1968, p. 11. It’s from a challenge match between Irish Universities and Scottish Universities played in Edinburgh shortly before the article. The format was a two-round, nine-board match. The Irish team was reportedly missing several top players, and slumped to a heavy 14-4 defeat.
The Irish team in board order was Michael Roberts (Q.U.B.) (0/2 v. Craig Pritchett), Tony Cafferky (U.C.D.) (0/2 v. David N. L. Levy), Peter O’Kane (Q.U.B.) (0/2 v. Watt), Colm Egan (U.C.D.) (0/2 v. Brodie), Murray (Q.U.B.) (½/2 v. Jardine), Jack Killane (U.C.D.) (1/2 (1, 0) v. Morgan), McCaughall (Q.U.B.) (½/2 v. Bourne), Roddy Galvin (U.C.C.) (1/2 (0, 1) v. Plotkin), and Tom Barry (U.C.C.) (1/2 (1, 0) v. Amos).
19. ?
In the diagrammed position, Black had just played the (slightly dubious) 18… Ne7-g6. Galvin responded with 19. fxe5 dxe5 20. d6. Objectively this is bad, since 20… f4! would have left him in serious trouble. However, he may have been looking ahead to the game’s finish. After 20… c6? 21. Bg5, the queen was running out of squares, and the knight could not go to e7. Black could not find anything better than 21… Ne8? (21… f4 was essential), but then Galvin trapped the queen with 22. g4 fxg4 23. Ng3, and Black resigned.
[Click to replay the full game.]
[Update, January 9, 2024: The same Cork Examiner article gave another Irish win from the match, the first round win by Tom Barry (U.C.C.). Click to replay.]