Category Archives: Players

Samuel Beckett, contd.

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Sean Coffey

In Samuel Beckett and the Armstrong Cup, I thought I had made an original discovery of Samuel Beckett’s career as a chess player, as chess players would understand the term, in the form of an Armstrong Cup scorecard from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Armstrong Cup, Players, Tournaments | 2 Comments

Who did Dake play?

Posted on January 26, 2015 by David McAlister

In the comments to “The trials of Aibhistín de Búrca” Paul Brown raises the issue of which player played A. Dake at Warsaw (de Burca or Cranston). At IRLchess we have plumped for de Búrca. De Búrca, in his 1960 … Continue reading →

Posted in Irish champions, Players | 2 Comments

The trials of Aibhistín de Búrca

Posted on December 28, 2014 by David McAlister

At the Annual General Meeting of the Irish Chess Union on the 13th March 1935 the feasibility of sending a team to the International Team Tournament to be held in Warsaw in the second half of August was discussed. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Games, Players | 3 Comments

Myles na gCopaleen

Posted on September 4, 2014 by Sean Coffey

The last post mentioned that Gerry O’Nolan, member of Dublin C.C. for fifty years, was a brother of the journalist/author Brian O’Nolan, better known as Myles na gCopaleen or Flann O’Brien. As Flann O’Brien he wrote several celebrated novels: At … Continue reading →

Posted in Players | 4 Comments

Gerry O’Nolan

Posted on August 30, 2014 by Sean Coffey

The ICU web site has a recent post discussing the history of Dublin C.C.. The major work on this is of course the outstanding history compiled by Dr. A. A. Luce around 1967, at the time of the club’s centenary. … Continue reading →

Posted in Games, Players | 2 Comments

An Armstrong Cup record?

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Sean Coffey

In the last post I mentioned that the 1984-85 season has been up to now one of the most mysterious of all Armstrong seasons. David McAlister’s full roll of honour at irishchesshistory.com contains only the name of Dundrum as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Armstrong Cup, Players | 4 Comments

Ivan Gormally c. 1962-2013

Posted on August 23, 2014 by Sean Coffey

Early this year I heard the sad news of the very untimely passing of Ivan Gormally. He was a clubmate of mine from our very earliest days at Dundrum C.C. and would have been a couple of years older than … Continue reading →

Posted in Games, Players | 2 Comments

Vizayanagaram Tournament, London 1883

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Sean Coffey

Tim Harding has recently written an extensive article (see part 1 and part 2) on the almost forgotten Vizayanagaram Tournament, sponsored by the Maharaja of Vizayanagaram and held in conjunction with the London International Tournament in 1883. One Irish player … Continue reading →

Posted in Games, Players | 1 Comment

Armstrong Cup, 1977 and today

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Sean Coffey

This Sunday sees the final round of the Armstrong Cup. Dublin University has been ahead all season, but stumbled slightly recently with a loss to Gonzaga. With a 2-point lead, and with the only other possible winners Elm Mount and … Continue reading →

Posted in Armstrong Cup, Club chess, Players | 2 Comments

Francis Burden

Posted on October 12, 2013 by Sean Coffey

From a player profile on David McAlister’s Ulster Chess History website, citing the Weekly Northern Whig, 11 June 1914: An Eminent Belfast Chess Player Among the foremost British chess players of the sixties was Francis Burden, who was born in … Continue reading →

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