Category Archives: Tournaments

Irish 50+ Championship 2025

The Irish chess year sprang to life over the weekend, with a large number of events at the Talbot Hotel Stillorgan, including an International Open, a GM norm and an IM norm event, the Irish 50+ and 65+ championships, a … Continue reading

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Kilkenny Masters 2024

The Kilkenny Congress took place last weekend, attracting 246 players (apparently a record) over three sections. A report on the full Congress by Gerry Graham, with many photos, can be found on the ICU web site. The Masters attracted a … Continue reading

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Irish Championship 1968

The first Irish championship held under the newly introduced rules discussed in the last post was the 1968 event, held in Dixon Hall in Trinity College, Dublin. The field of 21 included the defending champion Wolfgang Heidenfeld, previous champion and … Continue reading

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Changes in the Irish Championship

From an article in the Cork Examiner on February 16, 1968, by “The Knight”: Changes In The Championship A number of important changes in the Irish Championship have been announced recently by the Irish Chess Union, who last year appointed … Continue reading

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Sligo Spring Tournament 2024, other sections

The Sligo Spring Tournament had four sections in all, and the organisers made live boards available for all games in each. Full reports have been added here for the Championship (40 players, 1st Nitish Arun), the Major (44 players, 1st … Continue reading

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Sligo Spring Tournament Masters 2024

The Sligo Spring Tournament was held in Enniscrone from February 2-4, 2024. The flyer gives testimonials from players (“the best tournament in Ireland at present”, “by far the most professional weekender I’ve been to”), and these seem no idle boasts. … Continue reading

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Eddie O’Connor and the Armstrong Cup 1988-89

The 1988-89 season of the Armstrong Cup turned into a battle between the defending champions, and favourites for the new season, Kevin Barry, versus the previous year’s runners-up, Rathmines. The background and atmosphere was described vividly by Michael O’Brien in … Continue reading

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Irish Women’s Championship 2024

The Irish Women’s Championship was held at the Talbot Hotel Stillorgan over the weekend. Twelve players competed, including defending champion Antonina Góra, former champion Diana Mirza, and last year’s first place finisher (though then ineligible for the title) and top … Continue reading

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Irish Championship 2024

The Irish Championship has been running since last Saturday, August 3, at the Talbot Hotel Stillorgan in Dublin, and concludes tomorrow. A full report, with all games from the first eight rounds and pairings for the ninth, has been uploaded … Continue reading

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Irish Championship 1947

The Irish Championship 1947 was held in Cork, for the first time ever, at the C.C.Y.M.S. Hall in Castle Street. The event was structured as a 14-player all-play-all, with the provincial unions each nominating three players, and with another place … Continue reading

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