B. E. A. Cup

Division 5 of the Leinster Leagues. Cup presented by British European Airways on November 22, 1972.

“The British European Airways perpetual chess challenge cup was presented to the Leinster Chess Union at a reception in the Collegians’ clubrooms, Donnybrook, last night, by Mr. James Dunne, chief sales representative of B.E.A.. … The BEA Cup has an entry of 26 teams and play in this contest will continue until March.” Irish Times (Thursday) November 23, 1972, p. 5.

  • Roll of Honour:
  • N.B. years refer to the close of each season, e.g., 1973 represents the 1972-73 season.
  •  
  • 1973    Ierne
  • 1974    Phibsboro
  • 1975    Cavan
  • 1976    Elm Mount
  • 1977    Clontarf
  • 1978    Dublin County Council
  • 1979    Phibsboro
  • 1980    Skerries
  • 1981    Finglas
  • 1982    Dublin
  • 1983    Kilkenny
  • 1984    St. James
  • 1985    Kilkenny
  • 1986    Wicklow
  • 1987    Phibsboro
  • 1988    Crumlin
  • 1989    Tallaght
  • 1990    Phibsboro
  • 1991    Rathfarnham
  • 1992    Elm Mount
  • 1993    Finglas
  • 1994    Athlone
  •  
  • 1996    Fairview
  • 1997    Guinness
  • 1998    Bray
  •  
  • 2000    U.C.D.
  •  
  • 2002    Jobstown, Drogheda
  •  
  • 2004    Castle
  • 2005    St. Benildus
  • 2006    Longford
  • 2007    Royal Lopez
  • 2008    Dublin University
  • 2009    Dublin
  • 2010    Celbridge
  • 2011    Cavan
  • 2012    Ballinasloe (A)
  • 2013    Phibsboro
  • 2014    Round Tower
  • 2015    Gonzaga
  • 2016    Enniscorthy
  • 2017    Blanchardstown
  • 2018    UCD
  • 2019    Portmarnock
  • 2020    Finglas, Kilkenny
  • 2021-22    — (no competition)
  • 2023    UCD
  • Sources:
  • Irish Times, November 23, 1972 p. 5.
  • Cup inscriptions (April 2014).
  • Leinster Chess Union web site (comprehensive results, 2004-).
  • Cyril Hardiman, Sunday Indpendent, 1980, date unknown (“the 1979-80 season, now petering to a close”) (re 1980).
  • CHESS IRELAND – NEWS, Mar-Jun 2000 (John Hurley, ed.) (re 2000).
  • CHESS IRELAND (John Hurley, ed.) (re 2002).
  • Email from John Loughran, April 16 and 17, 2024 (correction to 1992 winner, winners 2017-2023)
  • “Leinster Chess Union League Controller’s Report for 1992/93”, Jack Killane, June 16, 1993, p. 7 (re 1993) (John Gibson archives).

Last updated May 2, 2024.

4 Responses to B. E. A. Cup

  1. Pingback: B. E. A. Cup | IRLchess

  2. Gerard MacElligott says:

    I was on the BEA 1976 (Elm Mount) winning team. That year there were 50 teams competing in that division. They were split into 5 groups of 10. The top two teams from each group then played another round robin. So there were 18 rounds. The last round was played some time in June. I remember playing a match in June the night before my Leaving Cert Geography exam. Although the Leaving Cert was important – winning the BEA was more so 🙂

    • Denis Dempsey says:

      I think that there were only 17 rounds as the teams which had already played each other did not have to do so again. Their scores from the initial rounds were carried forward to the 2nd round robin.

      I was Leagues Controller at the time and I remember that there was a delay caused by Dalkey and Dundrum Clubs both fighting it out for a place in the 2nd round robin. They were on the same points and kept drawing in playoffs. There were no LCU rules to cover this situation at the time. Eventually after several draws I imposed a rule and I think that Dundrum qualified.

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