August 31, 2008
History of Curragh Chess Club
The Curragh Chess Club was founded in May 1979 by members of the Irish Defence Forces serving in the Curragh. The club registered with the Irish Chess Union and entered a team in the Leinster League gaining promotion from Division after its first season and have competed in the Leagues every year since its foundation. In 1980 Irish National Champion Eamon Keogh NM gave a simultaneous display to the club membership.
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The club's first premises were in the School of Signals in the former Curragh Boys National School.
In the early 1990s the club relocated to the Curragh Library where the club is still located. The Club was at its peak in the early 1990s with four teams competing in the Leinster Leagues.
The club won the O'Hanlon Cup - Division 3 in the 1992/93 season.
The club struggled into the 21st Century with only a handful of members but held its position in Division 4 of the Leinster Leagues before increased membership since 2002 and promotion to Division 3 in 2003.
The club won Division 3 (Ennis Shield) in the 2005/06 season and gained promotion for the first time in its history to Division 2 (Heidenfeld Trophy) which it has retained since then. The club now has two teams in the Leinster Leagues, in Division 2 and Division 4.
Today, the Club has two teams in the Leinster Leagues: one in Division 2 - Heidenfeld Trophy and one in Division 4 -O'Hanlon Cup. The club also participates in the annual Branagan Cups and Killane Shields.
The club continues to meet on Thursday nights in the Curragh library and is made up primarily of non military personnel. Newcomers always welcome.
In May 2009, the club will celebrate 30 years of chess on the Curragh.
October 12, 2007
Club Officers 1979 - Present
| Chairman | Secretary | Treasurer | |
| 1979 | Tony Carr | Paddy Burke | Billy O'Connor |
| 1980 | Tony Carr | Paddy Burke | Frank Hayes |
| 1981 | Tony Carr | Tom Taaffe | Frank Shelly |
| 1982 | Tony Carr | Billy O'Connor | Frank Shelly |
| 1983 | Tony Carr | Billy O'Connor | Seamus O'Sullivan |
| 1984 | Tony Carr | Billy O'Connor | Seamus O'Sullivan |
| 1985 | Tony Carr | Billy O'Connor | Seamus O'Sullivan |
| 1986 | Tony Carr | Billy O'Connor | Seamus O'Sullivan |
| 1987 | Tony Carr | Billy O'Connor | Seamus O'Sullivan |
| 1988 | Tony Carr | Billy O'Connor | Seamus O'Sullivan |
| 1989 | Maurice Canavan | Charlie Talbot | Seamus O'Sullivan |
| 1990 | Maurice Canavan | Charlie Talbot | Seamus O'Sullivan |
| 1991 | Maurice Canavan | Charlie Talbot | Seamus O'Sullivan |
| 1992 | Maurice Canavan | Billy O'Connor | Seamus O'Sullivan |
| 1993 | Maurice Canavan | Billy O'Connor | T.P. Byrne |
| 1994 | Maurice Canavan | Hugh Peacock | T.P. Byrne |
| 1995 | Tom Bermingham | Maurice Canavan | Seamus O'Sullivan |
| 1996 | Tom Bermingham | Fergus Johnston | Ken Caraher |
| 1997 | Brian Tiernan | Fergus Johnston | Ken Caraher |
| 1998 | Brian Tiernan | Mark McLoughlin | Ken Caraher |
| 1999 | Maurice Canavan | Mark McLoughlin | Ken Caraher |
| 2000 | T.P. Byrne | Mark McLoughlin | Ken Caraher |
| 2001 | T.P. Byrne | Derek Stacey | Ken Caraher |
| 2002 | Derek Stacey | Colm Kelly | Mark McLoughlin |
| 2003 | Derek Stacey | Richard Arundell | Mark McLoughlin |
| 2004 | Derek Stacey | Charlie Talbot | Mark McLoughlin |
| 2005 | Derek Stacey | Charlie Talbot | Mark McLoughlin |
| 2006 | Derek Stacey | Charlie Talbot | Mark McLoughlin |
| 2007 | Derek Stacey | Brendan Duffy | Mark McLoughlin |
| 2008 | Derek Stacey | Brendan Duffy | Mark McLoughlin |
| 2009 | Derek Stacey | Brendan Duffy |
Mark McLoughlin |
| 2010 | Noel Lynch | Brendan Duffy | Mark McLoughlin |
| 2011 |
October 05, 2007
Leinster League Record 1979 - Present
The following is a record of the Curragh Chess Club's participation in the Leinster Leagues since the club's foundation in 1979. The club had participated in every season since then. In 1992/93 the club was at its highest membership with four teams in the League. The club has won the Ennis Shield - Division 3 in 2005/06, the O'Hanlon Cup - Division 2 in 1991/92 and the Bodley Cup - Division 6 in 1996/97. The club's highest placed team is playing in the Heidenfeld Trophy - Division 2 since 2006.
|
Season |
Division |
Name |
Comments |
Team Members |
No on Team |
| 1979/80 | Division 7 | Enterprise Shield | Finished 3rd - Promoted | B.O'Connor, P.Burke, M. Canavan, T. Carr, T.Taaffe | 5 |
| 1980/81 | Division 6 | Bodley Cup | 5 | ||
| 1981/82 | Division 6 | Bodley Cup | 5 | ||
| 1982/83 | Division 5 | BA Cup | 5 | ||
| 1983/84 | Division 5 | BA Cup | 5 | ||
| 1984/85 | Division 5 | BA Cup | Promoted | 5 | |
| Division 7 | Enterprise Shield | Promoted | 5 | ||
| 1985/86 | Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | 6 | ||
| Division 6 | Bodley Cup | 5 | |||
| 1986/87 | Division 3 | Ennis Shield | 6 | ||
| Division 5 | BA Cup | 5 | |||
| 1987/88 | Division 3 | Ennis Shield | 6 | ||
| Division 5 | BA Cup | 5 | |||
| Division 6 | Bodley Cup | 5 | |||
| 1988/89 | Division 3 | Ennis Shield | 6 | ||
| Division 5 | BA Cup | 5 | |||
| Division 6 | Bodley Cup | 6 | |||
| 1989/90 | Division | O'Hanlon Cup | 6 | ||
| Division 5 | BA Cup | 5 | |||
| Division 6 | Bodley Cup | 5 | |||
| 1990/91 | Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | 6 | ||
| Division 5 | BA Cup | 5 | |||
| Division 6 | Bodley Cup | 5 | |||
| 1991/92 | Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | 1st (Winners) | M.Wallace, A.Gregg, T.Mellon, M.McLoughlin, B.O'Connor, T.Bermingham | 6 |
| Division 5 | BA Cup | 5 | |||
| Division 6 | Bodley Cup | 5 | |||
| 1992/93 | Division 3 | Ennis Shield | 6 | ||
| Division 5 | BA Cup 'A' Team | 5 | |||
| Division 5 | BA Cup 'B' Team | 'B' Team promoted | 5 | ||
| Division 6 | Bodley Cup | 6 | |||
| 1993/94 | Division 3 | Ennis Shield | 3rd/12 Teams | M.Wallace, B.O'Connor, B.Ryan, B.Jordan, T.Bermingham, B.Duffy | 6 |
| Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | C.Coyne, T.Carr, P.Moran, B.Tiernan, P.Walsh, T.Byrne | 6 | ||
| Division 5 | BA Cup | H.Peacock, P.Malone, C.Talbot, L.Talbot, R.Dunphy | 5 | ||
| 1994/95 | Division 3 | Ennis Shield | 4th/12 Teams | 6 | |
| Division 5 | BA Cup | Relegated | 5 | ||
| 1995/96 | Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | 6 | ||
| Division 6 | Bodley Cup | 6 | |||
| 1996/97 | Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | 4th/12 Teams | M.McLoughlin, R.Donges, B.Ryan, D.Stacey, F.Glynn, T.Bermingham | 6 |
| Division 6 | Bodley Cup | 1st - (Winners) | B.Tiernan, L.Talbot, F.Johnston, C.Talbot, TP.Byrne, D.McCormack | 5 | |
| 1997/98 | Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | 6 | ||
| Division 5 | BA Cup | Relegated | 5 | ||
| 1998/99 | Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | 3rd/12 Teams | 6 | |
| 1999/00 | Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | 6th/12 Teams | 6 | |
| 2000/01 | Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | 6 | ||
| 2001/02 | Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | 6 | ||
| 2002/03 | Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | 2nd/12 Teams - (Won Promotion) | Richard Arundell, Mark McLoughlin, Colm Kelly, Noel Lynch, Derek Stacey and Niall O'Shea | 6 |
| 2003/04 | Division 3 | Ennis Shield | 5th/12 Teams | R.Arundell, M.McLoughlin, N.Lynch, P.Klompers, C.Kelly, D.Stacey, N.O'Shea | 6 |
| 2004/05 | Division 3 | Ennis Shield | 4th/12 Teams | R.Arundell, M.McLoughlin, N.Lynch, P.Klompers, D.Earls, N.O'Shea | 6 |
| Division 6 | Bodley Cup | 4th/8 Teams | B.Duffy, N.Kelly, D.Stacey, C.Talbot, D.Thorpe | 5 | |
| 2005/06 | Division 3 | Ennis Shield | 1st (Winners) | R.Arundell, M.McLoughlin, N.Lynch, P.Klompers, D. Earls, F. Rivera | 6 |
| Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | 9th/12 teams | B.Duffy, H.Hammouma, C.Talbot, N.O'Shea, D.Stacey, L. Talbot, T. Carr | 6 | |
| 2006/07 | Division 2 | Heidenfeld | 8th/12 teams | R.Arundell, M.McLoughlin, N.Lynch, P.Klompers, B. Duffy, B.O'Connor, F.Rivera, D.Stacey | 8 |
| Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | 9th/11 teams | D.Earls, N.O'Shea, D.Meade, M.Canavan, C.Talbot, L.Talbot | 6 | |
| 2007/08 | Division 2 | Heidenfeld |
4th/12 teams |
R.Arundell, M.McLoughlin, N.Lynch, P.Klompers, B.Duffy, N.O'Shea, B.O'Connor, F. Rivera | 8 |
| Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup |
7th/11 teams |
D.Stacey, D.Earls, D.Meade, B.Tobin, L.Talbot, C.Talbot, M. Piecewicz | 6 | |
| 2008/09 | Division 2 | Heidenfeld | 9th/11 teams | R.Arundell, N. Lynch, M.McLoughlin, P.Klompers, N.O'Shea, H.Valters, B.Duffy, D.Stacey (sub: B.O'Connor) | 8 |
| Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | 11th/12 teams | F.Rivera, M.Kennedy, D.Earls, M. Canavan, M.Brehhov, H.Hammouma, L. Talbot, J.Forde | 6 | |
| 2009/10 | Division 2 | Heidenfeld | R.Arundell, P Dunne, N Lynch, MMcLoughlin, M Brehhov, H Valters, P Klompers | 8 | |
| Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | F.Rivera, M.Kennedy, D.Earls, M. Canavan, H.Hammouma, L. Talbot, J.Forde | 6 | ||
| 2010/11 | Division 2 | Heidenfeld | R.Arundell, P Dunne, N Lynch, MMcLoughlin, M Brehhov, H Valters, P Klompers, N O'Shea | 8 | |
| Division 4 | O'Hanlon Cup | F.Rivera, M.Kennedy, D.Earls, M. Canavan, H.Hammouma, L. Talbot, J.Forde | 6 |