Irish Chess Union

{{see also|Fidchell}}

Chess has been played in Ireland since medieval times. Chess was played and groups met with different degrees of formality in Dublin in the 18th and 19th centuries, such as an early incarnation of a Dublin Chess Club from 1813 to 1819 and the Dublin Philidorian Chess Society, which was formed at the Harp Coffee House in Dublin in 1819. Before the establishment of the ICU in 1912, chess competitions in Ireland were run under organisations named the Irish Chess Association (formed in 1885), the Hibernia Chess Association, or various chess clubs. Thomas Long,[https://chessbookchats.blogspot.ie/2016/03/thomas-long-ba-tcd.html Thomas Long BA TCD] Chess Book Chats. who organised the 1865 Dublin Masters, was the first president/chairman of the Irish Chess Association. He also helped found the Dublin Chess Club in 1867, the oldest chess club in Ireland.

The Armstrong Cup is the oldest Irish team league competition and has been played every year since 1888, perhaps giving it a claim on the longest running chess competition in the world.{{original research inline|date=May 2024}}{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

A book by Brian Nugent claims that "The Irish Invented Chess".{{cite book |last1=Nugent |first1=Brian |title=The Irish Invented Chess |date=October 2009 |publisher=MPG Books Group |location=Bodmin & King's Lynn, UK |isbn=978-0-9556812-7-1}} While little details of the game played are given, a game bearing the same name as the modern game in Irish, ficheall, was played by the Fianna, using fir fichille, or chess men as far back as the 10th century according to The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Gráinne (Irish: Tóraíocht Dhiarmada agus Ghráinne). In this ancient text a tale is told of a game between Fionn and Oisín. At three times during the game Oisín had a critical move to make but each time he was helped by Diarmuid, in the tree above him, dropping berries onto the right man to move.

The ICU has previously published magazines, such as the Irish Chess Journal, for members of the association. In 2007, to reduce costs, this was curtailed to a biannual online magazine. Since 2009, no journal has been produced. Junior Chess Corner was a magazine/ezine produced in 2007 by the ICU aimed at juniors and beginners.{{fact|date=February 2025}}

There have been a number of incarnations of the official magazine from the ICU, such as Ficheall/Irish Chess Magazine in the 1950s and Chess in Ireland in the 1960s.Chess in Ireland Official Organ of the Irish Chess Union General Editor: J.J.Walsh, January 1960

Competitions are held throughout the year mostly run by individual clubs or by provincial Unions such as the City of Dublin, Cork Congress (Mulcahy Cup), Bunratty, Limerick Open, Gonzaga Classic, Galway Congress, Drogheda, Malahide, Bray, Kilkenny Congress, Ulster and Leinster Championships. A number of tournaments have been held in the past:{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}{{when|date=May 2024}}

• 1865 Dublin Masters
• 1892 North of Ireland Congress, Belfast
• 1924 Tailteann Games, Dublin
• 1928 Tailteann Games, Dublin
• 1932 Tailteann Games, Dublin
• 1951 Clontarf International, Dublin
• 1954 An Tóstal, Dublin
• 1955 An Tóstal, Cork
• 1956 An Tóstal, DublinAn Tostal – International Chess Tournament Dublin 1956, Ficheall Publications
• 1957 An Tóstal, Dublin
• 1957 Dublin Zonal
• 1962 O'Hanlon Memorial (ICU Golden Jubilee), Dublin
• 1988 CIMA Dublin Millennium Chess Congress
• 1991 Telecom Éireann International, Dublin
• 1993 Dublin FIDE Zonal
• 2005 European Union Chess Championship, Cork

The Leinster Chess Union run the Leinster Chess Leagues. There are seven divisions, a number of them named after notable figures in Irish chess. The Armstrong Cup is sometimes described as the oldest perpetual chess trophy in the world, and has been played continually since 1888.[http://www.icu.ie/articles/display.php?id=76 The Armstrong Cup] www.icu.ie

In the past,{{when|date=May 2024}} the O'Hanlon Cup, BEA and Bodley Cups had been divided into North and South sections. Although geographically in Connacht, Ballinasloe won the Bodley Cup in 2010 and 2011, the BEA Cup 2012, and the O'Hanlon Cup in 2014. Also, an Ulster club representing Cavan won the Leinster League BEA Cup in 1975 and 2011.{{Cite web |url=http://www.cavancyms.com/anglo%20celt%201971-1980.htm |title=Anglo Celt Archive 1971–1980, June 3rd 1975 |access-date=2 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207203423/http://www.cavancyms.com/anglo%20celt%201971-1980.htm |archive-date=7 February 2009 |url-status=dead }} The O'Connell Cup is a novice team competition that accommodates mainly Leinster teams but also includes teams from Cavan and Ballinasloe.{{Cite web|url=http://leinsterchess.com/blog/2010/01/novices-league-table-january-2010/|title=Leinster Chess Union's Novices League Table 2009/2010 – O' Connell Cup}} The Leinster Chess Union also runs knockout team competitions, including the Branagan Cup,{{Cite web|url=http://www.irlchess.com/branagan-cup/|title=Branagan Cup | IRLchess}} which take place after the team league competitions have finished.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

The Ulster Chess Union run a number of team league competitions in Ulster for teams mainly in the Belfast area. The Belfast and District Leagues Division One play for the Ulster Trophy/Silver King, which has been played for since 1893. The all-Ulster league competition usually played in a variety of formats over the years so as to include sides from the rest of the province. The UCU also organise the individual Ulster Chess Championship for Ulster-born players.{{Cite web |url=http://www.rct26.dial.pipex.com/ulster_championship_since_1892.htm |title=Ulster Championship since 1892 |access-date=2 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061017201326/http://www.rct26.dial.pipex.com/ulster_championship_since_1892.htm |archive-date=17 October 2006 |url-status=dead }}

In the mid-1950s, the Leinster and Ulster Chess Unions organised the Oriel League competition for clubs from South Ulster and North Leinster.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

In Munster, there are three divisions run annually, in which club sides from Cork, Limerick, Ennis, Shannon, Tralee and Dungarvan compete.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

In Connaught, Galway Chess Club holds the Galway Congress tournament.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}} In 2011, a Connaught Chess League was established. This was contested by Ballina, Ballinasloe, Castlebar, Galway, Manorhamilton and NUIG.{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}

The Patrick Moore cup (presented by the astronomer) is a junior team competition played between Ireland and Sussex County Chess players.{{fact|date=February 2025}}

Underage/schools chess, provincial and all-Ireland competitions are held annually. The Leinster Schools Chess Association was established in 1942 to run leagues through the school term, and holding the provincial championships over the Christmas holidays.[http://www.leinsterschoolschess.com/history.html Leinster Schools Chess Association] – Official Website. An all-Ireland schools competition is usually held during the Easter School Holidays. Chess events have also featured as part of the Community Games.[http://www.communitygames.ie Community Games] – official website{{nonspecific|date=February 2025}}

In 1948, a Dublin businessman, Cecil Parker Glorney, who was a competitive chess player and president of Rathmines Chess Club, created the Glorney Cup. The first competition was held in 1949.{{Cite web|url=http://www.glorneycupchess.org/|title=Glorney Cup|website=glorneycupchess.org | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20230317122516/http://www.glorneycupchess.org/ | archivedate = 17 March 2023 | quote = The Glorney Gilbert International [..] is a team event that has been running continuously since 1949}} It was joined twenty years later by the Faber Cup later renamed to Jessica Gilbert Cup. These two events have been held annually and bring together national squads from across Europe (although it is mainly just between teams from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England, sides from France, Holland and Belgium have competed) for three days of intensive and extremely competitive chess. The 2008 Glorney and Faber Cups took place in Liverpool as part of its City of Culture celebrations.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ukdomains.org.uk/|title=domain names for UK charities|website=ukdomains.org.uk}}{{fv|reason=How does this placeholder domain website support this text?|date=February 2025}}

{{Cite web|url=https://www.welshchessunion.co.uk/|title=Welsh Chess News and Results – Chess Slots to Play with Free Spins|website=WelshChessUnion.co.uk}} Since 2011, under 12 (Stokes Cup) and under 14 (Robinson Cup) teams competed alongside their older compatriots. That year it was held at Dublin City University and organised by the Irish Chess Union.

The 2015 tournament was held in Enfield, County Meath, and the opening ceremony was addressed by Irish President Michael D. Higgins (patron of the ICU).[http://www.president.ie/en/media-library/speeches/speech-at-the-glorney-gilbert-international-chess-tournament Speech at the Glorney Gilbert International Chess Tournament] by President Micheal D Higgins, www.president.ie

The Braille Chess Association of Ireland was established in 1985 to promote chess among the blind and partially sighted. The BCAI is affiliated to the International Braille Chess Association, the Irish Chess Union and National Council for the Blind of Ireland/Irish BlindSports.{{Cite web|url=https://webmail.email.hosting/|title=Webmail powered by Blacknight :: Welcome to Webmail powered by Blacknight|website=webmail.email.hosting}}

They hold the National Championships and organise teams and players for international Competitions.[http://www.visionsports.ie/Sports/Chess.aspx Chess – Sport for Vision Impaired People] www.visionsports.ie, 23 August 2016.

Also affiliated to the Irish Chess Union is the Irish Correspondence Chess Association (ICCA) which is the 32-county governing body organising correspondence chess activities for Irish players living at home or abroad. A non-profit organisation, they run the national championship, Irish teams and other activities. The ICCA is affiliated to the International Correspondence Chess Federation (ICCF).{{Cite web|url=http://homepage.eircom.net/~icca/index.html|title=Irish Correspondence Chess Association (ICCA)|website=homepage.eircom.net}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.icu.ie}}

{{National members of the World Chess Federation}}

{{Sports governing bodies in Ireland}}

Category:1912 establishments in Ireland

Category:Sports organizations established in 1912

Category:1912 in chess

Chess

Category:Chess in Ireland

Category:Chess organizations

Ireland