Organiser Nicola O’Dowd and her team got the new season off to a great start with a very well-organised and well-attended Bridge Bash in Knightsbrook Hotel, Trim. Extended from a one-day event last year to two days this year, the Bash offered events for all grades. The room was full on both days, and a number of attendees commented how pleasing it was to see such a good turnout for the teams competitions. There were also 17.5 tables for the Novice Pairs on the Saturday, and six teams of Novices on the Sunday, which is a great achievement and bodes well for the future of the game.
The winners in the various categories were:
- Supreme Pairs: BJ O’Brien & Teresa Rigney
- Area Master Pairs: Martin T O’Brien & Mary Delaney
- Intermediate A Pairs: Kevin Woulfe & Dillon Murtagh
- Intermediate B Pairs: Catherine McGuinness & Kay Henry
- Novice Pairs: Jonathan Doogue & David Fitzpatrick
- Master Teams: Peter Goodman, Aoife MacHale, Louise Mitchell, Lucy Phelan
- Intermediate Teams: Camilla McLoughlin, Lesley O’Shea, Veronica Buttimer, Marie O’Shea; Best Intermediate B Team: Charles Alken, Anthony Alken, Sheila Harvey, Anne Lynn; Best Novice Team: Caroline Mahon, Fionnuala Burke, Joan Butler, Louise Jacob
- Full results
Next up is first “major” of the new season, the Duais an Uachtarain (President’s Prize) in the Mount Wolseley Hotel in Tullow over the weekend of 19/20 September (three sessions, two Saturday, one Sunday). This event is open to Masters and Intermediate As, and entries should be made via the CBAI website.
The closing date for entry in the Northern Ireland Bridge Union’s 2026/27 Online Leagues is 13 September, and CBAI members are welcome to enter. In a change from last year, matches will be played on various weeknights, apart from Friday. There is an Open (referred to as “Senior”, but with no age restrictions) and an Intermediate League. You’ll find more information here, and entries can be made here.
We are updating the list of bridge classes for 2026/27 on our website. If you are a CBAI-accredited teacher planning classes, please let us have the details (to info@cbai.ie) and we will be happy to promote your classes. If you know anyone interested in taking up bridge, or in improving their game, you’ll find details of the classes available. In a new departure, the CBAI is offering gift vouchers (for amounts in multiples of €50) which you can give to a friend or family member to encourage them to take up the game, and which they can redeem against the cost of their classes, with the teacher returning the vouchers to the CBAI to receive payment. An ideal way to incentivise someone to take up our great game.
Finally, Peter Pigot and the Junior Committee will hold another special fundraiser for Irish junior bridge in Templeogue on Sunday 27 September. There will be two sessions of bridge, one at 10:30, the second at 14:45, and players can enter one (€25) or both (€40) sessions. There will be overall and separate sessional prizes, as well as analysis of the hands. and all are welcome. There will also be tea/coffee, snacks, a raffle, and more. Please support this fundraiser and help aspiring Irish juniors by way of coaching and the opportunity to play at developmental tournaments in the UK, Europe, and the US. Playing against top players on a regular basis is THE BEST WAY to ensure the development of our junior squad, which currently contains some very promising players. Enter via the CBAI website or by contacting Peter Pigot on 086-8146230.