The lists of Irish championship players have been updated to reflect the 2023 championship, and to correct some errors and add details.
Four players made their débuts in 2023, taking the total to 580 players in all, including 566 men and 14 women. Of these, 50 have been Irish champion.
The players who made their début in 2023 were Patryk Brozynski, James Crowley, Rafael Ninan Renji, and Ben Sheahan.
The first name of Hilda F. Chater (1956) was corrected.
The first name of Tom Tormey (1950) was added; previously the initial was incorrect. Also, the initials of S. R. Gallagher (1951) were corrected.
The entry for G. W. D./O. Leslie (1956) was modified, as sources differ on the third initial.
First names have been added for Fr. Séamus Cunnane (1968, 1969) (previously inadvertently omitted), J. H. (James Henry) Audley (1955, 1956), Pat Dillon (1966, 1967, 1969), Con Duggan (1952, 1953), Michael Gaffney (1983), Roddy Galvin (1967), Ernest Hall (1975, 1976), Anthony Jackson (1974), H. C. (Hugh Coffey) Love (1938), Desmond Marrinan (1969, 1970), John McCallion (1966), J. D. (Joseph David) Peebles (1937, 1938, 1950), Michael Taylor (1976), William Torrens (1970), and David C. Wilson (1968, 1969). A middle initial was added for E. A. Thomas (1956, 1966, 1970) and S. K. Twigg (1865).
(Many thanks to David McAlister for the first names for Hall, Marrinan and Peebles in the list above, and for many helpful discussions on the full list.)
The full list is available in alphabetical order and in descending order of number of championships played.
Looking at the list arranged in descending order of number of championships played, Colm Daly, with 34, has now played in one out of every three Irish championships going all the way back to 1865, and he is not far ahead of the next three players, Anthony Fox, Eamon Keogh, and Gerard O’Connell, all on 31, all of whom played this year also.
Update, November 10, 2023: David McAlister has provided more information about several players on these lists. E. A Thomas is Eddie Thomas, who made significant contributions to Ulster schools’ chess over many years; though widely known as “Eddie”, his real name seems to be Ernest. G. W. D./O. Leslie is George W. O. Leslie. Also, M. Kiernan (1970) is Mark Kiernan. Many thanks!
Two glitches were corrected: Rafael Ninan Renji’s first names were omitted, as was the first name of Eddie O’Sullivan (1971, 1977), due to glitches. Finally, a first name was added for Liam Spillane (1966).