The bridge season has been marked by record participation in national championships, peaking with 147 pairs in Duais an Uachtaráin won by M Brady and S Ó Lubaigh.
There were 108 pairs in the national mixed pairs, won by V Hand and T MacCormac, while 48 teams contested the mixed teams, won by E O'Donovan, W Gorezyca, M Whelan and R Elvin.
Leinster achieved the double in the interprovincials, winning both the open and intermediate competitions.
Open: R Milne, B J O'Brien, M and PÓ Briain; C A Cummins, J Noonan; B Kemple, T Walsh; R Elvin, PStewart; P Goodman, T MacCormac.
Intermediate: F.Higgins, T Colleary; H and L O'Reilly; M Brosnan, R Walsh; K Crowley, A Moloney; E and M Hodkinson; C McKenna, J Yek.
Donegal Congress
Donegal Congress attracted its usual throng of competitors from Friday to Sunday last when Ireland’s only world champion, Pat McDevitt, led his squad to victory in the team event.
Results
Congress teams: 1. P McDevitt, M MacDonagh,
E Fitzgerald
,
J Furnival
. 2. A Fitzpatrick, H Curran, R Connolly, B Collins. 3. J O’Sullivan, M Duffy, G Gallagher, S Coll.
Intermediate teams: 1. B and N Percival-Price, J Cameron, M McIlroy; 2. F Burke, F Higgins, C Costello, I Langan; 3. P Burke, P Murphy, U Carthy, P Maguire.
Congress pairs: 1. J McClenaghan, J McLaughlin; 2. T Gallagher, B Shearman; 3. G Keaveney, M O'Kane; 4. D Gilliland, M Whelan.
Intermediate pairs: 1. F Burke, F Higgins; 2. PColleran, A Gavigan; 3. H and J Moran.
Intermediate B/novice pairs: 1. S Kelly, F Lake; 2. L and M Doherty; 3. P Lyons, J Scanlon. Best novice: D and M McHugh.
Players in clubs all over the country took part last week in the Irish Bridge Union’s simultaneous pairs competitions.
The leading pairs were: Monday, November 3rd: 1. D Casey, B Richardson (Boher); 2. K and N Norris (Dún Laoghaire); 3. M Collins, T Reddy (Knocklyon).
Tuesday, November 4th: 1. M Cox, L Gaynor (Palmerstown); 2. C Kelly, B Murphy (Acorn); 3. A Byrne, J Murray (Enniskerry).
Wednesday, November 5th: 1. A Anderson, T Sproule (Derryvolgie); 2. N Coughlan, B O’Neill (Cnucha); 3. J and J Donohoe (Elm Park).
Thursday/Friday November 6th/7th: 1. M Burke, P Byrne (Fermoy); 2. J Cullen, R Callaly (Cypress); 3. P Bernie, M Lister (Castleknock). Cox/Gaynor on 74.19 per cent had the highest score of the week, well clear of Casey/Richardstown on 71.49 per cent and Kelly/Murphy on 71.42 per cent.
Trials to select the Irish women's team to contest the home international championship for the Lady Milne Trophy begin this coming weekend at Templeogue Centre.
Also next weekend, the East of Ireland Congress takes place at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Dundalk; entries to Eileen McEntegart 042 9321643. Seamus Dowling's column will appear in The Irish Times each Tuesday