A Brief History

In the school year 1971/2 Mr Harry Allan, the then Principal of St. Brigid’s National School, circulated a note to parents on the possibility of organising bridge for interested parents and friends.  He and his wife Peg, who was an established bridge player, had the idea of using a bridge club, based in the school, as both a social vehicle and as a fund raiser for the school.  While our venue has changed to Our Lady’s Parish Centre fund raising for the school still remains a core objective.

Mrs Rita Riordan, a Castleknock resident and a friend of Harry and Peg, was involved from the beginning.  Rita became the club’s first President when the club came into formal existence in 1972 supported by John Macnamara as Club Secretary and Mrs. Lorimer as Treasurer.  For the vibrant Bridge Club that we have today we owe a debt of gratifute to these committed and enthusiastic first officers and to the committee members who supported them.

The following is a list of the club’s Presidents, Secretaries and Treasurers from 1972 to date.  In listing these we also say a big thank you to the many members who served on their committees down the years.  To our relatively new members and those who have not as yet had the opportunity to serve we say. ‘Please consider if you are ready to join the Club Roll of Honour!’

Year           President                              Secretary                                       Treasurer

’72-75        Rita Riordan            John Macnamara                 Mrs. Lorimer

’76             David Melody           John Macnamara                 Nuala Lawlor   

’77             David Melody           John Macnamara                 Job Palmer

’78             Rita Riordan             John Macnamara                Job Palmer

’79            John Macnamara       Eithne Loftus                      Job Palmer

’80             Deirdre Ridgway       Eithne Loftus                      Job Palmer

’81             Maureen McGauran   Richie Fallon                      Louis Murray

’82             Eileen McGee             Richie Fallon                     Pat Arthur

’83             Louis Murray              Mary Higgins                      Mary Jennings

’84             Cait Otridge               Kevin Browne                    Sheila O’Gorman

’85             Lola Dixon                  Pat Hannon                       Jim Egan

’86             Rita Riordan               Pauline Considine             Mary Brady

’87             Jim Egan                    Pauline Considine             Mary Brady

’88             Jerry Forrestal            Lotti Masterson                 Jenny Hudson

’89             Lotti Masterson           Del Flynn                          Jenny Hudson

’90             John Macnamara        Del Flynn                          Lotti Masterson

’91             Pat Hannon                 Del Flynn                          Nuala Keary

’92             Evelyn Ennis               Mary Kearns                     Nuala Keary

’93             Del Flynn                     Mary Kearns                     Colette Keating

’94             Tony Smyth                 Mary Kearns                     Ned O’Mahony

’95             Eithne Loftus               Pauline McDonald            Angela Massey

’96             Pat Connolly                Pauline McDonald            Angela Massey

’97             Nuala Phelan               Renée Kelly                      Eithne Loftus

’98             Una Quigley                 Renée Kelly                      Noreen Somers

’99             Brenda O’Meara          Mary O’Sullivan                Una Gillespie

’00             Joe Kelly                      Evelyn Ward                     Hugh Fitzpatrick

’01             Nuala Keary                 Evelyn Ward                     Hugh Fitzpatrick

’02             Neil Burke                    Larry O’Sullivan                 Ann Clerkin

’03             Evelyn Ward                Larry O’Sullivan                 Ann Clerkin

’04             Owen Cummins          Tony Dalton                       Paul Phillips

’05              Larry O’Sullivan           Mary Kearns                     Paul Phillips

’06              Vincent Flynn               Maria Lister                       Miriam Macken

’07              David Melody               Neil Burke                         Miriam Macken

’08              George Kearns            Nicholette McMahon         Miriam Macken

’09              Renée Kelly                 Nicholette McMahon         Vera Smyth

’10              Michael Fitzgerald       Mary Kearns                      Vera Smyth

’11              Tony Smyth                 Mary Kearns                      Vera Smyth