Joyce Church Trophy Presentation

The Joyce Church Trophy was presented to winner Lillian Swaine immediately after the AGM held on 2 April. Pictured are Margaret McConville, Lillian Swaine and Louise Church, daughter of Joyce.

Bridge President Margaret McConville presents the Silver Salver to Evelyn O'Rourke and Austin Duke.  Evelyn and Austin held the lead after the first nights play, slept on it for a week and emerged as winners after a closely fought night of bridge.

Evelyn O'Connor, who presented the plate to the club, presenting the winners Peggy and Malcolm Henson with their prize, watched by Bridge President Margaret McConville.

Bridge President Margaret McConville presenting the Centenary Trophy to the winning team of Anna & George Mellotte with Paul Swaine and Lean McMahon (not pictured).

Over the last two Mondays we played the Silver Salver and the Silver Plate.  Evelyn O’Rourke & Austin Duke were the very popular winners of the coveted Silver Salver even though they had never played together before.  The bridge section has a ‘find a partner’ whatsapp group which worked very successfully in this instance.  The winners of the Silver Plate were Malcolm & Margaret (Peggy) Henson. 

The Centenary Trophy was also awarded on Monday night 26^th and the winning team was Anna & George Mellotte, Paul Swaine & Lean McMahon. Very well done to all the winners.

Castle fielded a strong team in this year's Rose Bowl, hosted by Castle.  The competition has been running for a third of a century with teams from Dun Laoghaire, Edmondstown, Elm Park, Grange, Milltown, Rathfarnham as well as Castle participating.  Two teams of four players represent each club.  Play is in two divisions with the scores of both teams from each club aggregated to find the winner.  Play is very competitive.  Since 1991 Castle has emerged as winners in 2007, 2015, 2017, 2021 and now 2024.  It took some time for Castle to achieve our first win and a bit of a wait for our second.  The work of many bridge committees and individuals over the past few years now appears to be paying dividends.  The unsung heroes share equally in our success.

The victorious Castle team with the Rose Bowl, celebrating their success.  Pictured from left; Sharon McDermott, Lady Captain Siobhan McCarthy, Tom Woulfe, Lean McMahon, Sheila Williams, Paul Williams, Castle Bridge President Margaret McConville and Mary Whooley.

Pictured at the Christmas Party are Captain - Brendan Meaney; Lady Captain - Siobhán McCarthy; Bridge President - Margaret McConville; President - Niamh Leonard

Margaret McConville - President Castle Bridge, pictured with Lady Captain Siobhan McCarthy and Tom Woulfe on the occasion of the December 2023 morning bridge game followed by lunch.

This season’s Joyce Church Trophy reached an exciting final night with several players in contention for the coveted award of Castle’s most versatile bridge player.

After two nights play, Barbara McAleese held a slender lead of 2 points over Paul Swaine, who in turn was 2 points ahead of his wife Lillian.  Defending champion Margaret McConville was a further point behind and unable to play as she was playing a league match at Regent.  In fifth place was Mary Whooley who gave up her opportunity of winning by partnering with Barbara thereby ensuring she could, at best, be runner-up.  Completing a second husband and wife interest was Willie O’Brien who was hiding “in the long grass” a further point behind.  We don’t know who made the first move in forming a Lillian & Willie partnership, but it turned out to be beneficial for both of them.  Willie could in theory have won but made a pragmatic call that a podium finish was his first priority.

On the night none of the contenders managed to finish in first place but a runner-up spot on the night was enough to catapult Lillian to the trophy and put Willie into the bronze medal position.  Second place was secured by Paul, who, in the opinion of the men present, made a very wise call in ensuring he did not overtake Lillian at the final fence.  A mere 1.13% on the night keeping Paul from the top spot.

Lillian made a very graceful winner’s speech, acknowledging her fellow competitors, the organising committee and her partners in earlier rounds Mary Whooley and husband Paul.

Winners of the Silver Salver - Eleanor Fitzgerald & Angela O’Connor with Paul Williams

Winners of the Silver Plate - John & Maureen Sheridan with Evelyn O’Connor

Winner of the Joyce Church Trophy - Margaret McConville with Louise Church

Vivienne Cosgrave on right, runner-up in Noreen O’Grady Pairs at Regent Bridge Club, picture with from left her partner Helen Holman,

Máire O’Connor (President, Regen B.C.) and Miriam Brien, past Lady Captain and daughter of Noreen O’Grady.  

Getting back to Bridge

Your Bridge Committee is considering holding a “Getting back to Bridge” refresher training course for those who may have forgotten some of their skills.  This can also be considered an improvers class.  Thursday mornings in the “Six Counties” starting at 10:00 a.m. is the planned time.  The course will consist of some instruction followed by supervised play.  If you are interested in taking this course please email bridge@castlegc.ie

Autumn Teams

Last night our first team competition of the season was held under the watchful eye of Tournament Director Bernard Higgins.  Twelve teams, each consisting of four players, took part.  Matches consisted of four boards per match with each team playing six matches.  The winning margin was 0.77 Victory Points.  Put it another way, that is one trick from a total of 312 tricks played during the evening.

1^ST Bernadette Murray, Sheila Williams, Tom Woulfe, Paul Williams                          

2^nd Connie Keogh, Pauline Ussher, Frank Kennedy, Philip Robinson (guest)

Centenary Trophy

The Centenary Trophy is our first major competition of the season.  It will be held on two successive Mondays beginning on 7 November.

It is a team event with each team consisting of four players.  Pre-entry is required. Further details can be found on Castle Bridgewebs.

Tournament Directing

We recently held a training course for Tournament Directors.  Eight people took part and next week we will begin our new TD Rota.  Please make sure you are seated by 7:20 p.m. as the TD has to set up the game, decide on the movement, hand out the boards, table numbers and Bridgemate devices before play can commence.

Numbers are growing

Last night we had fifty-four players, the highest number so far this season.  Our beginners continued their class guided by Valarie Burke-Moran.  The growing numbers make for a very nice atmosphere in the room.

The new dining room layout is proving to be very convivial.  No round tables, the dining room is laid out in fifteen tables of four, well-spaced out.  There are an additional nine tables on the dance floor when we need them.

Next Monday – Autumn Teams

A reminder that next Monday we are having our Autumn Teams.  Each team consists of two pairs who play a match against another team, just like hockey or football. Each team will play six matches on the night.  Make a few phone calls to line up your team.  If you are having difficult contact bridge@castlegc.ie or call Paul and we will try to find you a team or another pair.  Bernard Higgins will be our TD and the boards will be pre-dealt.  This will be a good run out for the Centenary Trophy in November which is also a team event.

Mis-boarding

Last evening we had a few incidents of mis-boarding.  This simply should not happen.  North is responsible for “minding” the board at the table.  Do not change its orientation, do not put it on your lap.  Return the cards to the board immediately after play and do not remove them for a post mortem.  Post mortems are a common cause of mis-boarding.  All players are equally responsible for mis-boardings.

Recent Castle Success

Castle players have been spreading their wings for a long time.  Many play on other nights in other clubs around South Dublin, and some further afield.  We are happy to report some recent Castle success in Regent Bridge Club.

On Tuesday of last week Martha Jones and Eleanor Fitzgerald won the Regent Academy semi-open pairs.  This was followed on Thursday by Bernadette Murray and Blanaid Nally winning the weekly Academy Pairs.

Then on Friday, playing in the annual Noreen O’Grady Pairs, Vivienne Cosgrave was runner-up playing with Helen Holman.  Fifty pairs played in the competition.  This popular event where pairs comprise a player from the Regent Academy playing with a master player from the Regent has an interesting Castle connection.  Noreen O’Grady is the mother of past Lady Captain Miriam Brien and the competition is named in her honour.  Miriam’s father was also a prominent player in both Castle and Regent and is mentioned on the first press cutting in the history on Castle Bridgewebs.

Pictured below are Helen Holman, Maire O’Connor (Regent President), Miriam Brien and Vivienne Cosgrave.

We have had two successful games in the past eight days.  On Monday 5 September we had 9.5 tables and last evening there were 10.5 tables.  The new bridge season is now getting into full swing.

On next Monday 19 September we are holding a welcome back to the table wine reception from 6:30 p.m.  

This wil be followed by our Annual General Meeting at 7:15 p.m.  We will play bridge after the AGM concludes.

Your Bridge Committee cordially invites all Castle Bridge Players to join us for the wine reception, the AGM and the bridge game.

We look forward to seeing you there.

A team comprising of four Castle members, all ladies, finished third in the Bankers Trophy on Saturday 24 April. The Bankers Trophy is the National Intermediate A Teams Championship. 

Returning to the table

The Bridge Committee have considered what is the appropriate course of action in relation to the playing of the game in the immediate future.  The views of those players who wrote to the committee were very much to the forefront of the considerations.

The decision made is that we will remain playing online on BBO up to and including 28 February.

Towards the end of February the committee will seek updated views and will then consider the matter again bearing in mind the then prevailing public health considerations.

4 December 2021

Castle's Siobhán Mccarthy and her partner Austin Leahy win Duffy Cup, Dublin South Region

Intermediate B & Novice qualifier for Civil Service Cup and JJ Murphy Trophy, National Pairs Championship.