Mrs. Kay Downes

President CBAI 1989 - 1990,  and

President Dublin South Region 1999 - 2000

We are saddened to report the death of Kay Downes, one of the great figures of Irish bridge. Kay was a fine player with a national title to her name, but it was as an administrator that she made her most significant mark on Irish bridge, serving with distinction in many of the major offices of the game.

Kay was a former President of the CBAI, and also served a long stint as Joint Honorary Secretary of the IBU.

In her region, Dublin South, she was on the committee for many years, and served as both President and Treasurer at different times. She donated the Presidential chain of office for the Dublin South Region, and also a lovely trophy for the region’s annual Novice Pairs competition, which bears her name.

She was a long-standing member of the Regent Bridge Club, and was its President on two occasions, almost thirty years apart.

She was pre-deceased a few years ago by her husband and great friend, Dermot. Kay and Dermot travelled extensively in support of the Irish bridge teams, and were great ambassadors and congenial company wherever they went. Kay also fulfilled an ambassadorial role as Ireland’s delegate to both the EBL and the WBF, and was awarded a prestigious EBL award for her services to the game. She maintained her interest in supporting bridge well into her nineties, appearing whenever she could to present the Kay Downes Trophy, and making a special guest appearance at last summer’s Regent Centenary Congress to see some of her old friends.

The Downes dynasty lives on, with her daughter Brideen playing and teaching in the South Dublin area. Two of her grandchildren, Hugh and Niamh Gormally, played junior bridge for Ireland, and while busy working lives have limited their bridge recently, we have no doubt they will return to the game in due course. We extend our sympathies to them, and to Kay’s other daughters Maeve and Áine, her brother Vincent, her sisters Peggy and Ann, her extended family, and her very wide circle of friends. Kay was one of a kind, and her loss will be felt heavily within the bridge world. May she rest in peace.

Yesterday, 26th January,  Milltown Golf Club hosted the DSR Qualifying Round for the 4 Fun Competition ,  which is a National Competition, the Final of which will be held at Westmanstown on the 23rd May,  

34 teams competed in 3 sections,  and the first 4 teams in each section qualify for the play off.  The full list of results is available on this website.

Our sincere thanks to Milltown Golf Club,  to our TD, to the DSR Committee members and their helpers for all the hard work that went towards making this a most enjoyable game in a very congenial atmosphere.

And not least,  a very big thank you to all those who competed, and in particular the novices,  as this event would not have been so successful without your participation.

In all the pictures below,  prizes were presented by DSR Committee Member Mike Gowie on behalf of our President John Coulter

Winners:  Green Section: Regent 1:   Mareeda Tracey, Hilary Nevin, Clair Walsh, David Pigot

2nd : Green Section:  Grange GC 1:  Sean Regan, Aisling Rooney, Tim Creedon, Liz Corcoran

3rd : Green Section: Railway Union 2: Collette Dempsey, Mary Kane, Marian White, Charles Alken

Winners : Yellow Section: Railway Union 3: Jane O'Shaughnessy, Fiona O'Gorman, Anthony Alken, Sheila McDonald

2nd: Yellow Section Railway Union 4: Caroline Digby, Rosario Kealy, Anne Kelly, Julie Rowan (not in photo)

3rd: Yellow Section: Leinster 3: Nance O'Mahony, Patricia Corcoran, John Hogan, Carmelita Madden

Winners : White Section: Milltown GC 6: Naomi Mooney, Deirdre Walsh, Kathleen O'Grady, Moyra Heavy

2nd: White Section:  Railway Union 5: Catriona O'Leary, Anne-Marie Feeney, Mary Burke & Maria O'Regan (not in photo)

3rd: White Section: Ballyroan 2 : Gavin Doyle, Eadaon Doyle, Anne Emo, Ann Butler (Photo not available)

Firstly,  A Very Happy and Successful New Year to all our members.

At the end of 2025,  in December, we had our Regional Pairs and Regional Teams Competitions - all of which were very successful.

Our sincere thanks to all who attended. 

There were one or two competitions where we hope to see an improvement in our attendance figures this coming year, and all suggestions would be well received.

Currently our Fanagan League is underway,. 

As in previous years, this tournament is very well supported with 68 teams from 16 bridge clubs. 

Several games have now been completed,  and an up to date record is available on this website,  at the top left hand corner of this page 

The final will take place on 10th May at the CBAI Centre, Templeogue.

Our next competition is the 4 Fun Qualifying round which takes place on Mon 26 January at Milltown Golf Course.

There will be 30 teams competing for a place in the final at Westmanstown on the 23rd May.

And finally,  well done to the Irish Team for their successful win in Weekend One of the 2026 Camrose Trophy.

Ireland now has the lead going into the second round which will be held on 6-8 March in Wales

Winners: Matthew O'Farrell, Peter Stewart, Marcin Rudzinski, Wojciech Gorczyca, and  Noerbert Van Woerkom (not in picture)

2nd: Thomas Roche, Paul Delaney, David Dunne, Martin Brady

Winners: Naomi Mooney, Kathleen O'Grady, Julie Anderson, Deirdre Lemass

2nd: Ide Gavin, Orla Staunton, Triona Glacken, Ann Cole

Winners: Charles Alken,  Anthony Alken,  Pauline McCarthy,  Paul McCarthy

2nd: Sarah Hogan,  John Hogan,  Marian Nugent,  Pat O'Hanlon

Winners:  Brid Kemple and Terry Walsh

2nd Place:  Ann Burns and Kay Murphy (no photo available)

3rd Place: Peter Stewart and Dermot O'Brien

1st Session:  Conor Moore and Mick Lynch    2nd Session:  Anne Keating and Frances Kelly (photos not available)

Winners: Robert Browne and Austin Leahy

2nd: Tony Hayes and Sheila McDonald       3rd: Russell Downe and Maeve O'Reilly

1st Session Winners: Maura King and Ian Kingston      2nd Session Winners: Ide Gavin and Orla Staunton

Winners: Clodagh Sweeney and Mary McDaid

2nd: David Muldoon and Caitriona Muldoon   3rd: Clair Walsh and Paula Dineen

Best Novice Pair:  Catherine Kinane and John Kinane

A big thank you to all who participated in the recent Paul O'Reilly Trophy and Carroll Cup competitions.  Both very enjoyable and successful events..

The following two flyers detail information about our next groups of competitions open to all affiliated bridge players of Dublin South Region.

We would love to see as many of you as possible,  and early entry is advised if possible.

Winners:  Marie Morrissey, Liz Sherlock, Carol Hawkins, Kay Russell with past president Moya Murphy

2nd Place:  Wojciech Gorczyca, Michael McAuliffe, Ronan Mc Maugh, Michael Donnelly

3rd Place:  Mairead Ni Oistin, Sheila Horkan, Denis Gill, Frances Gill

Winners: Anne Donnellan, Claire Counihan, Ciara O'Leary, Penny Gleeson with past president Moya Murphy

2nd Place:  Ide Gavin, Orla Staunton, Criona Cullen, Austin Leahy 

3rd Place:  Anne Cooke, Jennifer Kelly, Niall Sommerville,  Anne Sommerville 

4th Place: Rhona Shiel, Sarann Doyle, Jacinta Keenan, Maeve O'Reilly 

Welcome to the New Bridge Season. 

We hope you will have an enjoyable and successful year.

Attached is our 2025-26 calendar of events. 

Please note that this year the winners of the Pigot Cup will qualify directly for the Kelburne Cup at the National Finals.  There will be no play-offs, as in previous years. 

Our first two events are the Carroll Cup and the Paul O'Reilly Trophy competitions on the 14th November.

We hope to see as many of you as possible at the forthcoming competitions.

The AGM of Dublin South Region took place on Friday 23rd May at Templeogue Bridge Centre.

Reports were given by the Honorary Secretary, the Honorary Treasurer, and the Competitions Secretary. 

Dermot O'Brien, CEO of the CBAI, was unable to attend but his report to the Committee was presented by DSR's Honorary Secretary. 

Moya Murphy gave a summary of her year as president, which included Dublin South Region being responsible for selecting the teams that would represent the Leinster Province in the annual IBU International Championship. She had continued to liaise and work closely with CBAI and mentioned the heartening increase in entries to all competitions. Moya then spoke about the work of the various committee members and the warm welcome she received during her visits to several clubs.  She ended by saying that she had enjoyed her year as President and wished to thank the committee, the club members and the management of the CBAI centre for the enduring support that she has received throughout the year.

John Coulter was then presented with his chain of office. He thanked all those present for his nomination and said that he looked forward to his year as president and to continuing the work of Dublin South Region.

Newly Elected DSR President, John Coulter, with outgoing President, Moya Murphy.

Newly elected President, John Coulter, presenting a bouquet of flowers to outgoing President, Moya Murphy

DSR Committee 2025-2026

President:  John Coulter

President Elect:  Anne-Marie Feeney

Honorary Secretary: Teresa Gavin

Honorary Treasurer: Colette Stokes

Past President: Moya Murphy

Committee Members: Ciara Gleeson, Mairead ni Oistin, Tom Flood, Julie Anderson, Deirdre Fallon,  Mike Gowie