Ireland represented by Tom Hanlon, Hugh McGann, John Carroll, Tommy Garvey, Rory Boland and Mark Moran, along with non-playing captain Gráinne Barton, will begin their defence of the home international championship title and the Camrose trophy on Friday evening in Coventry.
A round robin of matches will be played over three days against Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. Scotland as hosts of the final weekend of the competition in Edinburgh in March will field two teams.
The Irish, who came from behind to win in Belfast last year, later disappointed in the European championships in June. However, individual members of the squad have put in outstanding performances since, notably Tom Hanlon in winning the British Bridge League’s Gold Cup and finishing second in the American Life Master Pairs in Orlando, Florida with Canadian partner Leslie Amoils.
England and Wales are expected to present the stiffest opposition. Northern Ireland will be represented by Rex Anderson, David Greenwood, Ciara Burns, John Murchan, Greer Mackenzie and Hastings Campbell, along with non-playing captain John Ferguson.
Cork congress
The European Bridge League’s eighth open championships will take place in Montecatini Terme, Italy from June 10th-24th. Mixed teams and pairs events will be contested during the first week; open, women’s and senior’s teams and pairs events will be decided the second week.
There will be no qualifying competitions but entries from the Republic must be cleared by Gordon Lessells (gordon.lessells@ul.ie); Northern Irish entries must be cleared by Harold Curran (haroldcurran@hotmail.com).
Cork congress will open at the Maryborough Hotel, Douglas on Friday, January 20th with mixed and novice pairs at 7.30pm. On Saturday, January 21st congress and intermediate A pairs will begin at 1.30pm and a one-session intermediate pairs competition will start at 7.30pm. Congress and intermediate team events will commence at 11am on Sunday, January 22nd.
Diarmuid Reddan will be chief tournament director. Entries for the above competitions will be accepted up to Thursday, January 19th by Pearl O’Sullivan; tel: 086-0588593 or e-mail corkbridgecongress@gmail.com. Open pairs competitions will be held throughout the weekend.
Waterford congress will begin at the Tower Hotel at 7.30pm on Friday evening next and will continue until Sunday. Entries for main events to 087- 7613549, peggyholden@hotmail.co.uk or jameskennington@msn.com.
Northern Ireland’s inter-club duplicate event will be contested from January 8th-14th. Information from www.nibu.co.uk.