The World open and women's bridge team championships will take place in Maastricht, Holland, from August 26th to September 9th, 2000.
To select squads for the events the Irish Bridge Union will hold trials in Dublin on October 29th-31st and November 12th-14th. Each cap will receive a grant of £800.
Players in the open series must hold a minimum of 60 national points or have won 25 during the last three years.
In the women's test each must have a minimum of 40 or have won 16 during the last three years.
Derogation from those rules may be granted to suitable candidates with a short bridge career.
Such applicants should submit a resume of their achievements to a member of the international committee - Clare Pippet, Ian Lindsay, Joe Moran.
Entries in writing, including a fee of £60 per player, before October 9th, must reach either - for the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland: Mrs K Downes, 8 Orchardstown Park, Rathfarn
ham, Dublin 14; or, for the Northern Ireland Bridge Union: Mr A Hill, 161 Moss Road, Lambeg, Lisburn, Co Antrim.
The Drogheda congress, with over £5,000 in prizes, will be run on October 1st-3rd. All the events on Friday and Sunday will be played in the Westcourt Hotel, and all on Saturday in the Europa Hotel (formerly the Rosnaree).
The programme is: Friday (7.30 p.m.), mixed and novice pairs; Saturday (2 p.m.), four two-session pairs, major, confined (less than 30 national points), inter A and B, gala social (11 p.m.); Sunday (noon), three team events, major, A and B; open pairs throughout.
Entries to Roger O'Shea (0419829055), who will supply details about hotel and guesthouse accommodation.
Ballybunion congress, Golf Hotel - Major pairs: 1, Dr H McGann, D MacAonghusa; 2, P Casselle, D O'Gorman; 3, P.J. O'Dea, D Coyne. Sessional winners: S O Lubaigh, I Cleary; M Prendergast, M Kilbride. Best intermediate: S and A O'Rourke. Teams: 1, McGann/MacAong husa, Casselle/O'Gorman; 2, M Burke, P Quinn, P Liston, G Connolly.
Mixed pairs: 1, G Connolly, B Kirby; 2, N Hickey, M Hanrahan: 3, E O'Riordan, R Giddings. Sessionals: D Moore, K Carew; C and N Pierse.
Women's pairs: 1, M O'Sullivan, R Cronin; 2, C McCarthy, K Ryan; 3, J McGann, P Murphy.
Bray (Co Wicklow) Swiss teams, Royal Hotel - 1, B Kemple, M Shanahan, A MacHale, C O'Driscoll; 2, P Hanratty, S Dowling, K de Raeymaeker, J Heneghan; 3, T Walsh, M Moran, T Hanlon, D MacAonghusa. Best inter: J Murphy, P Collins, M Egleston, B Fegan. Local: C McStravick, P Carey, T Corcoran, D Byrne.