Report by Simon Williams

Played at Carrickmines on the 13th-15th of September, as usual, the singles attracted a paltry 21 entries, with 12 doubles pairs contesting the Maggie Cup. Travelling from GB, Charlie von Schmieder and Henry Bagwell, and players from Herbert Park, Newbridge House and Newcastle joined the locals. The weather was fine, and boxed lunches supplemented the usual bar service. Thanks to Carrickmines for making everybody comfortable and welcome.

All AC players are invited to take part in the Autumn Bowl Tournament at Carrickmies on 30th/31st October 2022.

See full details here.

Details on how to enter the Qualifier event for the upcoming AC Women’s World Championship, in New Zealand this January, can now be found on the WCF Website.

https://worldcroquet.org/2023-ac-womens-qualifier-how-to-enter/

Transition year students from Temple Carrig School in Greystones began a module in croquet at Newcastle Croquet Club today, 8th Sept 2022. A keen bunch of 14 students showed plenty of promise on their first outing.

Photographs below in main text.

The Balgreen Club in Edinburgh hosted the first ever GC match between Scottish and Irish women croquet players. The Irish team have some experience of playing Spain in the last few years, but it was a first outing for the Scottish team. Rosemary Saunders Robertson, the Scottish captain and star player fell victim to covid just before the match and could not take part, seriously depleting the SCA firepower.   This resulted in a fairly easy win for the CAI players winning 57 of the 76 games played.

The South Leinster Open Championship was held on 20th August 2022 on the Newcastle North Lawn ( Nathaniel healy's ).  The final was between the block winners, Nathaniel Healy and Russell Harris and was won by Russell (+1) with an excellent, but unexpected, final turn.

The Irish Open Championships were played at Carrickmines C&LTC from 30th July until 6th August 2022.  The event was played in fine sunny weather with the occasional shower on some days.

The results of the Singles Championship of Ireland was:
Winner: Danny Johnston.
Runner up: Andy Johnston.

Click Header for full results.      Photos in sidebar

Ireland narrowly avoided relegation at the World Team Championships at Budleigh Salterton Croquet Club by beating Sweden 4-2 to stay in Tier 2.1. Both teams had already lost to the stronger Welsh and Scottish teams and Ireland needed a good performance against the Scandinavians.

Day 1 of the 2022 Association Croquet Championships of Ireland. In the week that saw alchemic conjuror of síocháin (peace) Daithí Trimble, son of Bangor, go to his eternal reward - ní bhfeicfimid a leithéid arís, a coterie of all-star croquet players took to Carrickmines Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club at 9.30am.  Early doors and there were croissants, there was 'cha and coffee - all that was missing was the totemic presence of a Mark Stephens, a Danny Johnston, an Andy Johnston. Young Stephens is a highly esteemed banker. If it's a term loan you're after, look no further.

Anois, le cúnamh Dé(now with the help of God), tá seans mór againn ár bhféiniúlacht chultúratha a thaispeáint tríd meáin na crícígh. (We have a big chance to show our cultural self-identity through the medium of croquet). What is life but a series of disappointments punctuated by occasional rehabilitative visits to the croquet lawn?