New Zealand have won the MacRobertson Shield for the 4th time since the tournaments instigation in 1925. They have wrested the trophy from the English team for the first time in many years, defeating the USA and Australia along the way. This triumph sets up the next tier event to be held in Carrickmines in May, where the Irish team will hope to claim the World Team Champions title from their Welsh counterparts who took the honours in 2010.
More details of the MacRobertson Shield tests can be found here: http://croquet.org.uk/ , http://www.croquetscores.com/2013/ac/macrobertson-shield

The World Croquet Federation will hold an over-50s Golf Croquet World Championship and a Women's Golf Croquet World Championship, both in Cairo, next October and November, respectively. Any Irish players considering playing in these events please tell the Honorary Secretary soon, so that the C.A.I. can apply for an appropriate number of places in these events. Use the e-mail secretary@nullcroquetireland.com

Gerard Osborne Burke is the new Honorary Treasurer of the C.A.I., and subscriptions for 2014 (or even 2013) should be sent to him, in care of Carrickmines Croquet & Lawn Tennis Club, Glenamuck Road, N

The project to build a croquet lawn at Manix Point Camping Grounds near Cahirciveen, Co. Kerry has been completed by Mortimer Moriarty. The seed was planted in late September.
The conditions were perfect despite the weather forecast. It looks great. It is very late for planting seed but hopefully the seed will germinate and the winter will be kind. Below are two photos taken after seeding.

Evan Newell and Simon Williams will travel to Egypt this weekend for the Egyptian Open Golf Croquet Championship.

The Irish Golf Championship Singles was won by Patsy Fitzgerald who beat Simon Williams 6-7, 7-5, 7-2 in the final.
The Doubles was won by Danny Johnston and Jack Clingan who were undefeated throughout the event.

Here are two links to photographs of croquet being played around the country
http://www.argideen.info/picture_gallery.php
http://rushbrooketennis.com/?page_id=1034

The following are the results of the finals at the Championship of Ireland at Carrickmines. Would prizewinners who have not collected their modest spoils please do so.

The opening weekend of September saw the annual test match between Ireland and Great Britain contested in Cheltenham Croquet club, which simultaneously hosted the British National Golf Croquet Double Championships.
The Irish team, captained by Danny Johnston, arrived with one substitution enforced by injury; Evan Newall stepping in at the 11th hour to replace Nathaniel Healy at no 6. The match began as always with 1 round of doubles, followed by two rounds of singles (the first round seeing seeds cross ie. 1v2, 3v 4 etc).