Limerick Chess Club AGM was held on Wednesday, 19th September 2018 at 8.15 pm. at the Limerick Lawn Tennis Club, Ennis Road, Limerick
Present were
Niall McDonnell (Chairperson), John Cassidy (Secretary), Noel Keating (Asst Treasurer), Phillip Foenander, Tim Dineen, Neal Kirby, Kevin O’Flaherty, Liam O’Brien, Ted Jennings, Laurent Talazac (Asst Secretary), Eamon Canning and Des Fanning.
The meeting was declared open at 8.15 pm by Club Chairman, Niall McDonnell.
A minute’s silence was observed for Club President Michael Meaney, who passed away on 20 July 2018.
The Secretary’s Report for the season 2017-18 was presented by John Cassidy.
The Treasurer’s report on the club’s finances was then presented by Noel Keating.
Motions
- 1) To pay club fees online. It will be looked into by the Club Treasurer. Proposed by: Kevin O’Flaherty. Seconded by: John Cassidy. Motion was passed.
- 2) To have a blindfold tournament in honour of Michael Meaney. Proposed by: Kevin O’Flaherty. Seconded by: John Cassidy. Motion was not passed.
- 3) That the Tom White Cup format be changed to a knockout tournament with a ladder system. Proposed by: Kevin O’Flaherty. Seconded by: Niall McDonnell. Motion was not passed.
- 4) End of season blitz to be re-named the Michael Meaney Cup, as a cup was donated by Michael Meaney’s family. Proposed by: John Cassidy. Seconded by: Tim Dineen. Motion was passed.
- 5) Limerick Open U-1400 section cup to be purchased by the club and named the Pat Hayes Cup. Proposed by: Phillip Foenander. Seconded by: John Cassidy. Motion was passed.
- 6) To start a club ladder tournament. Proposed by: Kevin O’Flaherty. Seconded by: Niall McDonnell. Motion was passed.
Nomination and election of Club officers
President – to be left vacant till next season
Chairperson – Niall McDonnell (no change)
Secretary – John Cassidy (no change)
Assistant Secretary – Laurent Talazac nominated and re-elected
Treasurer – Noel Keating (no change)
Assistant Treasurer – Neal Kirby nominated and elected
PRO officer – Tara McElwain (no change)
A Team Captain – Ray O’Brien
B Team Captain – Neal Kirby
Any other business
- a) Panel members as required by the tennis club. The club needs 7 panel members and there are only 6, according to John Cassidy, since Padraig McCullough had left. Neal Kirby kindly volunteered for the role as the 7th member.
- b) Junior coaching proposal by John Cassidy and Kevin O’Flaherty to form a junior coaching club to develop the skill of the club’s juniors. Noel Keating said he would look into getting Garda vetting approval to start a junior coaching section which could use the room upstairs, with approval from the tennis club.
- c) A cupboard to store sets, clocks and books. John Cassidy will investigate this possibility, as there is no cupboard at present to store these items.
The meeting was then closed at 9.30 pm by club Chairman Niall McDonnell.
Source: Limerick Chess Club archive.
Michael Meaney, of Limerick, a long-time member and Chairman of the Limerick Chess Club from 2008 to 2016 and Club President since 2016, died on Friday 20 July 2018 at Milford Care Centre, Limerick.
Michael was a long-time member of the Limerick Chess Club and played in chess tournaments since the 1960s. He was always smiling and ready for a chat but a strong competitor over the board. He was popular with all club players and was always willing to entertain them at club celebrations at Christmas and at the end of the season, along with his guitar. His witty songs such as ‘I’m my own grandpa’ always had everyone in stitches.
Michael was very sociable and friendly and had a great sense of humour. He often adjourned to the bar after he finished playing a chess game, entertaining everyone with chess stories and games or tales of his trips to Australia or some faraway place, from a photographic memory that was quite astonishing in its detail.
Farewell our friend! We will all miss you! May you rest in peace!
Source: Limerick Chess Club archive.
Limerick Chess Club AGM was held on Wednesday, 20th September 2017 at 8.20 pm. at the Limerick Lawn Tennis Club, Ennis Road, Limerick
Present were
Michael Meaney (President), Niall McDonnell (Chairperson), Phillip Foenander (Secretary), Laurent Talazac (Asst Secretary), John Cassidy (Treasurer), Noel Keating (Asst Treasurer), Liam O’Brien, Tim Dineen, Kevin O’Flaherty, Ted Jennings, Eamon Canning, Des Fanning, Neal Kirby, Hari Prasad, Jana Solomatina, Eva Solomatina, Don Walsh, Robert Irwin, Nikola Radojcic, Mario Zrno.
The meeting was declared open at 8.20 pm by Club President, Michael Meaney.
The Secretary’s Report for the season 2016-17 was presented by Phillip Foenander.
The Treasurer’s report on the club’s finances was then presented by John Cassidy.
MCU League announcement: an MCU EGM to be held on 24 September 2017.
Motions
- 1) That the time control for games in club competitions be 75 minutes with a 15-second increment for all matches between juniors and seniors or between juniors, unless agreed beforehand by the players. Proposed by: Phillip Foenander. Seconded by: John Cassidy. Juniors want to go home early on school days. There should be a default time for club competition games to start so as to complete games early, but this is already stated in club competition rule 3(c) as a 7.45 pm default start time, and players are within their rights to start their opponent’s clock at 7.45 pm. It was agreed that time limits remain as before. Motion not passed.
- 2) The club should invest funds in purchasing 10 chess sets and clocks and store these items in the Limerick Lawn Tennis Club, as there is a cupboard available within the playing room. John Cassidy will check on prices and suppliers and take further action. Proposed by: Ted Jennings. Seconded by: Niall McDonnell. Motion was passed unanimously.
- 3) That the Tom White Cup format be changed to an over 1200 and under 1200 section. This format had been used in previous seasons, from season 2007-08 until season 2010-11. The Cup was awarded to the U-1200 champion in season 2007-08 and the following season. However, as many of the games were not played in this section in season 2009-10, there was no winner. So it reverted to a one-section, 6-round Swiss tournament from season 2012-13 onward. Proposed by: Michael Meaney. Seconded by: John Cassidy. Motion was not passed.
Nomination and election of Club officers
President – Michael Meaney (no change)
Chairperson – Niall McDonnell (no change)
Secretary – Phillip Foenander resigned. John Cassidy nominated and elected
Assistant Secretary – Laurent Talazac nominated and re-elected
Treasurer – Noel Keating nominated and elected
Assistant Treasurer – Neal Kirby nominated and elected
PRO officer – left vacant. Tara McElwain was later offered and accepted this position.
Assistant PRO officer – vacant
Any other business
- a) The Limerick Open will be held at the Kilmurry Lodge Hotel from 28-30 October 2017.
The meeting was then closed at 9.30 pm by club Chairman Niall McDonnell.
Source: Limerick Chess Club archive.
Limerick Chess Club AGM was held on Wednesday, 14th September 2016 at 8.20 pm. at the Limerick Lawn Tennis Club, Ennis Road, Limerick
Present were
Michael Meaney (acting President), Phillip Foenander (Secretary), Laurent Talazac (Asst Secretary), John Cassidy (Treasurer), Noel Keating (Asst Treasurer), Tim Dineen (PRO), Kevin O’Flaherty (Munster League Captain), Ted Jennings, Brian Scully, Eamon Canning, Neal Kirby, Ludmila Podzimkova, Bogdan Neaga and Drahoslav Stejskal. Absent with apologies Niall McDonnell (Chairperson)
The meeting was declared open at 8.20 pm by the acting Club President, Michael Meaney, in the absence of the Chairman.
The Secretary’s Report for the season 2015-16 was presented by Phillip Foenander.
The Treasurer’s report on the club’s finances was then presented by John Cassidy.
MCU League announcement: the MCU AGM was held on 24 July 2016 and Kevin O’Flaherty was elected Munster League Controller. The club wished him good luck in his new role.
Motions
- 1) Club members discussed a motion on whether (a) to hold a Pat Hayes memorial tournament with a Pat Hayes Cup to be presented to the winner or (b) to present a Pat Hayes Cup at the end of the season to the player with the best performance rating in all club tournaments during the season. Proposed by: Michael Meaney. Seconded by: John Cassidy. As it is difficult to check performance ratings, whether they are ICU or from the club championship, it was finally agreed by consensus on an alternative: to hold a tournament for U-1200 players, possibly during the February 2017 school mid-term break or during March, with a Pat Hayes Cup for the winner, as proposed by John Cassidy and seconded by Brian Scully. The date is to be decided later.
- 2) Any player who is not a member of a chess club and has no ICU or FIDE rating should not be charged a club fee. This does not include internet chess. Proposed by: Ted Jennings. Seconded by: Kevin O’Flaherty. Motion was passed unanimously.
- 3) The club should invest funds in purchasing 10 chess sets and clocks and store these items in the Limerick Lawn Tennis Club, as there is a cupboard available within the playing room. John Cassidy will check on prices and suppliers and take further action. Proposed by: Ted Jennings. Seconded by: Kevin O’Flaherty.
Nomination and election of Club officers
President – acting President Michael Meaney confirmed
Chairperson – Niall McDonnell re-elected
Secretary – Phillip Foenander re-elected
Assistant Secretary – Laurent Talazac nominated and elected
Treasurer – John Cassidy re-elected
Assistant Treasurer – Noel Keating re-elected
PRO officer – Tim Dineen resigned. Position vacant
Assistant PRO officer – vacant
Any other business
- a) A minute’s silence was held in memory of Pat Hayes, who passed away in March this year, in recognition of his great dedication and service to the club.
- b) The Limerick Open will be held at the Savoy Hotel from 24-26 October.
The meeting was then closed at 9.30 pm by club President Michael Meaney.
Source: Limerick Chess Club archive.
Patrick Hayes, of Limerick, a long-time member and President of the Limerick Chess Club since 1995, died suddenly on Monday 28 March 2016 in University Hospital Limerick, aged 78.
Pat was a dedicated member of the Limerick Chess Club and played in chess tournaments since the 1960s. He was always smiling and friendly in spite of his competitiveness over the board. Pat won the 1969 North Munster chess championship when he was rated around the 1700s and won first place in the 1999 Bunratty tournament Majors section. He was popular with all players and was always willing to offer a lift to and from the club to any member who needed one. He competed in many Munster League matches for Limerick in the past.
Pat was very encouraging to all new and especially young players and spent a lot of time patiently teaching young players the rudiments of the game, including the basic checkmates. He was also very active on church committees in both Limerick and Dublin, and he was very keen on his fitness ever since his retirement, walking almost daily into Limerick city from his home.
He was a very sociable, friendly character who would strike up a conversation sometimes with total strangers as he was walking and pretty soon they were strangers no more. Pat was an honorary and dedicated lifetime member of the Limerick Beekeepers Association; he kept bees and packaged bottles of honey.
Farewell my friend! May you rest in peace! — Tribute by Phillip Foenander
Source: Limerick Chess Club archive.
Limerick Chess Club AGM was held on Wednesday, 23rd September 2015 at 8.20 pm. at the Limerick Lawn Tennis Club, Ennis Road, Limerick
Present were
Niall McDonnell (Chairperson), Laurent Talazac (Asst Secretary), John Cassidy (Treasurer), Noel Keating (Asst Treasurer), Tim Dineen (PRO), Kevin O’Flaherty (Asst PRO), Ted Jennings, Brian Scully and Gerry Casey. Absent with apologies Pat Hayes (President) and Phillip Foenander (Secretary)
The meeting was declared open at 8.20 pm by the Club Treasurer, John Cassidy, as both the Chairman and Asst Secretary were late coming in.
A minute’s silence was held for Phillip’s brother. The minutes of AGM 2014 were deferred to the next meeting.
The Secretary’s Report for the season 2014-15 was presented by Laurent Talazac.
The Treasurer’s report on the club’s finances was then presented by John Cassidy.
The PRO report was read by Tim Dineen. He noted that the majority of new members join the club after searching the Internet and finding the club website, but not everyone has access to the Internet, so posters could be placed at the Crescent Shopping Centre and the Main Library in town. Thanks to Phillip, who designed the poster.
Motions
- 1) Discussion of the new club rule on mobile phones: each player gets 1 warning per season in relation to an electronic device during rated games. Any subsequent breaches during the season would result in a forfeit of the game. All incidents must be reported to the Secretary. Proposed by: Brian Scully. Seconded by: John Cassidy. 6 for, 2 against. Motion was passed.
Nomination and election of Club officers
Chairperson – Niall McDonnell re-elected
Secretary – Phillip Foenander re-elected. Kevin O’Flaherty as interim until Phillip returns from abroad.
Assistant Secretary – Kevin O’Flaherty nominated and elected
Treasurer – John Cassidy re-elected
Assistant Treasurer – Noel Keating re-elected
PRO officer – Tim Dineen re-elected
Assistant PRO officer – vacant
Other issues
- a) Ted Jennings urged Limerick members to attend the ICU EGM at 2.30 pm on 4 October and the AGM at 11.00 am on 11 October.
- b) The Limerick Open will be held at the Savoy Hotel from 24-26 October.
- c) The club should explore the possibility of a second team in Munster League Division 2.
- d) The club should explore the potential of coaching the Munster League team and beginners.
- e) The club should invest in equipment and store these items in the Limerick Lawn Tennis Club, as there is a cupboard available.
The meeting was then closed at 9.50 pm by club Chairperson Niall McDonnell.
Source: Limerick Chess Club archive.
Limerick Chess Club AGM was held on Wednesday, 24th September 2014 at 8.50 pm. at the Limerick Lawn Tennis Club, Ennis Road, Limerick
Present were
Pat Hayes (President), Laurent Talazac (Secretary), Phillip Foenander (Asst Secretary), John Cassidy (Treasurer), Noel Keating (Asst Treasurer), Tim Dineen (PRO), Kevin O’Flaherty, Ted Jennings, Brian Scully and Niall McDonnell. Absent with apologies Michael Meaney (Chairman)
The meeting was declared open at 8.50 pm by the Club President, Pat Hayes.
Minutes of the previous 2013 AGM were read out by the Secretary.
The Secretary’s Report including a brief summary of the club’s activities during the season 2013-14 was presented.
The Treasurer’s report on the club’s finances was then presented by John Cassidy.
The PRO report by Tim Dineen followed, about promoting the club using posters within schools in the city.
It was mentioned that the password access for members’ details had been changed recently for security reasons.
Following the recent MCU AGM on 7 September 2014, members were informed that the only change within the MCU committee was the election of Gerry Graham as ICU delegate.
The Secretary then called for motions to be discussed by members present.
Motions
- 1) Club membership fee – all members seem to be satisfied with the venue and comfort and agreed that it is a suitable venue for club chess activity. An issue had arisen regarding the cost of the venue. It is mandatory to have 7 Pavilion members, who each pay a €100 annual fee. The 7 Pavilion members had paid more than other adult club members in the past 2 years, and the possibility of dividing this extra expense between all club members was discussed. The proposal of finding only 5 volunteer Pavilion members, with the club paying the remaining €200, was rejected. During the discussion some members stated that they were willing to pay the Pavilion membership fee and that there should not be any problem finding the 7 required volunteer members. It was mentioned that being a Pavilion member grants access to the premises when needed, because each Pavilion member has the building access code. Later in the discussion it was suggested that the club membership fee could be increased by €5, which would cover the expenses if only 6 Pavilion members were reached; if 7 were reached, the extra money could be used to cover other expenses or to buy spare boards or clocks for the club. The discussion ended with a general agreement that this year’s annual adult fee would be €55 instead of €50 as in the previous year, with the junior club fee remaining unchanged.
- 2) ICU fees – club members were reminded that every member taking part in club competitions organised by Limerick Chess Club must be a member of the ICU as per Rule 1 of the club rules. This implies that every member has to pay their ICU fee. Last year only 4 junior members did not pay their ICU fees. A deadline for payment of club membership is already stated in rule 12 of the club rules plus ICU fees, and players could be withdrawn from the club competitions if they are not paid up by the start of round 2.
- 3) Tom White Cup – the possibility of separating players into 2 distinct categories was discussed, but this had proved unsuccessful in the past so the competition should remain as it is. The time control was modified for this year’s Tom White Cup and is now 1 hour 15 minutes plus a 15-second increment for adults and 1 hour plus a 15-second increment for games involving junior players. As this is only possible with a digital clock, should a game be played with an analogue clock the corresponding time controls are 1 hour 30 minutes for adults and 1 hour 15 minutes for juniors. This time control will also be implemented for the Club Championship.
Munster League team
Ray O’Brien resigned as Munster League team captain. Kevin O’Flaherty took over this season as captain of the Limerick Munster League team.
The club timetable remains unchanged, each session being held on Wednesdays from 7.30 pm to 11.30 pm and if necessary up to but not extending past 12 am.
Nomination and election of Club officers was carried with the following officers voted in:
Chairman – Niall McDonnell nominated and elected
Secretary – Phillip Foenander nominated and elected
Assistant Secretary – Laurent Talazac nominated and elected
Treasurer – John Cassidy re-elected
Assistant Treasurer – Noel Keating re-elected
PRO officer – Tim Dineen re-elected
Assistant PRO officer – Kevin O’Flaherty nominated and elected
Other issues
- a) The Limerick Open will be held at South Court Hotel from 25-27 October. It will be organised by John Cassidy. Flyers will be printed within the coming week. Participants must be ICU or FIDE members.
The meeting was then closed at 9.50 pm by club President Pat Hayes.
Source: Limerick Chess Club archive.
Jerry Molloy, of Elm Park, Limerick, and a former long-time member of the Limerick Chess Club, died on Sunday 6 October 2013 in St. John’s Hospital, Limerick, aged 63.
Jerry participated in the 2013 Bunratty Chess Major and was always friendly with a smile. He loved the game and was popular with all the players. He played in many Munster League matches for Limerick club in the past.
The Gerry Molloy Limerick League perpetual trophy, donated by a close friend of his, was presented to the 2014 Club Champion.
Source: Limerick Chess Club archive.
Limerick Chess Club AGM was held on Wednesday, 11th September 2013 at 8.00 pm. at the Limerick Lawn Tennis Club, Ennis Road, Limerick
Present were
Pat Hayes (President), Michael Meaney (Chairman), Laurent Talazac (Secretary), Phillip Foenander, Noel Keating, Liam O’Brien, Tim Dineen, and Eamon Canning. Absent with apologies John Cassidy (Treasurer)
The meeting was declared open by the Club Chairman.
Minutes of the previous 2012 AGM were read out by the Secretary.
The Secretary’s Report including a brief summary of the club’s activities during the season 2012-13 was presented. During the presentation an issue was raised about being a present member of the Limerick Lawn Tennis Club; the issue would be discussed further during the motions. An announcement for the start of the season blitz was made at the end of the report.
The Treasurer’s report on the club’s finances was then presented by Phillip Foenander in the absence of the Treasurer.
The Secretary then called for motions to be discussed by members present.
Motions
- 1) Club meeting venue – all members seem to be satisfied with the venue and comfort of the room the chess club is using every Wednesday. The most important issue discussed is that the premises manager required that 7 members of the chess club be members of the Limerick Lawn Tennis Club (Pavilion members), in order to grant permission to the club to play in the function room. Being a Pavilion member means paying an extra €100 fee for the year, with no extra privilege compared to other players of the club (such as the right to play tennis). It was decided that a meeting would be organised between the 7 current members and the club manager to discuss that issue. It was also suggested that the extra fees paid by Pavilion members could be spread over each member’s club subscription. Clarifications should emerge from the meeting with the club manager and members will be informed of the outcome.
- 2) Tom White Cup – after a discussion among all present, it was agreed to keep the Open format. It was suggested that the Tom White Cup could be divided into 2 sections, with a prize for the lower section. Dividing into 2 sections would depend strongly on the number of contestants, and it has not been very successful in the past. It was also highlighted that the problem with lower sections is that not all the matches are played. A monetary prize can be an option.
- 3) Email addresses – it was mentioned that email addresses of club members should be in the contact section of the club website if available, and that coming matches between club members and deadlines should be sent by email too.
- 4) ICU fees – it was highlighted that some club members did not pay the ICU fees last year despite being involved in ICU rated events. It was agreed that ICU fees should be collected together with the club membership fees to avoid this situation, and a new membership form was issued accordingly and presented during the AGM. Members will also be reminded. Participating in the club championship without paying the ICU fees violates Rule 1 of the club competitions, which states that each applicant must be a current member of the Irish Chess Union. A deadline for payment of club membership is already stated in rule 12 of the club rules plus ICU fees, and players could be withdrawn from the club competitions if they are not paid up by the start of round 2.
Nomination and election of Club officers was carried with the following officers voted in:
Chairman – Michael Meaney re-elected
Secretary – Laurent Talazac re-elected
Assistant Secretary – Phillip Foenander nominated and elected to fill the place left vacant by Kensy Joseph, who returned to India.
Membership Officer – John Cassidy re-elected
Assistant Membership Officer (new position) – Noel Keating nominated and elected
PRO officer – Tim Dineen nominated and elected
Assistant PRO officer – Liam O’Brien nominated and elected
Other issues
- a) Announcement was made by the Secretary that the start of the season Blitz will be on 18 September in the Limerick Chess Club premises.
- b) The Limerick Open will be held at the end of October and should take place in the South Court Hotel this year (to be confirmed). It will be organised by John Cassidy.
- c) The Galway Open will be held on 4-6 October this year.
The meeting was then closed by club Chairman Michael Meaney.
Source: Limerick Chess Club archive.
An Ennis chess simultaneous display and lecture by GM Nigel Short took place on Tuesday 5 March 2013 at 7 pm at the Auburn Lodge Hotel, Ennis. Entry was €25 for senior players and €15 for juniors.
Source: Limerick Chess Club archive.