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.