As PRO with the responsibility of raising the profile of chess in Ireland in the 2006-2007 season, from the early stages of my tenure I decided to focus on a number of specific ICU events and projects. This was a practical decision based on the fact that my own free time was limited and that most if not all PRO activities for the ICU had to be carried out without funding. While press releases were sent out to the media outlets and news organizations on a regular basis during the year, trying to generate press coverage for various events such as Bunratty, the Leinster Senior Championships, my main focus was on the Irish Senior Championships and the Glorney Cup.
At times, it can be difficult to gage the effectiveness of press releases, or public relations activities, but both the Irish Championships and Glorney provided unique opportunities to attract and generate publicity for the game. The following is a list of the most notable PR coverage received this year.
- The Des Cahill sports shows (RTE Radio 1) spotlight on Irish Chess
- Following the initiative of Peter Cafolla who sparked the initial interest of RTE researcher Kaitriona McFadden, various players and ICU officials were interviewed at the Royal Dublin Hotel and the game received several minutes coverage on prime time radio.
- Glorney and Faber
- In the build up to the Glorney and Faber Cups and during the event there was significant publicity surrounding both the event and it's youngest participant Shane Melaugh. Following significant coverage in both The Examiner and the Irish Independent, and a spotlight on the event by TV3 news, Sky News and BBC Northern Ireland came to DCU and carried reports on the event, to an international audience. The BBC report lasted almost two minutes and Sky Newss coverage of the event was broadcast on Saturday morning the 28th of July continuously. The huge media interest in Shane Melaugh extended far beyond Ireland and his native Donegal and he was interviewed on numerous radio stations across the island including a prime time spot on 2FM with Gerry Ryan and his participation in the tri-nations event attracted media interest as far away as New Zealand and China. Following the event I was contacted by the BBC world service to discuss both Shane and the state of Irish Junior Chess and a ten minute broadcast went out live to a world audience.
- Junior Chess Corner
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JCC was conceived as a multipurpose product which would
help showcase Irish junior chess, the successes of upcoming stars as well
as providing invaluable practical information for parents whose children
may have recently taken up the game. JCC also fulfilled a number of other
functions. Firstly, it might act as a stimulus to beginners and intermediate
juniors to help improve their game. The magazine will in effect serve as a
useful starting point for anyone wanting to learn chess, such as parents
who wish to teach their kids, teachers who have never played before, anyone
who might like to start a chess club etc. Secondly, in conjunction with the
ICJ, JCC provides an outlet for young players to have relevant role models,
and for potential sponsors of the game to realise how widespread the game
of chess is in Ireland today, particularly in schools.
Here I would like to publicly acknowledge the thanks of john Healy, my co-editor without whom this project would never have got off the ground. John, who already is an editor of the ICJ gave considerable time and technical expertise to the project, and demonstrated remarkable generosity and patience from the earliest stages of the magazine through to its completion.