On Thursday 11th July, the Irish Glorney Teams visited President Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin.

16 members of the teams together with parents, head of delegation, Noel Keating, and ICU Chairperson, Jonathan O'Connor attended (see photos below).

The President welcomed the team and wished them well for the match against England, Scotland and Wales, to be played this year in Cardiff. The teams will compete for four separate cups, the Glorney (U18), Gilbert (U18 Girls), Robinson (U14) and Stokes (U12), over 6 rounds on 21-23 July.

In his address, the president noted the value of chess in cognitive development and the development of concentration, patience and reflection (both before moving and after the game), as valuable life skills in this fast paced world.

The response to the President, delivered by team members, included thanks for his invitation and his welcome to the Áras, a noting of the centenary of the ICU, our championships currently on in Limerick, and Ireland’s planned hosting of the Glorney in 2015. The President also spent some time over the board exploring openings with team members. As white, the President played 1.b4.

To mark the visit, the President was presented with two books “The Irish invented Chess!” by Brian Nugent and the Irish chess guide “Ficheall” by Una O'Boyle. The latter was signed by the author and by the team members attending.

After the formalities, the visiting party was given a tour of the state rooms by one of the President’s ADCs.