The Championships took place in An Oige, the home of the Phibsborough Chess Club, just a short distance from Dublin city centre from 27th to 29th December 2005 and formed part of the Irish Chess Unions Grand Prix for the 2005/06 season. This was the first time that these championships had been held over the Christmas period.
There were five keenly contested playing sections with a total of 79 entrants. The Masters Section had 15 entrants including 1 GM, two IMs and an FM. The tournament was FIDE rated and was won by GM Alexander Baburin on tie break from Irish Senior Champion Colm Daly, with both players on a score of 5.5/6 having drawn their individual game in round 3. IM Gawain Jones finished third on 4 points and 14 year old David Fitzsimons of Elm Mount Chess Club won a grading prize.
The Majors Section, (1600 2000 rating band), had a total of 22 competitors and was won by Robert Stuart of Rathmines Chess Club who achieved the only perfect score of the tournament with six wins out of six. Mark McGovern of Gonzaga finished as runner-up with a score of 4.5/6 while John White from Kilkenny finished third on tie break from Gonzagas John McMorrow both with a score of 4/6. Grading prizes were won by John Kelly and John Phelan.
The Challengers Section (1200 1600 rating band) had a total of 23 competitors. The most notable feature of this section was the strong showing by junior players with 12 years old Ryan Rhys Griffiths from Kilkenny, the lowest graded player in the section, emerging victorious with a score of 5/6 following his final round win over Belfasts Utkarsh Joshi who finished second on a score of 4.5/6 on tie break from Phil Hogarty. Kevin Burke and Peter Cloonan won grading prizes.
The Junior Section had a total of 14 competitors and was won by Eamonn Launders (age 13) on a score of 5/6 from Ciaran Ruane on 4.5 and Sean McGlinchey third on tie break from Gregory Bailey and Stephen Cunningham.
Just six players competed on an all play all basis in the novices section which was won by Kevin Fitzpatrick with a score of 4.5/5 with Portmarnocks Eoin O Dwyer runner up on 4/5. Samruddhi Joshi (aged 8) finished third on a score of 3.5 and was the youngest prize winner in the entire tournament. Samruddhi completed a family double as her brother Utkarsh featured in the prizes in the Challengers Section.
Great credit was due to Tournament Controller, Mick Germaine for his efforts both before and during the tournament and this was acknowledged at the prize giving ceremony.