Text size

Chess players make all the right moves

June 18, 2012

A DROGHEDA school has scooped a major chess award for the second time in three years, becoming Leinster champions once again.

Scoil Aonghusa was the venue for the Drogheda Primary Schools Chess League final last Thursday. It couldn’t have been a more glorious, sun-drenched day for the Leinster Chess Championship for Irish language primary schools, gaelscoileanna Cúige Laighean.

Scoil Aonghusa was very proud to host the event, which saw schools from ever corner of Leinster travel to compete for the coveted Buanthrofaí Fichille (perpetual trophy) specially designed by Share Holland from Duleek Business Park.

Guest of honour Dr. Gearóidín Uí Laighleis, a well known chess champion in Ireland, appeared during the last round when tensions were high.

At 1 p.m. chief referee Brennan Corrigan counted scores for each school. Children gathered excitedly from all schools to see how they had done. Table drums rolled as the winners were announced.

Scoil Naoimh Pio from Knockcommon, Beauparc, proudly stepped up to receive first prize in the Fola section. It was a tough battle in the Banba section as last year’s winners Scoil Bhríde from Dublin with their star player Ciara (who was famous for already beating a chess master in blindfold chess in the Mansion House in November) hoped to lift the Buanthrofaí Fichille.

However, this was Scoil Aonghusa’s year, Leinster Champions once again having lifted the trophy previously in 2010.

The Rí Fichille (chess king) and Banríon Fichille prizes were lifted by two proud Scoil Naoimh Pio children.

A very special thank you has been extended to Naoise Ní Cathláin from fifth class in Scoil Aonghusa and Brendan Corrigan who worked tirelessly with Úna O Boyle to make sure everything went smoothly during the tournament.
– ALISON COMYN

DROGHEDA INDEPENDENT

Chance for adults to learn cupla focal

January 19, 2012

WITH BARACK Obama’s battle cry ‘Is Feidir Linn’ becoming the catch phrase of last year, more and more people are looking to learn (or rather re-learn) the cupla focal.

With that in mind, a parent in Scoil Aonghusa school in Drogheda is starting a new course open to anyone who would like to start from scratch or just refresh themselves if it has been a while since you spoke as Gaeilge.

‘Is Féidir Liom’ is a comprehensive Foundational Course in Irish for adults which has been under development and ongoing testing for over ten years,’ says Deirdre Kearney, who recently took the training course to run the classes.

‘It is aimed at interested adults who are absolute beginners in Irish and the approach is simple, enjoyable, just the right pitch and not overly ambitious.

The classes start on Thursday January 26th, from 8pm to 10pm and cost €80 for the eight week course.

‘Our main aim is to provide support for parents, grandparents and other carers in helping their children with Irish at home,’ says Deirdre, who has three children in the school (4th class, 3rd class and senior infants) and is a fluent Irish speaker.

’ The course points at patterns in Irish so that participants gain a basic understanding of the language.’ The venue is Scoil Aonghusa, at Sunday’s Gate, and the cost includes a course book and dictionary.

‘Information about the content and structure of the course is available on the supporting website www.isfeidirliom.ie and there is a booklet which can be downloaded in sections for each week or all at once under the ‘Audio Pages’ drop-down menu,’ adds Deirdre.

‘It is written in English and the audio pages are there to help with Irish pronunciation.

”Is Féidir Linn’ begins with ‘Is Féidir Liom’!

Drogheda Independent

Una’s chess book up for award

October 20, 2011

DULEEK chess champ Una O’Boyle can now extend her Wonder Woman status beyond voicing the character on TG4, as her Irish chess book ‘Ficheall’ has been short-listed for Irish language Children’s Book of the Year (Gradam Réics Carló) 2011.

Called ‘Ireland’s Queen of Chess’, the chess Olympiad and Women’s Candidate Master teaches the game in local Gaelscoil Scoil Aonghusa, and the book – the first ever as Gaeilge – is the culmination of five years’ work, which saw Una having to create whole new words for chess terminology. ‘I can’t actually believe I made the shortlist, but am absolutely delighted,’ says Una, who learned the art of the game from her late father Enda. ‘Chess players are a gorgeous bunch of people and I love seeing the children chatting away about chess in Irish as though it were the most natural thing in the world.’ Her late dad’s passion for the game rubbed off on Una, and she was something of a child prodigy.

‘I used to love beating the adults, but lost interest for a while, until I picked it up again in my twenties,’ she adds. ‘I was asked by Ireland’s Grandmaster Alex Baburin to teach in Irish, as no one else was doing it, and that’s where I got the idea for the book.’ ‘Ficheall’, which means chess in Irish, has already received worldwide acclaim in the chess-world, with one American expert saying ’ This is super awesome. I’ve looked at all the chess books for children and there is nothing close to this in English. Please, please and please do an English translation’

Drogheda Independent – Alison Comyn