Squash in Ireland

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This is a page dedicated to Irish Squash and notable Irish squash players.

Irish Squash includes notable players such as Jonah Barrington, Derek Ryan, Madeline Perry and Liam Kenny. Jonah Barrington was honoured with a lifetime achievement award in 2006 at the World Squash Awards.

Irish Squash is currently experiencing a resurgence in popularity following a dip in its profile during the 1990s. Belfast hosted the Women's International Squash Players Association World Championship in November 2006 with the final being played at the Ulster Hall.

List of notable Irish Squash Clubs
Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club
Old Belvedere Squash Racquets Club
Mount Pleasant Lawn Tennis Club
Westwood
Aer Lingus
Naas
Leinster Cricket Club
Sandycove Squash Club
Sutton Lawn Tennis Club
Tullamore
UCC
Trinity College Dublin Squash Club

The Irish Open is usually held at the imposing and prestigious Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club.

[edit] Irish Men's Open Results

Year	Winner	Opponent in final	Score in final
2007	Alex Gough	Borja Golan	11-6, 2-11, 11-10 (2-0), 8-11, 11-9
2006	Borja Golan	Davide Bianchetti	11-5, 10-11 (4/2), 11-2, 11-9
2005	Ong Beng Hee	Laurens Jan Anjema	11-9, 7-11, 11-7, 11-4
2002 - 2004	Not Held
2001	Peter Nicol	David Palmer	15-11, 15-5, 15-9
2000	Peter Nicol	Jonathon Power	15-12, 15-12, 15-9

Jonah Barrington won the Irish Open in 1966, 1967, 1969, and 1979, and was runner-up (to his great rival, Geoff Hunt) in 1972. In 1976, Geoff Hunt beat Mohibullah Khan in the (then) new Squash Ireland Centre in Dublin. Earlier, from the mid-1950s onwards Donald Pratt, an all-round sportsman who also excelled at cricket, won the Irish Open for ten years in succession.

In 2005, an infamous incident occurred when the Pakistani squash team were unable to play in the Irish Open due to their Visas for Ireland not being granted in time following qualification. The incident was also reported in the Pakistani press at the time.

[edit] Irish Women's Open Results

Year	Winner	Opponent in final	Score in final
2007	Madeline Perry	Jaclyn Hawkes	9-3. 9-3, 9-5
2006	Madeline Perry	Laura Lengthorn	9-7. 9-3, 9-4
2005	Madeline Perry	Annalize Naude	9-4, 2-9, 7-9, 9-4, 9-6
2004	Vanessa Atkinson	Jenny Tranfield	10-8, 9-1, 9-3
2003	Vanessa Atkinson	Cassie Jackman	3-9, 9-4, 9-5, 4-9, 9-7