This year's match between CAI and SCA for the Appleton Trophy (easily the  most handsome trophy on the croquet circuit) was played at the Meadows CC in Edinburgh last weekend. Ireland was the holder but was quickly under pressure as the Scots won all three doubles games on Saturday morning and kept up the pressure during the afternoon, so that at the end of play SCA had a 13 -5 lead. The only  Irish player with something to celebrate was Jane Morrison, who beat her husband, Campbell, in their singles game.

We have been given a little history piece written by Dr. Christine Kinealy. She is a professor at Quinnipiac University in New York. Her field of study is the Irish Famine. She was so taken by our costumed games during the Irish Famine Summer School that she researched the history of croquet. The article is complimentary to the History item by Clive Martin & Simon Williams under the History Tab. Two pictures of her time in Strokestown are included. Christine is in the beige outfit, trying her strike. Read it here.

Members of the CAI are invited to attend the Annual General meeting which will take place on Monday July 18th at 7.30 pm in Carrickmines Croquet and Lawn Tennis club. Light refreshments will be served.

Members will receive a formal notice via their club secretaries in the coming days. If you do not receive notification, copies of the material sent with the notice (including the 2015 accounts and a data protection notice) can be obtained by e-mailing Daniel Johnston, the secretary of the CAI, at dannyjohnston@outlook.ie.

The 2016 Home Internationals were contested by England, Ireland Scotland and Wales in Compton, Sussex on the 18 and 19th of June. Teams of 5 compete against every other nation over two days in an all singles format.

This is the new CAI website.

The main objectives of this upgrade are to:
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5. Incorporate a new CAI logo

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The team to represent the CAI in its annual match for the Appleton on 9/10 July in Edinburgh is
Nathaniel Healy (C)
Jane Morrison
Evan Newell
Sandy Greig
Alan Looney
Daniel Bennett

Dublin & South-Eastern Railway Cup: Danny Johnston (Dublin University)

Duff Mathews Cup (division 2): Stephen Custance Baker (Taunton)
Runner-up: John F. Martin

New Mirabeau Trophy (division 3): Tony Carey (Carrickmines)
Runner-up: Paddy Furey

Phantom Trophy (division 4): Hugh Brennan (Carrickmines)
Runner-up: James Carroll

Boxwell Cup (handicap singles): John F. Martin (Dublin University)
Runner-up: Danny Johnston

Ireland have made it to the semi-finals of the World Team Championships in London in the second playing of the event. After their initial loss to Egypt, the team went on to draw with the USA before beating Sweden in a convincing display. This earned them a playoff with the USA to decide who would progress from the block, and Ireland duly did the business to earn a semi final with New Zealand. The event continues on Wednesday, follow their progress on croquet scores and messages of support are welcome!
Danny Johnston 

For those players that are playing croquet abroad in competitions sanctioned by the Croquet Association of Ireland there may be an opportunity to reclaim some traveling expenses from the Association.  Players that wish to take advantage of this subsidy should contact the Treasurer of the CAI upon selection. This subsidy is currently limited to €100 for competitive matches in England however players playing further afield and incurring additional expenses may be eligible for further grants.