Simon Williams (Carrickmines) won the 2014 Golf Croquet Championship, played at Carrickmines, with the disappointingly low entry of 10 (with room for 32). Of the strongest players, Jack Clingan, Robert Barklie and former champions Fred Rogerson and Ronan Rogerson were missing. Those who attended enjoyed many competitive games in the bright sunshine.

Golf Croquet Championship of Ireland will be held at Carrickmines on 13/14th September.

Manager & Secretary: Simon Williams: Entries and handicap enquiries to daikoku@eircom.net

3 Events. Play from 9.00am Saturday. Click item for more details....

How special it is to be playing in a Walled Garden of a Big House where croquet was the
pastime of the owners more than a century ago. The Strokestown Croquet Club was formed in the spring of 2012 with about 6 members. A local teacher proposed the idea after talking with Irish Croquet Association members. The Association kindly assisted with the free loan of a game kit. Strokestown Park management supported the idea with enthusiasm, feeling that it fitted their vision of supporting community efforts, as they do in many other areas of local endeavor. The Walled Garden was most generously made available for the club to set up a pitch.
For full write -up and photographs click http://croquetireland.com/cai/docs/StrokestownCroquetWriteup.pdf

An album of photos taken by Robert and Padraig at the 2014 Irish Open Championships has been added to the right hand sidebar. For further photographs of the event contact Robert (contact at bottom of photo index pages) or Padraig.

The Open Singles Championship was won by Danny Johnston with Andrew Johnston as runner up. Andrew and his partner David Bent won the Doubles Championship and Andrew also won the Handicap Championship event.

The CAI selectors wish to announce the selection of players for the 2015 World Golf Croquet Championship in New Zealand.

Selected places:
1. Patsy Fitzgerald
2. Ed Cunningham

Reserves:
3. Simon Williams
4. Jack Clingan

Evan Newell has been given an automatic ranking place by the WCF.

Those selected need to confirm they are taking their place by August 31 - 2014

The CAI selectors wish to announce the team and reserves for the upcoming test match against Great Britain.

1. Danny Johnston
2. Andrew Johnston (captain)
3. Simon Williams
4. Patsy Fitzgerald
5. Evan Newell
6. Jack Clingan

Reserves:
Nathaniel Healy
Ronan Rogerson
Gerard Healy

The match takes place at Carrickmines on August 30/31.

On 12 August, Strokestown Park hosted the Tralee Roses during their five-day tour before the selection of the winner. As part of their day the Strokestown Croquet Club invited the Roses to hit a few balls in the Walled Garden. They were enthusiastic players, even in high heels! In the photo below the Roses from left to right are from Cork, Scotland, Dubai, Dublin and Perth.

On the invitation of the The Swinford Amenity Park a group of players from CAI and Carrickmines Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club hosted Croquet demonstrations on Sunday 29th June 2014.
A report on this demonstration and information on the vision for the development of the game in Swinford and the history of the game there can be viewed at www.croquetireland.com/cai/docs/Swinford-Pride-of-Place-2014.pdf.

A group of the countries top players gathered in Kells last weekend to play some competitive croquet in advance of the Irish Championships in August. The matches were played in the idyllic surroundings of Johnsbrook House on what is probably one of the best lawns in the country. There were six participants, including our host Patsy Fitzgerald who had recovered from the wrist injury that forced him out of the World Team Championships in May.

The CAI selectors wish to receive notification from any players wishing to be considered for selection at the 2015 World Golf Croquet Championships.

Please contact either Joe McGowan or Andy Johnston to register availability.

The Under-21 GCWC will be held at the United Croquet Club, Christchurch, New Zealand from 1-5 February 2015. The 2015 GCWC will be held at Mount Maunganui Croquet Club and other clubs in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand from 7-15 February 2015.