Irish Squash has distributed €20,000 in Women in Sport funding to eight affiliated squash clubs. The funding was made possible following a successful application by Irish Squash for Sport Ireland’s 2023 Women in Sport funding. Clubs are set to deliver a broad range of programs, including women and girls participation initiatives, coaching courses, and school outreach, aimed at addressing key priority areas outlined in the Sport Ireland Women in Sport Policy.
The Sport Ireland policy outlines several key objectives to promote gender equality within the sporting landscape:
Irish Squash, supported by our network of affiliated clubs, aims to move the dial on female membership, which currently stands at approximately 30%. From a governance perspective, Irish Squash is fully compliant with the Action Plan for Sport 2021-2023, which requires all NGBs to achieve 40% gender representation on their boards by the end of 2023. The Irish Squash board composition currently stands at 60% female.
Funded Women in Sport programs will be operated in Ballina SC, Celtic SC, Curragh SC, Highfield SC, Fitzwilliam SC, Mt Pleasant SC, Sutton SC, and Westport SC. Visit club websites and social media accounts to learn more about the specific programs being run in each club.
Will Nicholson has been appointed as a consultant Club & Community Development Officer for Northern Ireland until the end of March 2024. The Club & Community Development project operates in line with Sport NI funding; however, Irish Squash will be seeking additional investment to sustain and further drive the development of the sport in Northern Ireland in the longer term.
Will is an experienced independent health and wellbeing consultant and has worked across all sectors seeking to improve health and wellbeing through organisational and community development. A lifelong squash player, Will is a qualified coach and takes on the role of head coach at Windsor Club in Belfast and is a founding member of the Mid Ulster Squash Club.
Will leads the initial establishment of participation-focused initiatives and will reach out to clubs directly to offer development support. The key initiatives include:
Clubs and those seeking to develop and promote squash in Northern Ireland can contact Will Nicholson at [email protected] or 0044 (0)773 345 862.
Event management specialists, EventHaus, and investment advisory firm, Gillen Markets, have stepped in as official support sponsors of the Senior Men’s Team for the 2023 WSF World Team Championships taking place in New Zealand from December 11 to 17. Ireland’s leading travel agents, Cassidy Travel, were previously named the Official Travel Partner to the team, while UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic also joined as sponsors.
A strong Ireland team was named, comprising an exciting mix of youth and experience, with Sam Buckley, Sean Conroy, Oisin Logan, and Michael Creaven representing Ireland, competing against the top squash nations on the world stage. The Senior Men’s Team recently secured promotion to the top division in Europe when they claimed a silver medal at the 2023 European Team Championship in April and go on to the World Championships seeded 18th of the 24 teams competing. They will be hoping to get past Malaysia on the opening day of the competition, where they will play on the Devoy Glass Court. World number ones, Egypt are also drawn in Group A alongside Ireland and Malaysia.
EventHaus is a proud supporter of the team and offers a turnkey approach to event management with over 25 years of experience within the events industry, organising and managing a range of events such as mini breakfast events, conferences, trade shows, consumer events, and awards. Gillen Markets is another major supporter of squash, having sponsored the Irish Open among other events for many years. Gillen Markets is an established investment advisory firm providing advice for personal, pension, and corporate clients with a strong emphasis on impartiality and transparency.
Follow the action from the 2023 WSF Men’s World Team Championships at wsfmensteams.com or on Irish Squash’s Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Visit eventhaus.ie for event management services and gillenmarkets.com for investment advice.
Irish Squash would like to invite clubs in the Republic of Ireland to apply for “The Texaco Support for Sport initiative”. This initiative is designed to recognise the important contribution that sports clubs make within Irish society by supporting them in a manner that can benefit them most, through the presentation of a cash prize.
It offers 1 (one) sports club in each county within the Republic of Ireland an opportunity to win a cash prize of €5,000, with a prize being awarded to every county.
To enter, clubs must submit an application at https://texacosupportforsport.com/register and in max 250 words, clubs must describe the special position that your club holds within its community and the positive benefits that it brings to its members. Introduce your club, focus on these particular points and also advise how you would spend the €5000 award, if successful. You may accompany your application with up to 4 photographs and a video of up to 30 seconds in length, but no people should be visible in either. Your application must also be accompanied by your club’s constitution document and written confirmation from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners indicating that your sports club holds a valid GS number at the time of application.
The promotion closes at 6pm on Wednesday, 31st January 2024.nJudging will then commence in February 2024 and the winning sports clubs will be notified in July 2024
For further information visit https://texacosupportforsport.com/
It is with deep sadness that Irish Squash, note the passing of Séan Coakley.
Irish Squash’s thoughts and condolences are with his wife Ann Shepard and the entire Coakley Family at this difficult time.
May Séan Rest In Peace
Irish Squash welcomed a significant investment in the sport from Sport NI under the ‘Sports Systems Investment – New Governing Bodies’ scheme. The funding is targeted at helping governing bodies grow their sport and is a welcome boost for squash, which has not received Sport NI funding in recent years.
The financial assistance will allow Irish Squash, in partnership with the provincial branch Ulster Squash, to deliver a range of participation-focused programs and provide support to new and existing clubs to grow in an inclusive and sustainable manner. To grow the game into the future, there will be a particular emphasis on establishing and expanding club junior sections and programs.
Another key element of the strategy is to increase the number of qualified coaches and raise coaching standards within Northern Ireland, driven forward by Irish Squash’s Head of Coach Education alongside the committed volunteers of Ulster Squash.
Sport NI’s Sports System Investment program is made possible thanks to National Lottery players who raise more than £30m for good causes each week.
Irish Squash CEO, Scott Graham, commented:
I am delighted that we have strengthened our relationship with Sport NI, which recognises squash as a great platform to change people’s lives for the better. The Sport NI investment will have a hugely positive impact, allowing us to do more to grow and develop squash in communities across Northern Ireland. The assistance of Ulster Squash has been instrumental in securing the funding and will be vital in the ongoing delivery of programs, ultimately contributing to the achievement of our strategic goals.
Having joined the pro tour just two months ago, Lisburn’s Hannah Craig is already turning heads on the pro circuit.
Off the back of an incredible unseeded 2nd place finish at the Costa Rican open earlier in the month, Hannah climbed to 102 in the PSA World Rankings and is now more determined than ever to display her skillset on the global stage.
Hannah has been prolific at both youth and senior grade in Ireland, capturing countless titles including multiple Irish Junior Championships and a National Senior title. Hannah has also proved her success across Europe as a two-time European Super Series champion. Now she is proving her worth on the pro circuit with many impressive performances to start her professional career.
On the back of her brilliant form Hannah is delighted to see her potential beginning to come to fruition saying, “having started on the pro tour in September, I’m delighted to see the hard work starting to pay-off and to reach my highest world ranking”.
Hannah’s stunning Costa Rican Open performance came on the back the announcement that she has been awarded funding from Sport Northern Ireland on their 2023/24 Athlete Award scheme which Hannah hopes will help propel her “to reach the pinnacle of the game” as she competes in high-level events worldwide.
Despite being based in the US, Hannah notes she “loves nothing more than representing Ireland”, having previously captained Ireland at u17 and u19 level. There may be future opportunities for Hannah to don the Irish colours on the global stage in the future, with the recent news that squash has been ratified as an Olympic sport in 2028. This a dream for Hannah who now sees the second half of the season as an immense opportunity to “continue to build towards the Commonwealth & Olympic Games”.
Currently residing in New York and having recently graduated from Harvard University, the lure of a United States Olympics may prove to be an extra incentive for Hannah as she dedicates herself to qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
With the Commonwealth and Olympic Games qualification on the horizon, Irish Squash would love to congratulate Hannah on her recent success wish her all the best for the second half of the season.
The highly anticipated IACT Irish Junior Open 2023 took place last weekend. This event is the premier billing on the Irish Squash junior calendar with Sutton LTC and ALSAA SC providing exceptional hospitality as hosts.
There was growth in the filed this year with over 130 youngsters from over 15 countries donning their national colours in the Irish capital to showcase their skillsets as future stars of the game.
With 8 trophies up for grabs with boys and girls competing across the U13, U15, U17 and U19 age groups, this was the perfect opportunity for juniors to test their mettle against some of Europe’s best under the spotlight.
Expectations were high for the strong cohort of Irish players based on pre-draw seedings with Irish Players seeded top-3 in 6 of the 8 categories and top seed in half of the categories. Ultimately, team Ireland did not disappoint, winning 3/8 categories and securing podium places in 7/8 categories, with performances particularly exceptional across the girls’ categories.
Full podium places can be seen below, while full results can be found at: IACT Irish Junior Open – Results
Photographer, Henry Gillanders attended the tournament and tournament album can be found here
Action was livestreamed across the weekend on Irish Squash TV and in case you missed any of the action, full replays can be found here: Irish Squash TV – Irish Junior Open
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Irish Squash is pleased to announce a new partnership that will see UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic supporting the Senior Men’s National Team. This collaboration will span the 2023-2024 season and encompass two prestigious international tournaments: the 2023 WSF Men’s World Team Championships, taking place from December 11 to 17, and the 2024 ESF Men’s European Team Championships, scheduled for May 1 to 4.
Founded in 2007, UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic in Dublin is a leading healthcare facility dedicated to sports medicine, orthopedics, and rehabilitation services. UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic provides expert care to athletes and individuals seeking specialised treatment and recovery solutions, ensuring they return to peak performance. With a multidisciplinary team of specialists, UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic offers comprehensive services to support patients on their journey to recovery.
The Senior Men’s National Team has been making significant strides, securing promotion to Division 1 by winning silver at the 2023 European Championships. Comprising a talented, young roster, these players are committed to the sport and are determined to improve their world rankings in the upcoming seasons to compete against the world’s best. They are deeply committed to inspiring the next generation, sharing their experiences and knowledge through various clinics across Ireland.
The team to compete in the 2023 WSF Men’s World Team Championships in Tauranga, New Zealand was named as Sam Buckley, Sean Conroy, Oisin Logan, and Michael Creaven. Alex Smith has been selected as a reserve player.
With squash’s inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympic Games, the sport is reaching new heights and providing a unique opportunity for Ireland’s roster of talented young players to become Olympians.
Scott Graham, the CEO of Irish Squash, expressed his gratitude for UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic’s support:
“We are incredibly grateful for the support from UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic, which will help enable our team to compete at the World Championships in New Zealand. These athletes have shown immense dedication, both on and off the court, to advance their careers in squash, and we’re delighted they’ll have the opportunity to challenge themselves against the world’s top players. This group of players has a unique chance to lead the way and inspire the next generation of Irish Squash players.”
“With the recent news of squash’s inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympic Games, the support of sponsors and partners who share our passion for the sport is more important than ever. We rely on our funding partners and generous sponsors to help give Irish players the opportunity to fulfil their potential.”
Follow the excitement of the 2023 WSF Men’s World Team Championships at www.wsfmensteams.com or on Irish Squash’s social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For inquiries about sponsorship opportunities with Irish Squash, please contact [email protected].
Learn more about UPMC Sports Surgery Clinic at www.sportssurgeryclinic.com.
Ireland will be represented by a strong team comprising an exciting mix of youth and experience at the 2023 WSF Men’s World Team Championships in Tauranga, New Zealand, from December 11th to 17th. Sam Buckley, Sean Conroy, Oisin Logan, and Michael Creaven have gained selection and look forward to testing themselves against the world’s top-ranked players and squash nations. Alex Smith has been selected as a non-traveling reserve player.
Cassidy Travel are supporting the group as the Official Sponsor of the team. while UMPC Sports Surgery Clinic are also on-board as an Official Supporter. In addition to this amazing support, Sutton LTC are running a fundraising raffle this weekend, during the Irish Junior Open, on Sun 19th Nov at 12pm.
There are some amazing prizes up for grabs (see below). Ticket prices are also available below and can be purchased here, or in Sutton LTC until the 19th Nov.
Ticket Prices:
€5 for 1 ticket
€20 for 5 tickets
€50 for 12 tickets
Great Prizes
