Craig entered this $6,000 event as the number one seed and sought to take advantage of her first round bye.
The Lisburn native made light work of Chile’s Antonia Vera Sepulveda in the quarter final, dropping just 5 points in a comfortable straight games victory.
Hannah proved why she was the #1 seed for the event when she grinded out a 3-1 victory over her #3 seed Mexican opposition in the semi-final winning the last two games comfortably, 11-3, 11-4.
The Irish woman’s best was yet to come as she faced the #2 seed, Lucia Bautista in a titanic final. This was a very tense affair which went to the wire. Luckily for Hannah, she showed immense mettle to win the decider 11-7 and claim her first PSA title in South America.
After turning pro this time last year, Hannah dedicated her victory to the sacrifices she has had to make to to fully commit to squash and to those who have pushed and supported her to chase her dreams.
Congratulations Hannah. The first of many.
The three new board members further bolster the expertise on the board of Irish Squash, which has grown considerably as a National Governing Body for Sport in recent years as we strive to fully deliver the 2022-2027 Connecting the Dots Strategic Plan.
Rose Hynes brings substantial, broad-spectrum experience from her work as a commercial lawyer, a member of senior management, and as a Chair and Director of Stock Exchange and SEC-registered companies, as well as other commercial entities across various sectors. Hynes also has extensive experience in leading successful organisations through long periods of complex transformation involving extensive stakeholder interaction. She has over 35 years of experience across all aspects of the aviation industry, both as a senior executive in GPA Group and at board level in Aer Lingus Group, and as Chair of Shannon Group and the Irish Aviation Authority.
Kevin Ahern brings over 30 years of financial services experience, most recently as the CEO of TD Securities in Ireland, leading a front office trading floor encompassing Debt Capital Markets, Rates, Equity Derivatives, Foreign Exchange, and Corporate Banking relationship management. As CEO and Country Head for 10 years, Ahern was a driver of major strategic change. A member of boards of directors in both executive and non-executive capacities for 17 years, Ahern managed the firm’s risk profile, ensuring that appropriate internal systems and controls were in place, and oversaw the adoption of the group’s culture in the day-to-day management of the firm.
Susan Kelly has over 20 years of experience in human resource management and financial services and is currently a Partner at Odgers Berndtson, a leading global executive search and organisational leadership firm. Kelly’s appointment adds further depth and breadth of experience to the board, supporting Irish Squash’s ambition for a strategically focused board planning for and safeguarding the long-term future of the sport.
Commenting on the appointments, President Rosie Barry said:
“Rose, Susan and Kevin will bring a wealth of experience to the new board in Irish Squash, underpinning our transformation to a skills-based board after the EGM in March 2024. I look forward to working closely with them as we continue to professionalise the organisation and further enhance the governance structures already in place. Their appointments are timely, coinciding with the mid-point of our Strategic Plan, Connecting the Dots 2022-2027, as we review progress made to date and refresh strategic objectives for the benefit of our squash community.”
Irish Squash CEO Scott Graham added:
“Irish Squash is well-placed to continue its growth over the coming years, and with the addition of two further highly experienced and committed directors to the board, the organisation and the sport as a whole will benefit in the months and years to come. Irish Squash has been on an upward trajectory recently, with the number of people playing squash on the rise, as well as the number of clubs, tournaments, and coaches. We will shortly be launching a youthful and energetic new brand identity and mobile-optimised website, which will help with our push to increase the number of people involved in squash, particularly young people. Our growing team of Club & Community Development Officers is available to assist clubs across a range of areas, including the establishment of junior sections, participation programme design and delivery, accessing local funding opportunities, and club development planning.
We are also making solid progress on the development of a National Centre, having submitted an application for funding under the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund.
On the high-performance front, with squash included in the LA 2028 Olympic Games, we are pleased to have secured seed funding to professionalise and develop our high-performance programme. With this in mind, we are currently recruiting for a Head Coach to oversee the High-Performance Unit and chart our path to future international success.”
5 players stole the show making the semi-final in their categories:
It wasn’t to be for Neil after a narrow last 4 defeat, but our other semi-finalist powered into their respective finals.
Our sole female finalist, Mary Sceney gave us a dream start as she took down Wales’s Jill Campion 3-1 to claim gold in the W65+ category. Sceney came from 1 game behind to defeat her opponent in impressive fashion. This was a really special title for Mary, who claims her 3rd World Masters title, 23 years after the first in 2001.
Nicholas Staunton was up second as he faced Mexican Marcos Mendez. Nick never got going and ultimately succumbed to the skills of the Mexican who had dropped just 13 points across his quarter and semifinals. Mendez recorded straight games win over the Irishman. Nonetheless it was a brilliant week Nicholas can be proud of.
Arthur Gaskin was next, taking on former world top 30, Egyptian – Omar Abdel Meguid. Gaskin pushed his opponent all the way in the first, losing a heartbreaker 17-15. It was a similar story in the second with another narrow 11-9 loss. Arthur showed true resilience to flip the script and claim the fourth 11-9 before the Egyptian closed out victory with an 11-6 final game. Not to be for Arthur but a magnificent run to the final.
Our last finalist Wille Hosey was unable to overcome Peter hill of Singapore, going down in 4 despite a spirited effort. Hosey was the #1 seed and displayed all the credentials of the top seed throughout the tournament. It was a wonderful showing from Wille despite defeat and he now carries immense form into our new season.
Massive Congratulations to our finalists and in particular to Mary Sceney on her fantastic World Masters title, replicating her 2001 and 2015 successes.
Well-done also to all who competed during the week and best to luck to all players in our new season.
Player Affiliation for 2024/25
We offer two approaches for player membership registration, designed to accommodate different circumstances and ensure that all players have access to the benefits of affiliation:
From the 1st of October, you will be unable to enter tournaments and leagues without a valid membership.
For assistance, please contact Tiernan Harris at [email protected]
Club Affiliation Fees
Safeguarding Requirement
All clubs will be required to fill out a safeguarding form as part of the affiliation process. This is crucial to ensure that we maintain the highest standards of child protection and welfare across all our clubs. The form can be completed here – https://forms.gle/feeJWxvpL5sLVSB26
For further information and to view the benefits of affiliation, see our Club Affiliation and Membership 2024-25 Document
If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to contact Tiernan at [email protected].
Featured Squash Tournaments
The Irish Masters Open takes place from the 17th to 20th October at Fitzwilliam LTC and is considered one of the premier masters tournaments on the European circuit. This tournament is not to be missed if you are a competitive player over 35 years of age.
The In4 Squash Annual LGBTQ+ Tournament takes place on the 28th of September at Trinity College and is an inclusive social tournament, bringing together members of the LGBTQ+ community from around Ireland and beyond.
The Munster League closes for registration on October 4th and now features six divisions catering to everyone, from absolute beginners to seasoned pros. Connacht, Leinster, and Ulster also organise leagues, and you can find details on social media and through your provincial association.
Sutton LTC is hosting a series of one-day tournaments for U11s, U13s, and U15s. These tournaments offer juniors an action-packed day of squash, where they can play against various players and make new friends. They are suitable for all levels and are a great way for beginners to experience tournament squash.
Highfield Squash Club is hosting a Women’s One Day Open on the 20th of October. The tournament was very popular last season, attracting women from far and wide to this uniquely welcoming women’s-only event.
Check out the calendar at irishsquash.com/calendar for a full list of tournaments, or contact us at [email protected] for more information.
Membership and Club Affiliation
With the start of the 2024/25 season upon us, club affiliation and membership are now due. From October 1st, you will need to be a current member of Irish Squash in order to enter or participate in sanctioned tournaments listed on the calendar.
If you are planning to enter a tournament, please encourage your club to complete their bulk membership upload early. Alternatively, there will be an option to purchase membership directly through the Irish Squash Sporty HQ system if your club has not yet submitted you as a member.
Please contact [email protected] if you need assistance with club affiliation, bulk membership renewals, or direct membership purchases.
Respect
Inclusion is one of the six core values identified in the Irish Squash Strategic Plan, and we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment where all members are respected. With this in mind, we would like to remind everyone that all members, coaches, officials, and administrators are bound by the code of conduct.
As part of our regular process of reviewing and updating policies and procedures, Irish Squash has engaged Ireland’s foremost sports law expert, Sarah O’Shea, to review the relevant disciplinary policies and the code of conduct. This process is ongoing, and we look forward to introducing new policies once they are approved.
Best wishes for the season ahead, and please contact a member of staff at Irish Squash if you need assistance.
Job Opportunity: Irish Squash Head Coach
Irish Squash is the National Governing Body for Squash on the island of Ireland. The organisation has experienced significant growth over the past year with the appointment of the sport’s first CEO and an increase in staff numbers from two full-time to three full-time and four part-time staff within the past 12 months. The number of affiliated clubs, members, coaches, tournaments, and leagues has all increased significantly.
The inclusion of squash in the LA 2028 Olympics has injected new energy and focused attention on developing a world-class high-performance programme to nurture talent and provide players with the necessary support to compete at European, World and Olympic level. Irish squash players have reached the pinnacle of the sport and there is a proud history of success at the highest levels of the game.
Irish Squash is seeking to appoint a Head Coach to oversee the high-performance programme, deliver upon the High Performance Strategy 2025–2028, and fully realise the potential within the Irish high-performance pathway.
Irish Squash Head Coach Job Description HERE
Applications close on the 21st of August 2024. A copy of the High Performance Strategy 2025–2028 will be provided to interested candidates.
Irish Squash has expanded its team of Club & Community Development Officers to three part-time staff, with Amanda Burgio set to join on July 29th.
Amanda brings a wealth of experience in sports development, club development, and participation programme design, having previously served as Club Support & Participation Officer at Volleyball Ireland. Many of the projects and programmes led by Amanda contributed to Volleyball Ireland being named National Governing Body of the Year in 2022.
Some of the highlights include organising and delivering the first-ever Women in Volleyball conference, designing a programme to empower female university students to take leadership roles in sport, and developing participation and inclusion programmes in collaboration with the Irish Wheelchair Association, Special Schools, and Local Sports Partnerships.
In addition to her professional experience, Amanda holds an MSc in Entrepreneurship and Business Development, a Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering, along with several certificates and qualifications specific to the sports sector.
Commenting on her appointment, Amanda said: “I’m thrilled about the opportunity to join Irish Squash in their path to growth, and can’t wait to support clubs and contribute to fostering inclusivity in the squash community.”
Irish Squash is committed to professionalising the organisation and growing the sport by supporting our network of clubs and volunteers and delivering on the objectives set out within the Connecting the Dots Strategic Plan.
If your club would like development support, please get in touch with a Development Officer or another member of staff.
Club & Community Development Officers:
SQUASH is going through a resurgence in Ireland – north and south – and it’s the girls who are leading the field. In Northern Ireland eight of the top players are female.
Northern Ireland’s most famous squash champion, Banbridge’s Madeline Perry, looks back on a stellar sporting career and talks about the development of squash internationally and at grass roots level as well as the opportunities for young people locally to reach squash’s top tier.
A former Mary Peters Trust supported athlete, Madeline Perry is a real inspiration to Northern Ireland’s new crop of potential squash champions, many of whom are currently funded by Mary’s Trust.
Back in April 2024, the Irish Ladies team won the European Division 3 Championship and three of those four players hail from Northern Ireland – Hannah Craig, Emma Lundy and Hannah McGugan. Other up and coming young female players are teenagers Shriya Drawid (below) and Lydia McQuillen – both still students at school.
Full Story – Local Women Sport – Madeline Perry Story
Irish Squash is seeking to appoint a Junior Secretary and a Senior Secretary to support the promotion and development of squash for their respective age groups. These are pivotal volunteer roles that require an in-depth understanding of the game, as well as the challenges and opportunities for players across the island of Ireland.
Applications are sought by the 2nd of August.
See Details of each role and how to apply below:
Irish Squash – Junior Secretary – Advertisement – July 2024
Irish Squash – Senior Secretary – Advertisement – July 2024
Dear Club Member,
