Monksland chess team to compete in Community Games national final

By Rebekah O'Reilly

The Monksland U13 Chess team is set to compete in the Community Games chess final for the second year in a row.

Taking place on July 5 in Watershed, Kilkenny, the competition will see the local team go up against their peers from across the country.

Monksland U13 Chess Team is made up of six local kids from Cloonakilla NS, Summerhill NS, and Cornafulla NS: Addhrit Bhushan, Adhiraj Bhushan, Aaron Sheehy, Cuan Ryan, Cormac Gallagher, and Eleanor Neary.

The team won the Roscommon county final in April of this year, going on to be named the Connaught champions later that month.

"It's absolutely fantastic to see them get to the All-Ireland final for the second year in a row," said Kelly Marie Neary, Chairperson of Monksland Town Team.

"This is only the second year Drum, Clonown, and Monksland Community Games have had a chess team. The kids work really hard. There is always a lot of focus on sporting events, so it's nice to see something different, and it's brilliant to see that there are other opportunities out there for children as well."

The Monksland U13 Chess team trains every Thursday from 8pm to 9.30pm in the Monksland Community Centre.

Ms Neary expressed her gratitude to the sponsors of the team Tim Dolan in SuperValu Monksland who sponsored the jerseys for the team, Angela and Annette from Monksland Community Centre for volunteering the room for the kids to train in, Eugene Pettit from Luan Sports who made the jerseys.

She also shared her appreciation for Regina Kelly from the Community Games for all of her support, as well as Paula Sheehy and Purnima Bhushan for coaching the team.

"If it wasn't for them, this wouldn't be possible," Ms Neary added.