1902

The Belfast News-Letter chess column for 23 January 1902 reported:

“At a meeting of representatives on 18th inst., in the rooms of Belfast Chess Club, the arrangements for the Inter-Club Ulster Tournament were completed. This season four clubs will compete, viz,:- Belfast, Strandtown, Victoria and Waringstown. Play commences this week, and there is no doubt but that the contest will be very stiff. At the same meeting arrangements were also made for the Ulster Chess Championship. It is not yet known how many will compete.

1901-1902 ULSTER TROPHY

The Belfast News-Letter chess column for 17 April 1902 reported on the conclusion of the competitive club season and in particular on the match between the Belfast and Waringstown Clubs on 12 April in the Shankill Buildings, Lurgan:

"Belfast players turned up one short, and were handicapped to that extent, but even the presence of the eighth player would not have altered the result, as the home team were victorious by 5.5 to 2.5. The following is the score:-

Belfast         Waringstown
R.D. Hill    0  J.J. O'Hanlon    1
W. Steen     0  J. Reddick       1
G. Leathem   =  J. Glover        =
R. Olley     1  Dr. Frier        0
A.W. Hutton  0  T.R. McCluggage  1
H. Pring     0  J. Carson        1
R. Boyd      1  D.E. Henning     0
Default      0  W. Hilary        1
            2.5                 5.5

This was the last match in this season for the Ulster trophy, and as so much depended on the result, it was very stoutly contested. The winning of it by Waringstown entitles that club to the possession of the trophy for this year, and this result is all the more creditable, as it is the first time time for the club to take part in the competition."

Final Crosstable

RANK CLUB         Wa  Vi  Be  St  Total
1    WARINGSTOWN  xx  01  =1  =1   4.0
2    VICTORIA     10  xx  =0  11   3.5
3    BELFAST      =0  1=  xx  0=   2.5
4    STRANDTOWN   =0  00  1=  xx   2.0

ULSTER CHAMPIONSHIP

The Belfast News-Letter reported on 1 May 1902

“A very interesting contest for the title of Ulster chess champion is at present in progress. Mr. J.J. O’Hanlon represents the victorious Waringstown Chess Club, Mr. J. Carey the Belfast chess Club, Mr. J.A. Heaney the Victoria Chess Club. The representative of the Strandtown Chess Club has not yet been decided.”

In the following week’s chess column the News-Letter reported that W. Y. Chamberlain had won the Strandtown club championship and was representing the club in the Ulster Championship.

A further week later, the News-Letter was already reporting the final result. O’Hanlon, who had captained Waringstown to victory in the Inter-Club tournament, had also triumphed in the Ulster individual championship.

Ulster Championship Final Standings

1. J. J. O’Hanlon 2.5/3.0 
(The other competitors were J. W. Carey, W. Y. Chamberlain and R. A. Heaney.)