The Time Traveller - The Maghera Matches

At a meeting of the Ulster Chess Union on the 21st October 1955, a letter from Derry Chess Club giving four proposals for obtaining closer contact with Belfast chess was read. Point 3 indicated that, "The Derry club will play any Belfast team in Maghera any Wednesday night." The meeting considered the proposal "attractive enough to merit consideration." The minutes record that, "Dr. Harte would be willing to take 3 or 4 in his car on Wednesday November 16th, 1955. Another car would be needed and perhaps Mr. Leslie (absent) would help. The various [club] secretaries present promised to make enquiries and let the Secretary know as soon as possible, if any of their members would be willing to travel on this date. Eight players would be required and 3 had already agreed, i.e. Dr. Harte, G.J. Boyd and E. Thomas."

At a further meeting of the UCU on the 11th November, Albert Long (the UCU Secretary) was able to inform the meeting that arrangements for the match had been completed. The eventual Belfast team for the match comprised 5 players from the Belfast Chess Club, and one each from Queen's University, Falls and CIYMS. The Derry Chess Club brought 8 boards and sets (no mention of clocks being used) and the Derry Secretary had arranged for 16 light suppers at the total cost of £2 (including use of room) at the playing venue, which was the "Diamond Café" in Maghera.

G. Duffy, who had finished second in the 1954 Ulster Championship, was originally due to play for the Belfast team, but was replaced by W.J. McWilliams. The Belfast team also lacked such strong players as R.A. Heaney (the 1955 Ulster Champion), A. Torney, A. W. Turner and J.B. Steen but it was still an indication of the strength of the Derry players when they won the match, albeit by the narrowest of margins.

Board	Belfast				3.5-4.5		Derry
1	J. Wrigley (QUB)		1-0		E. McGlinchey
2	G.J. Boyd (Belfast)		0-1		L. Jackson
3	Dr. Harte (Belfast)		Draw		E. O'Hare
4	P.J. Owens (Falls)		0-1		J.J. Strawbridge
5	G.W.O. Leslie (Belfast) 	1-0		G. O'Doherty
6	E. Thomas (CIYMS)		Draw		H. Boyd
7	H. Graham (Belfast)		Draw		A. McCafferty
8	W.J. McWilliams (Belfast)	0-1		M. Wilkinson

A rather stronger Belfast team turned the tables in the following year's match, with Dr. Harte and Mr. Leslie again providing the transport for the Belfast players.

Board	Belfast				5.5-2.5		Derry
1	Dr. J. Wrigley (QUB)		Draw		E. McGlinchey
2	G.J. Boyd (Belfast)		1-0		E. O'Hare
3	W. Stewart (CIYMS)		1-0		L. Jackson
4	J.G. McEwen (QUB)		Draw		H. Boyd
5	J.B. Steen (CIYMS)		Draw		M. Wilkinson
6	G.W.O. Leslie (Belfast) 	1-0		N. Gillespie
7	Dr. Harte (Belfast)		Draw		A. McCafferty
8	E.A. Thomas (CIYMS)		Draw		K. McFeeley

The third match saw the first player - John Strawbridge - to represent both teams. Having won on Board 4 of the inaugural match for Derry, he was now successful for Belfast on Board 7, in what was another convincing victory for the Belfast players.

Board	Belfast				5.5-2.5		Derry
1	Dr. J. Wrigley (QUB)		1-0		E. McGlinchey
2	G.J. Boyd (Belfast)		1-0		E. O'Hare
3	W. Stewart (CIYMS) 		Draw		L. Jackson
4	G.W.O. Leslie (Belfast) 	1-0		H. Boyd
5	Dr. Harte (Belfast)		Draw		H. Brady
6	J.B. Steen (CIYMS)		0-1		M. Wilkinson
7	J.J. Strawbridge (Belfast)	1-0		N. Gillespie
8	E. Thomas (CIYMS)		Draw		K. McFeeley

The fourth match was originally planned for Tuesday 28th October, but was postponed for a couple of weeks. The Derry Club not only brought 8 boards and sets, but also 6 clocks on this occasion. Eddie Thomas, the captain of the Belfast team, decided only to fix the playing order of his team on arrival at Maghera "as it was desirable that there should be some variety in the placings to avoid the same men playing each other year after year." The second and third matches had indeed seen the same pairings in five of the eight games, while in 1958 only Stewart and Jackson again played each other. Derry levelled the series at two wins apiece.

Board	Belfast				3.0-5.0		Derry
1	G.J. Boyd (Belfast)		0-1		E. McGlinchey
2	G. Kearney (CIYMS)		0-1		E. O'Hare
3	E Hall (Belfast)		1-0		H. Boyd
4	W. Stewart (CIYMS)		Draw		L. Jackson
5	J.B. Steen (CIYMS)		Draw		H. Brady
6	Dr. Harte (Belfast)		0-1		J.L. Finlay
7	G.W.O. Leslie (Belfast) 	1-0		A. McCafferty
8	E. Thomas (CIYMS)		0-1		J. Begley

There was no match in 1959. The reason for this is given in the minutes for the UCU meeting of 16th October 1959: "As the two gentlemen on whom we depend for transport were unavoidably absent, no arrangements could be made." The match was also not played in 1960 and 1961.However on the 14th October 1962, Albert Long wrote to Hubert Boyd of the Derry Club: "It has been suggested, if you are agreeable, that the Derry v Belfast matches should be resumed. The match to be held at Maghera, over 8 boards. Each side to bring 4 clocks, 4 boards and sets. Friday and Saturday would suit the Belfast players. Thursday is unsuitable for QUB students of which about half the team will be composed. Will you suggest a date about end of October or beginning of November and let me know." The Derry Club accepted the proposal for the renewal of hostilities and the fifth match in the series was played at Walsh's Hotel, Maghera. The match in fact turned out to be played over 9 boards. Of the Derry team only Carlin was a newcomer to the match, while conversely only Thomas of the Belfast team had played before. Short & Harland Chess Club provided 3 members of the Belfast team, but there was no one from the Belfast Club, which had been the mainstay of the earlier matches. The match was drawn.

Board	Belfast				4.5-4.5		Derry
1	M. P. Furmston (QUB)		Draw		E. O'Hare 
2	J. D. Peebles (S&H)		0-1		H. Boyd 
3	N. C. Mulholland (O.C.) 	1-0		E. McGlinchey
4	E. Whiteside (CIYMS)		Draw		J. L. Finlay
5	J. N. Johnston (S&H)		0-1		L. Jackson
6	W. D. Taylor (QUB)		Draw		H. Brady
7	H. MacGrillen (St Paul's)	1-0		A. McCafferty
8	S. Livingston (S&H)		1-0		B. Carlin
9	E. Thomas (CIYMS)		0-1		N. Gillespie

No match was arranged for 1963. The reason seems to have been problems arranging transport for the Belfast players as this excerpt in a September 1964 letter from Long to Jackson suggests: "Our difficulty about [the Maghera match] has always been transport. Strawbridge says either Thursday 5th or 19th November would suit him and he could take three passengers. If we can get another car and the date suits, we will probably get the match going again." In a letter of the 26th October, Long was able to confirm that he had eight players for the match.

Board	Belfast				5.5-2.5		Derry
1	H. MacGrillen (QUB)		1-0		E. McGlinchey
2	E. Whiteside (CIYMS)		0-1		H. Boyd
3	P. Mulgrew (St Paul's)  	0-1		J.L. Finlay
4	A. Pinkerton (CIYMS)		Draw		L. Jackson
5	D. McKibbin (CIYMS)		1-0		B. McCafferty
6	L. Graham (CIYMS)		1-0		J. McCallion
7	J.J. Strawbridge (Belfast)	1-0		J. Simpson
8	E. Thomas (CIYMS)		1-0		B. Carlin

This win put Belfast one up in the Maghera series. The match was not played in 1965. In the following two years the Derry Club played in Division 1 the Belfast & District League and it was considered by the UCU that the Maghera match was superfluous. In 1968 Derry ceased playing in the League but it was not until 1974 that the friendly rivalry between Belfast and Derry resumed. The matches have continued intermittently ever since (in recent years expanded and re-badged as East of Bann v West of Bann) but the match has never returned to Maghera.