Irish Chess Union

The Irish Chess Union (ICU), formed in 1912, is the governing body for chess in Ireland and a member of FIDE since 1933 and the European Chess Union. The ICU promotes Chess in the Republic of Ireland and maintains the chess rating for players registered with the ICU, which are published three times a year. It runs competitions such as the Irish Chess Championship and selects teams to participate in international competitions for Ireland.

Until 2005, the Ulster Chess Union, which administers and develops chess in Northern Ireland, was affiliated to the Irish Chess Union.

Before the establishment of the ICU, chess competitions in Ireland were run under organisations named The Irish Chess Association (formed in 1885), the Hibernia Chess Association, or various chess clubs. The Armstrong Cup is the oldest Irish team league competition and has been played every year since 1888, perhaps giving it a claim on the longest running chess competition in the world.

While chess in Ireland has been concentrated around the big cities of Dublin, Belfast and Cork, there are a number of clubs throughout the country such as those in Ballinasloe, Derry, Drogheda, Ennis, Enniscorthy Galway, Kilkenny, Portadown and Wicklow, to name but a few. Leagues are held in the provinces, with the winning teams (and runners up) playing off in the National Club Championships (although in recent years the Ulster leagues have not participated). The winning team and runners up are entered into the European Club Championships.