Last weekend, the Irish county of Mayo – best known for giving the world Louis Walsh (for better or worse) – played host to the INDO Irish National Singles Weekend. Under the roof of the Great National Hotel in Ballina, the very best amateur darting talent in Ireland gathered in pursuit of national glory.
The weekend featured a packed programme: Players Championships, Development Tours, Ranking Singles, and of course, the crown jewels – the Men’s and Ladies’ Irish National Singles.
Friday’s curtain raiser saw three Players Championship titles dished out, with Darren Grimes, Chris Dunnion, and Tyler O’Connor taking top honours in events A, B, and C respectively.
Then came Saturday – and with it, the kind of drama, passion, and precision that make Irish darts so special. After a long, gruelling day of high-quality action, four champions emerged from the chaos.
In the Men’s National Singles, Dubliner Killian McCormack edged out Gerard McGlynn 3–2 in a final of the highest calibre – a fitting finale to a fiercely competitive field.
Over in the Ladies’ National Singles, it was Denise Cassidy who was probably over the rainbow as well as the moon, overcoming the ever-dangerous Katie Sheldon in straight sets to secure the title.
Youth darts, meanwhile, is alive and well on the Emerald Isle. Charlie O’Connor and Ruby Grace took centre stage, claiming the Irish National Boys’ and Girls’ titles respectively. The Meath youngster O’Connor showed composure beyond his years to defeat Jack Caufield, while Grace sparkled in her final, racing past Emma Stapleton to take the crown.
After a quick reset (and perhaps a well-earned pint or two), Sunday brought more tungsten theatrics. In the Irish Men’s Ranking final, Raymond Mulvey defeated Stephen Rosney 6–3 in a belter of a match, both players averaging north of 90. The Carrick-on-Suir thrower was in ‘Tipp-top’ form, and few could argue he didn’t deserve the win.
Fresh from WDF World Cup team glory in South Korea, Robyn Byrne made it a dream weekend, adding yet another title to her ever-growing collection by edging Katie Sheldon 5–4 in a dramatic decider that went all the way to the wire.
Finally, in the Irish Development Tour, Ben Mulvey came out on top after an enthralling clash with Dylan Quinn – the ideal way to bring the curtain down on a weekend brimming with talent, tension, and top-tier tungsten.
From emerging youngsters to seasoned veterans, Mayo witnessed the very heartbeat of Irish darts. The passion, the camaraderie, the relentless pursuit of perfection – safe to say, the future of Irish darts looks not just bright, but positively dazzling.
——ENDS—–
Images: PDC
