The O'Hanlon Cup is the fourth division of the Leinster Leagues, run by the Leinster Chess Union. Originally it was the third division, but since the establishment in 1970 of the Heidenfeld Trophy as the second tier, the O'Hanlon became the fourth division. The trophy is named after the nine times Irish Chess Champion[1], John (J.J.) O'Hanlon[2]. The trophy was used before the setting up of the league as a prize for chess in Connaught by the Irish Chess Union.

O'Hanlon Cup, pic: MG.

The top two teams each year get promoted to the Ennis Shield and the bottom teams (2 or 3) get demoted to the BEA Cup. Players have to be registered with the Irish Chess Union. All games are rated by the ICU, and in 2023/24 for the first time games were rated by FIDE.

• O'Hanlon Cup - Division 3
• 1956 - Colmcille [7]
• 1957 - Kevin Barry [7]
• 1958 - Eoghan Ruadh [7]
• 1959 - Trinity [11, 7]
•  
• 1960 - Dun Laoghaire
• 1961 - O'Hanlon Chess Club (the blind club)
• 1962 - Dublin [7]
• 1963 - Kevin Barry [7]
• 1964 - UCD [7]
• 1965 - no year engraved [9]
• 1966 - Phibsboro [7]
• 1968 - Aer Lingus [7]
• 1969 - Rathmines [3] [7]
•  
• O'Hanlon Cup - Division 4
• 1970 - no year engraved [9]
• 1971 - Sandymount [7]
• 1972 - UCD [7] or 1 Kevin Barry, 2 Kilkenny [4]
• 1973 - Arklow [7]
• 1974 - Printers [7]
• 1975 - Dundrum FRC [9]
• 1976 - Dublin University (TCD) [9]
• 1977 - UCD [9]
• 1978 - Ierne [9]
• 1979 - Bray/Greystones [9]
•  
• 1980 - Guinness [9]
• 1981 - Athlone [9]
• 1982 - Lucan [9]
• 1983 - Gonzaga [9]
• 1984 - Drogheda [9]
• 1985 - IIRS [9]
• 1986 - no year engraved [9]
• 1987 - no year engraved [9]
• 1988 - Gonzaga [9]
• 1989 - no year engraved [9]
•  
• 1990 - no year engraved [9]
• 1991 - Celbridge [9] or Tallaght [10]
• 1992 - Curragh [5, 9]
• 1993 - no year engraved [9]
• 1994 - no year engraved [9]
• 1995 - Trinity CC [11, 9]
• 1996 - UCD [9]
• 1997 - St. Benildus [6], no engraving following year [9]
• 1998 - Public Services [9]
• 1999 - UCD [9]
•  
• 2000 - Aer Lingus
• 2001 - no engraving following year
• 2002 - Dublin University
• 2003 - 1 Gonzaga [9], 2 Curragh [8]
• 2004 - Jobstown
• 2005 - Inchicore
• 2006 - Aer Lingus
• 2007 - Kilkenny
• 2008 - Royal Lopez
• 2009 - Finglas
•  
• 2010 - Rathmines
• 2011 - Naomh Barróg A
• 2012 - Cavan
• 2013 - Drogheda
• 2014 - Ballinasloe
• 2015 - Round Tower
• 2016 - Gonzaga
• 2017 - St. Benildus A
• 2018 - Dublin University
• 2019 - Gonzaga, (not engraved [9])
•  
• 2020 - Kilkenny - Season cut short due to Covid
• 2021 - Not held during Covid restrictions
• 2022 - Not held during Covid restrictions
• 2023 - Dundalk, (engraved 'The Town' by Dundalk [9])
• 2024 - Master Chess Club

Author unknown. Copied from Wikipedia in 2024 and edited by John Loughran. Mark Gonnelly sent a picture with winners for many missing years from engraving on the cup [7], as did Hector (Vjekoslav) Novak [9]. Apart from filling in missing winners it also contradicted the winners for 1972 as above.

Where a year was engraved followed by no winner it is possible that the competition ran but the cup was not engraved, as likely happened in 1997. Where no year was engraved it is possible that the competition was not held, or that it was held but the winners were not engraved on it. Mark Gonnelly feels that the competition was run in the years where there was no engraving, as he does not recall there ever being any contemporaneous discussion about it not taking place. He also notes a once important strand of Irish chess life - the 'business houses' teams, including Printers, Eolas (formerly IIRS - the government standards agency), Social Welfare, Guinness, Aer Lingus, POESSBA/TESSBA (post office/telecom engineers), at least one of the banks. Of these, only Aer Lingus remain.

Please send corrections and updates to John Loughran on skerrieschess.com/contact.