Page 117 - Gonzaga at 60
P. 117
The Irish Chess Union A PALACE OF LEARNING
recently awarded A 12-year old walks down a dusty corridor in Gonzaga, and hears
life-membership to Beethoven’s ninth blaring from one of the rooms. He opens the door to
three men who, as ind a dozen boys lined up playing blitz with a supervising caped igure
kibitzing at the top of his voice.
In the Soviet Union, they had insituions called Palaces of Young
teachers, had let their Pioneers, where talented kids could hone their skills in whatever talent
mark on generaions of had gained them entry. Gerry Murphy was like the chess teacher at one
of these schools. He never showed me a single chess move, yet all of my
schoolchildren as teachers posiive experiences in chess are thanks to him. The scale of his eforts
verged on the inexplicable; driving kids to tournaments and matches,
and chess coaches. Some opening the school at night for league games, organising muliple
of their former students internal compeiions and penning dramaic reports of their progress.
Even when he started composing music and releasing CDs, he always
were invited to write about found ime to run the chess club.
When I won a medal at the Bled Olympiad, Gerry wore it for a full
the men who shaped weekend. When I wrote my irst chess book, I dedicated it to him. He
is genuinely proud of the achievements of all of his players – not only
their early understanding when Mark Quinn, Gordon Freeman, Alan Peart, Eoghan Casey or Adam
Kelly wins a tournament, but when some 1000-rated 13-year-old wins
of the game. Two past on ime in a drawn king & pawn endgame. Gerry gets more of a kick out
pupils, Sam Collins and of the game than anyone, and showing him a nice win at the end of a
tournament was always a rewarding experience.
I owe a lot to Gerry. He deserves every accolade the Irish chess
Mark Quinn, recognised community can give him.
Sam Collins
by the Union as ‘two of Class of 2001
the strongest players in Sam Collins, as well a being one Gonzaga’s disinguished debaters,
Ireland today’, immediately is an Internaional Master. He won the Irish Championship in 2002,
competed in several World and European junior championships and has
volunteered to write about represented Ireland in two Olympiads, winning a gold medal at Bled in
2002. He is also an experienced chess teacher who has lectured at the
Gerry Murphy Berkeley Chess School in California. He is the author of numerous books
on chess.
Sam is pictured above taking Alexander Grischuk – World No. 7 – to a
draw at the 39th World Chess Olympiad
recently awarded A 12-year old walks down a dusty corridor in Gonzaga, and hears
life-membership to Beethoven’s ninth blaring from one of the rooms. He opens the door to
three men who, as ind a dozen boys lined up playing blitz with a supervising caped igure
kibitzing at the top of his voice.
In the Soviet Union, they had insituions called Palaces of Young
teachers, had let their Pioneers, where talented kids could hone their skills in whatever talent
mark on generaions of had gained them entry. Gerry Murphy was like the chess teacher at one
of these schools. He never showed me a single chess move, yet all of my
schoolchildren as teachers posiive experiences in chess are thanks to him. The scale of his eforts
verged on the inexplicable; driving kids to tournaments and matches,
and chess coaches. Some opening the school at night for league games, organising muliple
of their former students internal compeiions and penning dramaic reports of their progress.
Even when he started composing music and releasing CDs, he always
were invited to write about found ime to run the chess club.
When I won a medal at the Bled Olympiad, Gerry wore it for a full
the men who shaped weekend. When I wrote my irst chess book, I dedicated it to him. He
is genuinely proud of the achievements of all of his players – not only
their early understanding when Mark Quinn, Gordon Freeman, Alan Peart, Eoghan Casey or Adam
Kelly wins a tournament, but when some 1000-rated 13-year-old wins
of the game. Two past on ime in a drawn king & pawn endgame. Gerry gets more of a kick out
pupils, Sam Collins and of the game than anyone, and showing him a nice win at the end of a
tournament was always a rewarding experience.
I owe a lot to Gerry. He deserves every accolade the Irish chess
Mark Quinn, recognised community can give him.
Sam Collins
by the Union as ‘two of Class of 2001
the strongest players in Sam Collins, as well a being one Gonzaga’s disinguished debaters,
Ireland today’, immediately is an Internaional Master. He won the Irish Championship in 2002,
competed in several World and European junior championships and has
volunteered to write about represented Ireland in two Olympiads, winning a gold medal at Bled in
2002. He is also an experienced chess teacher who has lectured at the
Gerry Murphy Berkeley Chess School in California. He is the author of numerous books
on chess.
Sam is pictured above taking Alexander Grischuk – World No. 7 – to a
draw at the 39th World Chess Olympiad
