The Irish under-23 national badminton championships took place on Saturday in Ramsgrange Community School in county Wexford.  The cream of Ireland’s youthful badminton talent made the long trip to the model county to try and create their own unique piece of history and enter the records books as the first ever winners of the inaugural event.   There was also the added incentive of endeavouring to secure places on the Irish under-23 international team to face Norway in Lisburn on Friday next.

Young Jim Morgan (Pembroke B.C.) took the Mixed Doubles Title in the Cumbrian Classic last weekend. Jim travelled to Carlisle with a few of his Northern Ireland colleagues - Nelson McDowell, Ciaran McMahon and Christine Graham.

Like last year Badminton Ireland’s National Badminton week started off with a Juvenile tournament in Sligo, attracting many players from all the four provinces.

Fourteen Wimbledon badminton players lead by Jenny Lacey travelled to Dublin last weekend to play in an invitational team tournament organised by Siobhan Grehan of Mount Pleasant. In July this year, a number of Siobhan’s colleague’s travelled to Surrey to play in a similar tournament, so this was the return visit.

After over 20 years involved in Badminton and the Leinster Branch Executive, Declan McGinn is taking a break.

There were points to prove in the opening Ulster Juvenile U/17 tournament of the badminton season in Lisburn last weekend. In the girls singles No. 1 seed Ciara Brady was toppled by Kirsty Kelly at the quarter final stages with a convincing score 25-23, 21-8. Likewise in the bottom half of the draw Caroline Oliver ousted the No. 2 seed Laura Butler with a 2 set score 21-17, 21-7. Kelly went on to the final to meet Oliver, not before Oliver had beaten Irish selected Ruth Roddis in the semi-final 21-12, 21-9. In the final, both Dublin girls battled it out on court but Oliver was stronger on the day and won the title 21-11, 21-9.

Aer Lingus and Air Canada Badminton Clubs hosted an International Airlines Badminton Tournament in ALSAA Sports Hall on Saturday 22nd September 2007.

The Irish Badminton season '07 opened with the 1st major tournament, the Autumn Open. All players descended on the Terenure Badminton Centre to compete for the €2,610 prize money which was sponsored by 4 different companies: Cúram Software, Paul Arnold Electrical Services, AOK Learning, and Rackets.ie. 3 players travelled from Glasgow, siblings Stuart and Jaclyn Gilliland and a friend Alan Martin, and the rest of the competitors travelled from all four provinces in Ireland.

Congratulations to the following players who are selected for the Irish U/17 Team that will play in the Polonia Cup in Istanbul on the October 24-28.

Team Selected:

Can you help keep this tournament alive???

The inaugural Adult Summer Badminton Bonanza took place on Saturday 28^th July ’07 in our Terenure Centre. “A Badminton Tournament in July”  was a great success with over 70 adults travelling from Cork, Wicklow, Kildare, Limerick, Dublin and even 2 competitors made the journey from Wimbledon  and France.

Breda Connolly presented the five players who are representing Ireland in the Shanghai Special Olympic's '07, with a cert and Racket bag (Full Of Goodies) and Martyn Evans also gave each of the players a racket.Breda wished them all the best in the Olympics and also thanked all the Coaches Unpires and helpers who  helped this team get ready for the Games which is on from the 2nd to 11th October 2007. More Photos in the Gallery.

Jens Eriksson, from Stockhlm, has been travelling around Ireland with Brenda Barry (Badminton Ireland) giving coaching sessions under the "Women In Sport" initiative. Jens who is 35 years old is playing top class badminton for Fyrusfyadern in Sweden and is currently the Swedish Under 15 Coach.