East of Ireland Championship
One of Ireland’s most prestigious amateur golf events, held at the home of Baltray
1942: First ever East of Ireland Championship
It all began in 1941…
The very first East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship was won at Baltray in 1941 by a young J.B. Carr of Sutton Golf Club — a man who would go on to become Ireland’s greatest ever amateur golfer. It was the first of his record 12 East of Ireland titles. The trophy that day was presented to him by Peter Morgan, Club Captain of County Louth Golf Club in 1941, marking the beginning of a championship that has now been played annually on these links for over 80 years. The championship was brought to life through the vision and determination of Josephine Connolly, who served as Secretary of County Louth Golf Club at the time of its founding. Josephine’s contribution to Baltray extended far beyond initiating the championship — she went on to serve as President of County Louth Golf Club for an extraordinary 27 years, from 1958 to 1985, leaving an indelible mark on the club and Irish amateur golf. The magnificent trophy presented to each champion was generously donated by the Peter Lyons family, one of the great family names woven into the fabric of Baltray.
Did you know?
A Star was Born at Baltray
The 2003 East of Ireland Championship at Baltray was the senior golf debut of a 14-year-old Rory McIlroy. The future six-time Major Champion and 2025 Masters winner would return to the Baltray links in 2009 to play in the Irish Open, and has played in almost every Irish Open since.
Hall of Fame – Champions Who Shaped the Game
Since its founding in 1941, the East of Ireland Championship has launched and celebrated some of the greatest names in Irish amateur golf. These are the champions whose records define the tournament’s remarkable legacy.
Joe B. Carr
12 titles
Sutton Golf Club · 1941–1969
1941 · 1943 · 1945 · 1946 · 1948 · 1956 · 1957 · 1958 · 1960 · 1961 · 1964 · 1969
Ireland’s greatest ever amateur golfer. 3× British Amateur Champion and 11 Walker Cup appearances. His record of 12 East of Ireland titles is considered untouchable.
Darren Clarke
1 title
Dungannon Golf Club · 1989
1989
Won at Baltray in 1989 before a legendary professional career. Clarke went on to win The Open Championship at Royal St George’s in 2011 and captained Europe’s Ryder Cup team in 2016.
Garth McGimpsey
3 titles
Bangor Golf Club · 1988–1998
1988 · 1994 · 1998
Three titles spanning a decade. One of Ireland’s most decorated amateur golfers and multiple Walker Cup representative.
Pat Mulcare
3 titles
Woodbrook Golf Club · 1971–1973
1971 · 1972 · 1973
Three consecutive titles from 1971 to 1973 — a remarkable hat-trick that remains one of the championship’s most impressive sequences.
Tom Craddock
3 titles
Malahide Golf Club · 1959–1966
1959 · 1965 · 1966
Three-time champion across eight years, Craddock was one of the most consistent Irish amateurs of his generation.
B.J. Scannell
3 titles
Woodbrook Golf Club · 1947–1955
1947 · 1954 · 1955
A dominant figure of the post-war amateur scene. Won his first title in 1947 after a playoff and went back-to-back in 1954 and 1955.
Noel Fox
3 titles
Portmarnock Golf Club · 1996–2002
1996 · 2000 · 2002
Three titles across the late 1990s and early 2000s, including a three-hole aggregate playoff victory in 2000.
Raymond Burns
2 titles
Banbridge Golf Club · 1992–1993
1992 · 1993
Back-to-back champion in 1992 and 1993. One of Ulster’s finest amateur golfers and a Walker Cup representative.
Alex Maguire
2 titles
Laytown & Bettystown · 2022–2023
2022 · 2023
The most recent back-to-back champion, retaining his title in 2023 after a dramatic three-hole aggregate playoff.
Roddy Carr
1 title
Sutton Golf Club · 1970
1970
Son of the great Joe Carr, Roddy won the championship the very year after his father’s last title — a unique father-and-son legacy.
Roll of Honour · 1941 – 2025
Fully verified April 2026 — every entry cross-checked against Irish Golf Desk official records. The club honours board is accurate in its entirety.
| Year | Winner | Club | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 – 1960 · The Early Years | ||||
| 1941 | J.B. Carr 12× Champion | Sutton | 301 | Inaugural Champion |
| 1942 | Kevin Garvey | Co. Louth | 302 | Home club winner |
| 1943 | J.B. Carr | Sutton | 305 | |
| 1944 | J.W. Hulme | Warrenpoint | 306 | |
| 1945 | J.B. Carr | Sutton | 302 | After playoff |
| 1946 | J.B. Carr | Sutton | 316 | |
| 1947 | B.J. Scannell | Woodbrook | 321 | After playoff |
| 1948 | J.B. Carr | Sutton | 296 | |
| 1949 | M. Ferguson | Dundalk | 305 | After playoff |
| 1950 | J.P. Carroll | Sutton | 311 | |
| 1951 | M. Power | Muskerry | 297 | |
| 1952 | N.V. Drew | Bangor | 306 | |
| 1953 | J.P. Carroll | Sutton | 303 | |
| 1954 | B.J. Scannell | Woodbrook | 298 | |
| 1955 | B.J. Scannell | Woodbrook | 298 | Back-to-back |
| 1956 | J.B. Carr | Sutton | 300 | |
| 1957 | J.B. Carr | Sutton | 287 | |
| 1958 | J.B. Carr | Sutton | 288 | |
| 1959 | Tom Craddock | Malahide | 294 | |
| 1960 | J.B. Carr | Sutton | 290 | |
| 1961 – 1980 · The Golden Generation | ||||
| 1961 | J.B. Carr | Sutton | 291 | |
| 1962 | T.W. Egan | Monkstown | 290 | |
| 1963 | G.N. Fogarty | Royal Dublin | 294 | |
| 1964 | J.B. Carr | Sutton | 292 | |
| 1965 | Tom Craddock | Malahide | 291 | |
| 1966 | Tom Craddock | Malahide | 288 | Back-to-back |
| 1967 | G.N. Fogarty | Royal Dublin | 293 | |
| 1968 | Paddy Caul | Malahide | 289 | |
| 1969 | J.B. Carr | Sutton | 292 | Final of 12 wins |
| 1970 | R.J. Carr | Sutton | 291 | Son of J.B. Carr · After playoff |
| 1971 | Pat Mulcare | Woodbrook | 281 | Hat-trick begins |
| 1972 | Pat Mulcare | Woodbrook | 292 | |
| 1973 | Pat Mulcare | Woodbrook | 291 | 3rd consecutive win |
| 1974 | H.B. Smyth | Royal County Down | 295 | |
| 1975 | A.J.C. Morrow | Portmarnock | 300 | |
| 1976 | Dinny White | Tullamore | 295 | |
| 1977 | Tom Cleary | Fermoy | 299 | Sudden-death playoff |
| 1978 | Mark Gannon | Co. Louth | 295 | Home club winner |
| 1979 | Arthur Pierse | Tipperary | 288 | Sudden-death playoff |
| 1980 | Paddy Caul | Malahide | 292 | Sudden-death playoff |
| 1981 – 2000 · The Modern Era | ||||
| 1981 | Declan Branigan | Laytown & Bettystown | 292 | |
| 1982 | Martin Sludds | The Island | 285 | |
| 1983 | A.J.C. Morrow | Portmarnock | 291 | |
| 1984 | Barry Reddan | Co. Louth | 293 | Home club winner |
| 1985 | Finbarr Ronan | Co. Louth | 286 | Home club winner |
| 1986 | Padraig Hogan | Elm Park | 291 | |
| 1987 | Paul Rayfus | Trim | 297 | |
| 1988 | Garth McGimpsey 3× Champion | Bangor | 283 | Walker Cup representative |
| 1989 | Darren Clarke Open Champion | Dungannon | 285 | Future 2011 Open Champion |
| 1990 | Denis O'Sullivan | Cork | 291 | |
| 1991 | Padraig Hogan | Elm Park | 293 | |
| 1992 | Raymond Burns Back-to-back | Banbridge | 279 | Walker Cup representative |
| 1993 | Raymond Burns | Banbridge | 278 | |
| 1994 | Garth McGimpsey | Bangor | 290 | |
| 1995 | Declan Branigan | Seapoint | 291 | After playoff |
| 1996 | Noel Fox | Portmarnock | 298 | |
| 1997 | Sean Quinlivan | Ballybunion | 303 | |
| 1998 | Garth McGimpsey | Bangor | 292 | Third title |
| 1999 | Ken Kearney | Galway | 277 | |
| 2000 | Noel Fox | Portmarnock | 287 | 3-hole aggregate playoff |
| 2001 – 2025 · The Contemporary Champions | ||||
| 2001 | Ken Kearney | Roscommon | 283 | |
| 2002 | Noel Fox | Portmarnock | 278 | Third title |
| 2003 | Michael Sinclair | Knock | 287 | |
| 2004 | Mark Campbell | Stackstown | 282 | |
| 2005 | Jim Carvill | Warrenpoint | 280 | |
| 2006 | Brendan McCarroll | Ballyliffin | 283 | |
| 2007 | Richard Kilpatrick | Banbridge | 275 | |
| 2008 | Eoin Arthurs | Forrest Little | 282 | |
| 2009 | Paul Cutler | Portstewart | 284 | |
| 2010 | Cian Curley | Newlands | 281 | |
| 2011 | Richard O'Donovan | Lucan | 286 | |
| 2012 | Chris Selfridge | Moyola Park | 286 | After playoff |
| 2013 | Paul Dunne | Greystones | 282 | |
| 2014 | Colm Campbell | Warrenpoint | 282 | |
| 2015 | Stuart Grehan | Tullamore | 212* | 54 holes due to weather |
| 2016 | Paul O'Hanlon | Carton House | 277 | |
| 2017 | Reece Black | Hilton Templepatrick | 283 | |
| 2018 | Christo Lamprecht | South Africa | 274 | |
| 2019 | Martin Vorster | South Africa | 279 | |
| 2020 · 2021 — No Championship held due to COVID-19 | ||||
| 2022 | Alex Maguire Back-to-back | Laytown & Bettystown | 280 | |
| 2023 | Alex Maguire | Laytown & Bettystown | 279 | 3-hole aggregate playoff |
| 2024 | Caolan Rafferty | Dundalk | 273 | |
| 2025 | David Howard | Fota Island | 283 | Won by one shot |
Rated by
Golfers Worldwide
Hear what visitors from around the world say about our iconic links.
Splash