Nenagh’s New Institute Snooker Club in County Tipperary & AMC Cue Sports are hosting their largest ever competition, The Nenagh Open, it’s the 13th edition of the event, with an entry of 45, in the five-table club, which will run through 22nd October until 26th October 2026.
Similar to last year, this season’s tournament is set to be the biggest ever with players from four different countries competing for the 16,400-euro prize fund, with the first prize of 5,000 euro. Five ex-pros are competing along with the top amateurs from around the world. It promises to be an exciting event. For the player’s that don’t qualify for the knock-out stages in the main event, there is a second chance tournament to play in throughout the last couple of days, this was won last year by Andy McCloskey.
A truly magical festival of snooker last year, on the table as well as off it, in regards atmosphere, with razzamatazz. The whole town came together for the club and the visiting players, making them feel welcome and getting treated like royalty, i.e. with lifts organised for players. Brendan O’Donoghue and Andy McCluskey have done something unique with the Nenagh Open, they have changed a well-run and supported amateur event through generous sponsorship last year from Carey’s Glass and other local businesses, into something of a professional event played by amateurs, they leave no stone unturned in their approach, with accommodation and after a long day’s play, a social gathering usually in Andy Flynn’s pub. This is a club that took down a table and levelled out the ground to put in a new table. Like all great events, the matter is in the detail. Last year’s event was sanctioned by the world amateur snooker body, IBSF and also received help from the national game’s association, SBI. The Lough Derg Tourism Board has endorsed the tournament, any foreign players coming over, would do well to take on some of the scenic routes on their off days, that the county of Tipperary and neighbouring counties has to offer. We would hope that everyone, but especially the foreign players will enjoy their trip to the tournament. Just as the Irish players enjoyed going to the American tournaments.
Who could forget last year’s scene, when local man, Brendan O’Donoghue, not only ran the event like clockwork, as tournament director, summoned up every ounce of energy and the will he had to cross the finish line in winning the event for the second-time. A fantastic achievement, one that surely ranks high in the already bursting CV of the seven times Irish Amateur Champion. What made this a different tournament to the rest last year, the terrific blanket coverage, from morning till night that OX Billiards Youtube Channel gave the tournament. With Christian Younger being the head tech man and commentary and Dave Burnie providing commentary, presenting, interviewer and compere giving the production and tournament, a finished polished gem.
The event started in August 2013, originally sponsored by the Abbey Court Hotel, there only has been four ever winners of the event, David Hogan, Davy Morris, Brendan O’Donoghue and Aaron Hill. Since last year, the Nenagh Open has turned into a different animal. Player’s will be using August, September and early October events to get ready for the showdown. It hasn’t got the history of the Irish Amateur Championships but there is no other amateur event that comes close to the event. Irish snooker historian’s will say the Nenagh Open is of the elk of big tournaments from years ago, i.e. 1983 Evening Herald Tournament, with a prize fund of 10,000 punts, with the RTE showing the final between Mick Kane and Jimmy Long, the 1984 Seiko-Tallaght International Amateur Snooker Tournament, won by Malta’s Tony Drago defeating Welshman Steve Newbury 5-1 and picking up 3,000 punts, the Mint Pro-Am in 1991 won by a 15 year old John Higgins defeating Ken Doherty and receiving 5,000 punts. Also the Liam O’Connor Memorial Pro-Am held between 2003 to 2005 held in Gleneagles Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry, won by Ken Doherty and Dominic Dale. Over the last few season’s we have seen large financial events go the extra mile, the Blackstaff Handicap Classic held in Blackstaff, Belfast and The Newbridge Pro-Am held in Newbridge CYMS.
If the Irish Amateurs is the World Championships in the domestic game, the Nenagh Open is the UK Championship. From day one of the event back in 2013, the event’s format had best of 7 frames. The entry fee is the big change, from 30 euro to adding a nought to it. There’s pluses and minuses to this, but ultimately the best players come out and are prepared for it. Critics can go on about it being elitist and it doesn’t add to the Irish snooker calendar. My counter is, I think there’s a knock-on effect with other tournaments, it adds to them to the lead up to this one. Everyone is trying to get practice and match play. I see a simple 8-man event last year, the previous week held in the Academy Club, just off Blanchardstown, Dublin; you could feel the buzz in the room in Dublin that day. This was all created by the two Tipperary boys’ creation. They should be commended by doing something different and unique. Definitely, a return of an old school event, where players stay around and have a social, sing song and many conversations about snooker. It can only be a good thing.
They have also run two successful tournaments in America, Sacramento (March 2025) & Seattle (March 2026). Without their professional team, they would have all these ideas but nowhere to go. A team that consists of Christian Younger, OX Billiards Channel owner, Rodney Goggins doing commentary, unfortunately Dave Burnie won’t be able to make the trip this time, he will be badly missed and Desislava Bozhilova, head referee and World Snooker referee.
Thank you for this year’s sponsorship of the 2026 Nenagh Open.
Andy Flynns
- Kirby Group
- Talbot’s Mens Wear
- Mr Binman
- Abbey Court Hotel
- Up Eats
- The Peppermill
- AMC Office Services
- Cue Action Store
- Costello’s Oil
- Romanos
The Nenagh Open starts this Thursday, 22nd October at 10am and continues for five days and ends on Bank Holiday Monday, 26th October.
All spectators are welcome. For folk and players that can’t get down to support the tournament, there will be a streaming service for the tournament with live commentary courtesy of the company, OX Billiards YouTube Channel.
We look forward in anticipation.
Roll of Honour
- 2013 David Hogan 4-1 Michael Judge
- 2014 David Hogan 5-2 Robert Murphy
- 2015 Davy Morris (Pro) 4-3 Brendan O’Donoghue
