Chess at St. Cronan's Senior National School
St. Cronan’s Senior National School has a strong tradition of promoting sportsmanship and providing pupils with opportunities to represent their school. In recent years, there has been a renewed enthusiasm for chess among our students, both at home and in school.
To support this interest, the school has invested in screen-free games for use during the school day, particularly during wet weather. Each class has access to chess boards, and six outdoor chess tables have recently been added to enhance our playground experiences.
Our school proudly participated in the Ficheall Chess Hour in November 2025, with 364 pupils and 14 adults playing chess simultaneously. We hope to build on this success and involve even more participants in the future.
The Checkmate Chess Club, introduced three years ago as an after-school activity, continues to go from strength to strength. Our school has been represented at the annual Ficheall Chess Tournament each January for the past two years, and last year we hosted the tournament in our school hall, welcoming four schools from North County Dublin for a day of chess, strategy and teamwork.
We are also proud of three 6th class pupils who won 1st Prize in a Ficheall podcast competition last June, with judges praising their “fantastic storytelling.”
Chess helps develop key life skills such as patience, resilience, respect, planning ahead and learning to accept both success and defeat. With the support of Ficheall’s online lessons (www.ficheall.ie), pupils can develop their chess skills and share their learning with others.
To support this interest, the school has invested in screen-free games for use during the school day, particularly during wet weather. Each class has access to chess boards, and six outdoor chess tables have recently been added to enhance our playground experiences.
Our school proudly participated in the Ficheall Chess Hour in November 2025, with 364 pupils and 14 adults playing chess simultaneously. We hope to build on this success and involve even more participants in the future.
The Checkmate Chess Club, introduced three years ago as an after-school activity, continues to go from strength to strength. Our school has been represented at the annual Ficheall Chess Tournament each January for the past two years, and last year we hosted the tournament in our school hall, welcoming four schools from North County Dublin for a day of chess, strategy and teamwork.
We are also proud of three 6th class pupils who won 1st Prize in a Ficheall podcast competition last June, with judges praising their “fantastic storytelling.”
Chess helps develop key life skills such as patience, resilience, respect, planning ahead and learning to accept both success and defeat. With the support of Ficheall’s online lessons (www.ficheall.ie), pupils can develop their chess skills and share their learning with others.