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Arnotts Sponsors the East of Ireland Championship

East of Ireland Men’s Amateur Open Championship from 29–31 May 2026.
County Louth Golf Club clubhouse with East of Ireland Championship trophy and Arnotts plaque beside it
East of Ireland Men’s Amateur Open Championship from 29–31 May 2026.

East of Ireland Men’s Amateur Open Championship from 29–31 May 2026.

Arnotts has announced its headline sponsorship of the East of Ireland Men’s Amateur Open Championship at County Louth Golf Club, Baltray, marking the launch of Golf at Arnotts — a new in-store golf destination bringing together premium brands including Peter Millar and RLX Ralph Lauren Golf. The partnership reunites one of Ireland’s most iconic retailers with a sport that has long been part of its heritage.

1942 K Garvey J Carbery

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.

YearWinnerClubScoreNotes
1941 – 1960 · The Early Years
1941J.B. Carr 12× ChampionSutton301Inaugural Champion
1942Kevin GarveyCo. Louth302Home club winner
1943J.B. CarrSutton305
1944J.W. HulmeWarrenpoint306
1945J.B. CarrSutton302After playoff
1946J.B. CarrSutton316
1947B.J. ScannellWoodbrook321After playoff
1948J.B. CarrSutton296
1949M. FergusonDundalk305After playoff
1950J.P. CarrollSutton311
1951M. PowerMuskerry297
1952N.V. DrewBangor306
1953J.P. CarrollSutton303
1954B.J. ScannellWoodbrook298
1955B.J. ScannellWoodbrook298Back-to-back
1956J.B. CarrSutton300
1957J.B. CarrSutton287
1958J.B. CarrSutton288
1959Tom CraddockMalahide294
1960J.B. CarrSutton290
1961 – 1980 · The Golden Generation
1961J.B. CarrSutton291
1962T.W. EganMonkstown290
1963G.N. FogartyRoyal Dublin294
1964J.B. CarrSutton292
1965Tom CraddockMalahide291
1966Tom CraddockMalahide288Back-to-back
1967G.N. FogartyRoyal Dublin293
1968Paddy CaulMalahide289
1969J.B. CarrSutton292Final of 12 wins
1970R.J. CarrSutton291Son of J.B. Carr · After playoff
1971Pat MulcareWoodbrook281Hat-trick begins
1972Pat MulcareWoodbrook292
1973Pat MulcareWoodbrook2913rd consecutive win
1974H.B. SmythRoyal County Down295
1975A.J.C. MorrowPortmarnock300
1976Dinny WhiteTullamore295
1977Tom ClearyFermoy299Sudden-death playoff
1978Mark GannonCo. Louth295Home club winner
1979Arthur PierseTipperary288Sudden-death playoff
1980Paddy CaulMalahide292Sudden-death playoff
1981 – 2000 · The Modern Era
1981Declan BraniganLaytown & Bettystown292
1982Martin SluddsThe Island285
1983A.J.C. MorrowPortmarnock291
1984Barry ReddanCo. Louth293Home club winner
1985Finbarr RonanCo. Louth286Home club winner
1986Padraig HoganElm Park291
1987Paul RayfusTrim297
1988Garth McGimpsey 3× ChampionBangor283Walker Cup representative
1989Darren Clarke Open ChampionDungannon285Future 2011 Open Champion
1990Denis O'SullivanCork291
1991Padraig HoganElm Park293
1992Raymond Burns Back-to-backBanbridge279Walker Cup representative
1993Raymond BurnsBanbridge278
1994Garth McGimpseyBangor290
1995Declan BraniganSeapoint291After playoff
1996Noel FoxPortmarnock298
1997Sean QuinlivanBallybunion303
1998Garth McGimpseyBangor292Third title
1999Ken KearneyGalway277
2000Noel FoxPortmarnock2873-hole aggregate playoff
2001 – 2025 · The Contemporary Champions
2001Ken KearneyRoscommon283
2002Noel FoxPortmarnock278Third title
2003Michael SinclairKnock287
2004Mark CampbellStackstown282
2005Jim CarvillWarrenpoint280
2006Brendan McCarrollBallyliffin283
2007Richard KilpatrickBanbridge275
2008Eoin ArthursForrest Little282
2009Paul CutlerPortstewart284
2010Cian CurleyNewlands281
2011Richard O'DonovanLucan286
2012Chris SelfridgeMoyola Park286After playoff
2013Paul DunneGreystones282
2014Colm CampbellWarrenpoint282
2015Stuart GrehanTullamore212*54 holes due to weather
2016Paul O'HanlonCarton House277
2017Reece BlackHilton Templepatrick283
2018Christo LamprechtSouth Africa274
2019Martin VorsterSouth Africa279
2020 · 2021 — No Championship held due to COVID-19
2022Alex Maguire Back-to-backLaytown & Bettystown280
2023Alex MaguireLaytown & Bettystown2793-hole aggregate playoff
2024Caolan RaffertyDundalk273
2025David HowardFota Island283Won by one shot

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