Blarney Street
Inspiring every child to achieve more
Chess
We have a great tradition of chess in Blarney Street.
While we do run competitions in individual classes and across the school, we recognise that the true value of learning and regularly playing chess are the social and cognitive benefits gained over time.
Social Benefits
The social benefits of playing chess for children are well documented and include:
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- Learning to win with grace and accept losses. Chess etiquette promotes good sportsmanship.
- Developing impulse control: Playing chess teaches children to consider the consequences of their actions.
- Mental resilience and confidence: Learning a new skill can help to build confidence and learning from one’s losses helps to develop mental resilience.
- Chess helps children to develop everyday social skills by bringing them together playing games face to face.
Chess players now make up one of the world’s largest communities –605 million adults play chess regularly!
Cognitive Benefits
Chess has been described as the art of logical thinking. Learning to play helps children to explore and develop many new skills.
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Chess may help children to:
- improve memory
- develop problem solving skills
- improve concentration and focusï‚· develop planning and foresightï‚· improve creativity.
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Chess is a low cost activity that has many obvious benefits for children’s social and cognitive development. There are no barriers to entry and children who are having difficulties with literacy or numeracy can participate in, and excel at, chess.
Our annual Maurice Dennehy tournament had a record number of participants for the school year2022/2023 with 72 students taking part from 3rd to 6th classes. It is always a highlight of the schoolyear and we are already at work to make sure this year’s tournament is just as successful.
We are also proudly a member of the Ficheall network which connects over 200 primary schools across the country – all in the name of playing chess!