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Irish Squash experienced a resurgence in popularity in the 2000s, following a dip in its profile during the 1990s. Belfast hosted the Women's International Squash Players Association World Championship in November 2006 with the final being played at the Ulster Hall.
The Irish senior ladies team have performed well at the WSF World Team Squash Championships, winning bronze in 1985 and finishing 5th in 2008. They also finished in 4th position at the European Team Championships in France.
| List of some active Irish squash clubs |
|---|
| Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club |
| Old Belvedere Squash Racquets Club |
| Mount Pleasant Lawn Tennis Club |
| Westwood |
| Aer Lingus |
| Galway Lawn Tennis Club |
| Naas Squash Club |
| Leinster Cricket Club |
| Sandycove Squash Club |
| Sutton Lawn Tennis Club |
| Thurles Squash Club |
| Tullamore |
| UCC |
| Trinity College Dublin Squash Club |
| Curragh Squash Club |
| Carlow Lawn Tennis Club |
Irish Squash, the national governing body for squash in Ireland, celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2010. Below the national body are four provincial organisations.
Irish Squash includes notable players such as Jonah Barrington, Derek Ryan, Madeline Perry, Liam Kenny Aisling Blake and John Rooney. Jonah Barrington was honoured with a lifetime achievement award in 2006 at the World Squash Awards. Barrington played for Trinity and returned to compete against the Trinity team in 1992.
The Irish Open is usually held at the Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club.
| Year | Winner | Opponent in final | Score in final |
| 2007 | Alex Gough | Borja Golán | 11–6, 2–11, 11–10 (2–0), 8–11, 11–9 |
| 2006 | Borja Golán | Davide Bianchetti | 11–5, 10–11 (4–2), 11–2, 11–9 |
| 2005 | Ong Beng Hee | Laurens Jan Anjema | 11–9, 7–11, 11–7, 11–4 |
| 2003 | Not Held | ||
| 2002 | |||
| 2001 | Peter Nicol | David Palmer | 15–11, 15–5, 15–9 |
| 2000 | Peter Nicol | Jonathon Power | 15–12, 15–12, 15–9 |
Jonah Barrington won the Irish Open in 1966, 1967, 1969, and 1979, and was runner-up (to his rival, Geoff Hunt) in 1972. In 1976, Geoff Hunt beat Mohibullah Khan in the (then) new Squash Ireland Centre in Dublin. Earlier, from the mid-1950s onwards Donald Pratt, an all-round sportsman who also excelled at cricket, won the Irish Open for ten years in succession.
In 2005 the Pakistani squash team were unable to play in the Irish Open due to their visas for Ireland not being granted in time following qualification. [1]
| Year | Winner | Opponent in final | Score in final |
| 2007 | Madeline Perry | Jaclyn Hawkes | 9–3. 9–3, 9–5 |
| 2006 | Madeline Perry | Laura Lengthorn | 9–7. 9–3, 9–4 |
| 2005 | Madeline Perry | Annelize Naudé | 9–4, 2–9, 7–9, 9–4, 9–6 |
| 2004 | Vanessa Atkinson | Jenny Tranfield | 10–8, 9–1, 9–3 |
| 2003 | Vanessa Atkinson | Cassie Jackman | 3–9, 9–4, 9–5, 4–9, 9–7 |
2003 marked the first Women's Irish Open since 1991, where Cassie Jackman - the 2003 losing finalist - reached the semi-finals.
Squash, sometimes called squash rackets, is a racket-and-ball sport played by two (singles) or four players (doubles) in a four-walled court with a small, hollow, rubber ball. The players alternate in striking the ball with their rackets onto the playable surfaces of the four walls of the court. The objective of the game is to hit the ball in such a way that the opponent is not able to play a valid return. There are about 20 million people who play squash regularly world-wide in over 185 countries. The governing body of squash, the World Squash Federation (WSF), is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the sport will be included in the Olympic Games, starting with the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The Professional Squash Association (PSA) organizes the pro tour.
Jahangir Khan is a former professional Pakistani squash player. He won the World Open title six times, and the British Open title ten times (1982–1991). Jahangir Khan is widely regarded as the greatest squash player of all time, and one of the greatest sportsmen in Pakistan history. From 1981 to 1986, Khan was unbeaten and during that time won 555 consecutive matches – the longest winning streak by any athlete in top-level professional sport as recorded by Guinness World Records.
Jonah Barrington MBE is a retired Irish/English squash player, originally from Morwenstow, Cornwall, England.
Azam Khan was a Pakistani squash player who won the British Open Championships four times, from 1959 to 1962.
Mohibullah Khan is a former world squash champion from Pakistan. He was one of the game's leading players in the 1970s, reaching a career-high ranking of World No. 2. He was runner-up at the inaugural World Open in 1976, and at the British Open in 1976, losing on both occasions to Australia's Geoff Hunt.
Qamar Zaman is a former squash player from Pakistan. He was one of the leading squash players in the 1970s and 1980s. His biggest triumph was winning the British Open Squash Championships in 1975. He is referred to as 'The Stroke Master'.
Gogi Alauddin is a former squash player from Pakistan. He was one of the game's leading players in the 1970s.
Angela Smith is a retired professional English squash player: she was one of the world's top ranked squash players from 1979 to 1990. She was also the first female squash player to turn professional and was widely recognized for changing the face of women's squash by doing so.
The 1976 Lucas Industries Men's World Open Squash Championship was the inaugural men's edition of the 1976 World Open, which serves as the individual world championship for squash players. The event took place in London in England from 31 January to 7 February 1976. Geoff Hunt won his first World Open title, defeating Mohibullah Khan in the final.
The championship of 1976 also served as the British Open for that year.
The 1977 PSA Men's Uniroyal World Open Squash Championship is the men's edition of the 1977 World Open, which serves as the individual world championship for squash players. The event took place at Brahma Lodge in Adelaide, Australia from 11 October to 21 October 1977. Geoff Hunt won his second World Open title, defeating Qamar Zaman in the final.
The 1976 Lucas Industries British Open Squash Championship was unique in that it doubled as the men's edition of the 1976 World Open, which serves as the individual world championship for squash players. The event took place in London in England from 31 January to 7 February 1976. Geoff Hunt won his third British Open title, defeating Mohibullah Khan in the final.
Held at Wembley a record prize fund of £10,000 was put forward for this first professional World Open and 38th British Open.
The 1970 British Open Championship was held at the Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham from 8–13 December 1969.
Jonah Barrington won his third title defeating Geoff Hunt in the final.
The 1972 Benson and Hedges British Open Championship was held at the Abbeydale Park Squash Club in Sheffield from 28 January - 5 February 1972.
Jonah Barrington won his fifth title defeating Geoff Hunt in the final. The event was sponsored for the first time by Benson and Hedges.
The 1978 Avis Rent-a-Car British Open Championships was held at the Wembley Squash Centre in London from 31 March - 8 April 1978.
Geoff Hunt won his fifth title defeating Qamar Zaman in the final.
The 1973 Benson & Hedges British Open Championships was held at Abbeydale Park in Sheffield from 27 January - 2 February 1973.
Jonah Barrington won his sixth title defeating Gogi Alauddin in the final. This sixth success took him to just one behind the record set by Hashim Khan, but it was also to be the last title victory for Barrington.
The 1974 Benson & Hedges British Open Championships was held at Abbeydale Park in Sheffield from 31 January - 8 February 1974.
The 1977 Lucas Industries British Open Championships was held at Wembley Squash Centre in London from 26 March - 4 April 1977.
Geoff Hunt won his fourth title defeating Cameron Nancarrow in the final. The Pakistan government did not allow their leading players to compete because South African players lined up in the field.
The 1980 Avis British Open Championships was held at the Wembley Squash Centre and the Wembley Conference Centre in London from 4–13 March 1980.
Geoff Hunt won his seventh title defeating Qamar Zaman in the final. This seventh win equalled the record previously set by Hashim Khan of Pakistan. The squash world was still recovering from the sudden deaths of Torsam Khan and Kim Bruce-Lockhart who both died from heart attacks whilst playing squash. Torsam Khan died during November 1979 and Kim Bruce-Lockhart died in January 1980.
The 1981 Audi British Open Championships was held at the Bromley Town Squash Club with the later stages being held at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley, Greater London from 30 March - 9 April 1981.
Geoff Hunt won his eighth title defeating Jahangir Khan in the final. This eighth win set a new record surpassing the seven wins set by Hashim Khan of Pakistan.
The 1979 British Open Championships sponsored by Avis, was held at the Wembley Squash Centre in London from 31 March - 8 April 1979. Geoff Hunt won his sixth title defeating Qamar Zaman in a repeat of the 1978 final.