2008

Fiachra Meere wins €150,000 first prize at the paddypowerpoker.com Irish Winter Festival 2008

Fiachra Meere captured the Irish Masters crown and 1st prize of €150,000 on October 27th at the paddypowerpoker.com Irish Winter Festival 2008, outlasting the 422 other players taking part in the €1,650 buy-in No Limit Holdem tournament.  Both Meere and 2nd place finisher Chris Wood (who won €106,000) qualified for the tournament via free-to-enter tournaments, while 3rd place finisher John Raftery won his seat via an online satellite on paddypowerpoker.com and took home €68,500.

The festival proved extremely popular with Irish and international players alike, as Europe's top professionals fought it out over the felt during the Irish Masters and two side tournaments.  The €200 rebuy event was won by Slovakian Jan Bendik, winning €31,000, while Dane Nicholas Lesckowicz took the €500 event title and €31,700.  paddypowerpoker.com sponsored professional Ciaran 'Big C' O'Leary finished an impressive 4th of 203 runners in the €500 event for €7,800.

"We would like to offer our warmest congratulations to Fiachra, who battled through a very tough field over three days to become Irish Masters champion; I've no doubt we'll hear more of his successes over the next few years!" said Eric Booth, Head of Poker at paddypowerpoker.com.  "We'd also like to thank all the players who came from far and wide to play in the event, as it helped to create a very special atmosphere and we hope to see them all again for the Irish Open next April!"

Irish Masters 2008 final table results