DONAGHADEE ROTARY –IRISH QUIZ CHAMPS 

Last week Donaghadee Rotary Club carried off the District 1160 Quiz Shield for the first time. Held in Belfast the competition was open to teams from all over Ireland.  Twenty-five teams competed with some coming from as far away as Dublin and Londonderry.  President Paul Leathem ably led the Donaghadee team. His major contribution was to know that Red Dwarf’s Chris Barrie had once been Head Boy of Methodist College. 

Donaghadee started slowly and was in contention with other local clubs Newtownards and Comber after the first few rounds.  They opened up a slight gap by the interval but were boosted early in the second half.  The ability to correctly name all 20 countries on a map of Eastern Europe enabled them to open up a comfortable margin.  By the end of the penultimate round they were a seemingly unassailable seven points clear.  Another flourish in the final round saw them winning by an unbelievable eleven points.

Paul accepted the shield from District Governor Paul Hutchinson.  The quiz shares with the Eurovision Song Contest the obligation for the winners to host the following year’s contest.  Paul showed a hint of feeling of relief that he would be passing that task to incoming President Mike Camlin.

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