Irish teen to check out competition at chess tournament

A 13-YEAR-OLD girl, who has only been playing chess for three years, is to represent Ireland in one of the world’s biggest events.

Poornima Menon has been selected for the Irish women’s team at the Turin Chess Olympiad in Italy next week, with 140 countries taking part. The Presentation Secondary School student in Kilkenny is believed to be the youngest ever to represent Ireland at senior level.

Poornima and her family moved to Kilkenny from India five years ago.