Jul22546 Irish Enterprise Awards 2026 “Players come for the poker and stay for the craic.” Paul O’Reilly and JP McCann took over the running of the Irish Poker Open in 2016, aiming to create a poker festival that would appeal to players of all kinds. On a mission to offer affordability, accessibility, and an unbeatable social environment, the pair have since created one of the best-loved poker festivals in the world. This vision came to fruition in 2025, when the Irish Poker Open attracted record-breaking numbers with more than 4,300 players from over 80 countries competing and generating more than €14.5 million in prize money. Live poker is experiencing a resurgence around the world, with new poker tours and festivals launched every year. But, as the oldest poker tournament in Europe, the Irish Poker Open holds a unique place in history. For many players, that alone provides the event with significant appeal. But for forward-thinkers like Paul and JP, this position is not enough. The pair understand the need for continuous innovation, and their commitment to ongoing enhancement has propelled the Irish Poker Open to the very forefront of the live poker industry. Today, the Irish Poker Open is widely recognised as one of the bestrun festivals in the world, renowned for its professionally structured tournaments, smooth logistics, and outstanding event management. Equally important, however, is the unique sense of community, warmth, and “craic” that only genuine Irish hospitality can offer. The Irish Poker Open offers a friendly atmosphere, social energy, authentic cultural experience, and lively entertainment area that transforms a traditional sporting event into a much-loved annual celebration. Competitive Entertainment Event of the Year 2026 The Irish Poker Open is the oldest poker festival in Europe, attracting thousands of players from all over the world. The festival is held annually in the heart of Dublin, combining world-class poker with the unique spirit of Irish hospitality. Since it was first organised in 1980 by Terry Rogers, the event has become a major fixture on the international poker calendar and a cherished tradition in the poker community. As the Irish Poker Open is celebrated in the Irish Enterprise Awards 2026, we spoke with Co-Owners Paul O’Reilly and JP McCann to learn more. “In a nutshell, players come for the poker and stay for the craic. While we pride ourselves on offering exceptional event organisation, what makes the Irish Poker Open truly distinctive is the authentic Irish atmosphere. Many, many players say it’s their favourite poker event of the year and come back every year, from all over the world.” “The appeal of the Irish Poker Open is its ‘Irishness’,” said Paul. “It has a unique atmosphere that simply cannot be replicated anywhere else, although many poker operators have tried! You can’t manufacture the craic; it has to come from within, and poker players are very tuned into this. They abhor inauthenticity.” A critical element of this unique offering is the Irish Poker Open’s status as an independent, standalone poker festival. Unlike many other entities across the market, this festival maintains a distinctly “non-corporate” feel, championing an informal culture that truly allows the event to thrive. A small team works tirelessly year-round to create the event, working hand-in-hand with bigname sponsors such as PokerStars and Paddy Power, as well as a growing team of freelancers. 2026 will mark the 46th year of operations for the Irish Poker Open, offering players another unforgettable festival that will run from March 26th to April 6th at the Royal Dublin Society. This year will feature 86 different tournaments, 280 poker tables, over 320 dealers, and a projection of more than 5,000 players to attend. What’s more, the tournaments will come with a range of huge guarantees, including the €2,500,000 guaranteed Main Event, €1,000,000 guaranteed Mini Irish Open, and the €1,000,000 guaranteed Luxon Pay Mystery Bounty, which first debuted in 2025 and instantly became the biggest Mystery Bounty ever held in Ireland. What’s more, the Irish Poker Open is seeking to further enhance its promise of accessibility and inclusivity, with plans to strengthen its relationship with the Deaf community. This year, the organisation will be hosting a “festival within a festival” for Deaf players, comprising Contact: Paul O’Reilly and JP McCann Company: IPF Entertainment Ltd (Trading as the Irish Poker Open) Web Address: www.irishpokeropen.com AIM-Jan26076
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