Padreig Parkinson Wins First Stage of UKIPT in Galway

Padreig Parkinson, born in Galway, is one of the most famous poker players in Ireland. In the tournament, Parkinson outperformed 258 opponents, defeated his friend Paul Marrow in the heads-up, and won €125,000.

Paul Marrow, a 50-year-old chip leader from Liverpool, has been playing poker for only 4 years but has already befriended many British pros like Neil Channing and Padreig Parkinson. Ben “Chong94” LeFew, who qualified online, took 6th place in the main tournament of WCOOP, earning $375,000. Michael McFadden is a specialist in single-table tournaments and owns the educational site SNGMentors.com. Michael “BIGMICKG” Graydon is another colleague of Hint, a Supernova Elite status holder, and the winner of the SNG race on PokerStars in 2008.

Padreig Parkinson began playing poker in 1976. Instead of studying at Trinity College Dublin, Parkinson spent hours playing poker with friends. Padreig Parkinson's highest achievement in his career was 3rd place in the main tournament of the 1999 World Series. Terry Rodgers, the most famous bookmaker in Ireland and the founder of one of the first poker clubs in the country, convinced a group of his friends, including Padreig Parkinson and Noel Furlong, to participate in the main tournament of the series.