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Tommy O'Regan

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Tommy O'Regan
Personal information
Born1939
Kilmallock, Limerick, Republic of Ireland[1]
Died8 October 2000
Darts information
LateralityRight-handed
Organisation (see split in darts)
Current world rankingN/A
WDF major events – best performances
World MastersLast 8 1976
Other tournament wins
TournamentYears
NDAGB National Champion
Indoor League
Klondyke Open		1970, 1971, 1972

1973
1976

Tommy O'Regan (1939-2000) was an Irish darts player who captained both the Ireland and England darts teams. From Limerick in the south west of Ireland, he was one of the pioneers of the modern era of darts.

Darts career

A former jockey, he played much of his darts in England, noted by Darts World magazine in 1972 as "a genial milk roundsman", playing in the Walthamstow and District Darts League. He represented London in the British Inter Counties Championship, winning 14 of 28 games[2]. He won the 1968 London Superleague pairs with Jim McNally[3] and singles in 1970[4].

O'Regan won the National Darts Association of Great Britain national championships in 3 successive years, from 1970-1972[5], a tournament played in 801 format. He was awarded a replica of the tournament's trophy to recognise the extraordinary feat.

He won the Indoor League in 1973, beating Alan Evans in the televised final and winning £150. Evans was the hot favourite after an electrifying semi-final win over Welsh countryman Tony Ridler. O'Regan's winning legs in the final at the Leeds Irish Club[6] were 18 and 21 darts. He was one of three players brought from London by Olly Croft to challenge the predominantly Yorkshire based champions. In his book "Bellies and Bullseyes", Sid Waddell recounts that before the tournament, Croft confidently declared that O'Regan would win the tournament[7]. In the 1974 edition he was beaten in the quarter final by Peter Chapman, who also knocked him out of the 1975 edition.

He also reached the quarter final of the World Masters (darts) in 1976, beaten by 3-2 John Lowe.

One of the first players to use tungsten darts, he was also one of the first to have sets of darts marketed using his name[8]. He has also been noted as one of the founders of the darts exhibition circuit, travelling around the UK playing the best local players.

He died in 2000 and is buried in Bruree in his native Limerick.

International caps

O'Regan had the distinction of captaining both the Republic of Ireland and England darts teams, a feat never repeated.

His official record on England caps is 3 wins out of 3 appearances[9]. Though this does not include more informal international events held in the mid 1970s. Bobby George notes in his autobiography that O'Regan was chosen to captain the first ever English team in a recognised international game in 1973[10]. In the following year, with the foundation of the BDO and the Inter County system, O'Regan returned to playing for his country of birth. In 1976 he captained a "Rest of Great Britain" team against Wales in a friendly international[11].

References

  1. ^ "Thomas O'Regan (1939-2000) - Find A Grave..." www.findagrave.com.
  2. ^ https://www.londondarts.org/03-LONDON-DARTS/Mens_Overall_Appearances-17.pdf
  3. ^ https://www.londondarts.org/Mens%20Superleague%20Pairs%20Winners%201967to2018-1.pdf
  4. ^ https://www.londondarts.org/03-LONDON-DARTS/Mens%20Superleague%20Singles%20Winners%201967to2018.pdf
  5. ^ Staff, DW Editorial (July 1, 2020). "1972 - Issue 1: Hattrick for O Regan & 3 Million Watch TV Darts. • Darts World Magazine".
  6. ^ https://books.google.ie/books?id=_LV5a2zlxWsC&pg=PT27&lpg=PT27&dq=tommy+o+regan+darts&source=bl&ots=_hmffXC5zc&sig=ACfU3U3GYPxBFuTFoK-ZVWXLFcg1Pbl7HA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiAlur74dvqAhUWQRUIHWMgBx44HhDoATADegQIChAB#v=onepage&q=tommy%20o%20regan%20darts&f=false
  7. ^ https://books.google.ie/books?id=_LV5a2zlxWsC&pg=PT27&lpg=PT27&dq=tommy+o+regan+darts&source=bl&ots=_hmffXC5zc&sig=ACfU3U3GYPxBFuTFoK-ZVWXLFcg1Pbl7HA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiAlur74dvqAhUWQRUIHWMgBx44HhDoATADegQIChAB#v=onepage&q=tommy%20o%20regan%20darts&f=false
  8. ^ https://books.google.ie/books?id=hTetDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT298&lpg=PT298&dq=tommy+o+regan+darts&source=bl&ots=-olXgPbDCy&sig=ACfU3U34wikwFaAxq1IZ0JYAJMgY8ZDq4Q&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj1-rOE39vqAhU1TBUIHc0kAiY4FBDoATAJegQIChAB#v=onepage&q=tommy%20o%20regan%20darts&f=false
  9. ^ https://www.englanddarts.co.uk/Appearances.htm
  10. ^ https://books.google.ie/books?id=KYmy1yVjJqwC&pg=PT57&lpg=PT57&dq=tommy+o+regan+darts&source=bl&ots=xGBQi4HapU&sig=ACfU3U0SqiYbl6As0YPYm7TQ75DArCbCgQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiAlur74dvqAhUWQRUIHWMgBx44HhDoATAEegQICRAB#v=onepage&q=tommy%20o%20regan%20darts&f=false
  11. ^ https://www.threeinthebed.co.uk/single-post/2017/11/21/Charismatic-Green-was-red-hot-around-a-darts-board-even-defeating-Eric-Bristow-in-national-final
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