The re-jigging by the ECF of the structure of the grade-limited county team championships, for 2009-10 onwards, involved one more competition than before. Thus, when the NCCU introduced a set of corresponding competitions, there became a need for an extra trophy. Accordingly, the 2010 NCCU AGM agreed that a silver trophy be purchased for the Under-120 competition, up to a cost of £150, in honour of Mike O’Hara and that the trophy be called the “O’Hara Trophy”’.

Michael J O’Hara (born 29/03/1950 in the vicinity of Bolton) had been a prominent figure in Lancashire chess and had served as a Lancashire delegate to the NCCU amongst other things. He had been a member of Atherton Chess Club, which was relatively near his home in Over Hulton.

He had attended Bolton School whence he went to Oxford University. Thereafter he qualified as an accountant, then later became an IT lecturer at Salford University. His wellbeing had taken a turn for the worse after the death of his mother in 2003, and he died in tragic circumstances on 04/09/2007, to the dismay of all who knew him - a sad loss to Lancashire chess and to chess further afield.

A list of winners can be found here.