Ruth Giddings

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Ruth Giddings (born Wellwood) was an Irish bridge player. She was born on 3 September 1911 in Cork and died on 20 November 2015 at age 104. She studied at Alexandra College and worked for the Bank of Ireland. She started playing contract bridge in her mid-thirties and soon became very successful.

Giddings won 54 national titles, beginning in 1947, and is remembered as one of the best Irish bridge players of her time. The Irish Times called her one of the greatest Irish players ever, and the Contract Bridge Association of Ireland said she was Ireland’s greatest woman player. She became the most-capped Irish player of all time.

She played in 19 European championships, 6 World championships, 3 European Union championships, and 2 Home International championships. She won five European medals: two silvers (Montreux 1954 and Ostend 1973) and three bronzes (Dublin 1952, Torquay 1961, Beirut 1962).

Giddings retired from international competition in 1981, at age 70. She kept playing in national events and won her last title in 1992. At age 96 she won the president’s prize at the Regent.