Summer In Dublin 2026 – Final Day Wrap
Dublin was teeming with excitement, with the fate of Sam Maguire on everyone’s lips. Could Mayo break the 75-year curse and finally bring the trophy home? Thankfully, there was a schedule packed with poker to keep people occupied until the final was decided. With cheers and applause ringing out from the bar as Mayo’s victory was confirmed, it was time to get down to the business end of the festival.
Starting off the day of poker was the Summer in Dublin Main Event Day 1H Hyper, which attracted a further 88 entries, pushing the Main Event prize pool to a staggering €276,050. From this flight, 21 players made it through, with Michael Breen bagging the biggest stack of 405,000.
The stage was set for the Summer in Dublin Main Event Final. From a field of 1,106 entries, 164 players took their seats. Play began in a jovial and excited fashion, but as players started to fall by the wayside, things became serious. That all-too-bittersweet moment of any festival was upon us. It was Christine Egstad who departed on the bubble, leaving empty-handed, while the rest of the field could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
While the Main Event progressed, the Summer 400 got underway. A total of 158 players signed up, pushing the prize pool to €54,605. It was another fantastic turnout and another opportunity for players to walk away with a trophy. As the field thinned, play stretched into the early hours. In the end, Killian Farrell finished third for €6,200, Ray Wheatley claimed second for €9,000, while Luke Walsh took the title and €15,205.
The Omaha 4/5 Cards also got underway, attracting 33 players and creating a prize pool of €4,125. As is usually the case at the end of a festival, these final tournaments are a bit more laid-back. Once play reached the final five, the players agreed to pay the bubble before continuing. Patrick Cantwell rounded out the top five with €300, Jorrit Baars finished fourth for €500, John White claimed third place and €700, Daniel Smith took second for €1,000, while Cristian Bianchi emerged victorious, pocketing €1,625.
Last to kick off was the Festival Closer, which attracted 49 players and generated a prize pool of €5,880. With one eye on the progress of the Main Event, players battled for one final opportunity to lift a trophy. Neil Higgins claimed third place and €1,030, Aaron Shaw finished runner-up for €1,250, while Jaunius Kavalciukas took the title and €2,000.
Back in the Main Event, play continued until the final table was reached, before eventually being whittled down to the final five. An ICM deal was agreed, meaning Neeraj Chhantyal finished fifth for €20,541, Thang Van Nguyen took fourth for €23,000, Mahmood Rasheed claimed third place and €26,749, Conal Prendergast secured second for €31,985, while Darren Harbinson captured the title and a career-best €36,125.
What started as a good year for Darren has turned into something far greater. He won the Irish Poker Tour Final 2025 Main Event in January (€36,000), The Hendon Mob Championship in Nottingham (£26,750), as well as the Omaha event here on Friday night (€4,250).
Not to mention that during the Battle of Malta Main Event last November, Darren was the chip leader going into the final day before disaster struck. He was hospitalised with suspected salmonella food poisoning. He was never actually eliminated from the tournament. Instead, his stack was blinded away, eventually leaving him with a 28th-place finish worth €6,900.
Having always worked to provide for his family, his growing confidence in his game, coupled with the results to back it up, has inspired him to seriously consider pursuing poker professionally.
“Fate is a word used by those too afraid to forge their own destiny.” Darren Harbinson plays poker without fear, and poker at the highest level is his destiny.
Well, that’s it for another fantastic few days of poker.
Until the next time….