Geoff Trapnell

Arthur Geoffrey Trapnell was the youngest son of Arthur Lumsden Trapnell, a cabinet maker from London and Grace Webb.^[1][2] In 1937 he married Eileen Carty, with whom he had two children.^[2][3][4] Trapnell was a chartered accountant and for many years was the chief accountant of the Dublin Gas Company.^[4]

Trapnell's name first appeared in newspaper sports reports in 1928 and 1929, when he was listed as one of the Dublin accountants playing cricket against a team of Belfast accountants^[5] and playing hockey for Pembroke Wanderers.^[6][7] It was badminton however that Trapnell had the longest involvement in and where he left a lasting impression.

By 1930, Trapnell was playing in Midland branch tournaments.^[8] By 1934 he was representing the Midland branch in interprovincial matches and competing in national tournaments.^[9][10] In December 1936, Trapnell won his only national title when he overcame L. Green in three sets to win the men's singles in the Irish National Badminton Championships.^[11] 1937 saw Trapnell being selected for the first time as a member of the Ireland national badminton team as a substitute in a match against Wales.^[12]

By 1942, Trapnell was playing badminton at club level at the Gas Company Club.^[13] According to Frank Peard, it was Trapnell who identified the potential of a young James 'Chick' Doyle at the Gas Company Club.^[14]

Trapnell continued to play badminton at Midland branch tournaments into the late 1940s and was still playing club badminton as late as 1958.^[15]

Trapnell was active on the administrative side of Irish badminton from the late 1940s. In 1949, Trapnell was re-elected as honorary treasurer of the Badminton Union of Ireland^[16] and in that same year he was represented the Badminton Union of Ireland alongside C.H. Maidment at a meeting seeking to form an Irish sporting federation.^[17] In 1955 he was listed among the members of the Midland Branch's General Purpose Committee.^[18] In 1959 Trapnell was elected honorary secretary of the Badminton Union of Ireland, a position which he retained until 1974.^[19] During his tenure, he also represented Ireland at International Badminton Federation meetings. He was elected president of the organisation in 1974, stepping down in 1976, having completed forty-five years of service to Irish badminton.^[20] In 1977 he was awarded an honorary life membership of the Badminton Union of Ireland, and the International Badminton Federation recognised his long service to the sport by bestowing a Meritorious Service Award on him in 1986.^[21][4] Trapnell died in 2000, having been pre-deceased by his wife.^[4][22]