First organised in 2001, the festival is headlined by the Irish Masters main event, a Texas hold'em tournament, and typically takes place over the three days of the October bank holiday weekend.
Won by Irishman David Cleary in the inaugural year of 2001, the title of Irish Masters’ champion was then passed to Lucy Rokach, one of the world’s top females players, who recorded back-to-back victories in 2002 and 2003.
In 2006, Roland De Wolfe emerged victorious after battling through a field of 389 and triumphing over an experienced final table that included David Tavernier, William Thorson, George McKeever and Willie Tann.
In 2007 the Irish Masters main event was dominated by one of the most-talked about young players ever, Annette Obrestad, who held a massive chip lead on the final table, only to be beaten heads-up by the then-unknown American, Rueben Peters.
The highest placed paddypowerpoker.com online qualifier was Paul Dooley, who finished 7th for €22,400 and also won a special IWF Sole Survivor promotional sponsorship package worth €20,000.