some questions on hosting a tournament

Hi,

I'm trying to sort out running a tournament in Dublin, but have a few questions first.

At the moment we really don't have many players in Dublin, frequently less than one full table, so I'd be relying on trying to entice players from further afield to make a decent show of it.
The best way I can see to do this is either with prizes or to make it a qualifier, and as I'm not exactly rich and I'd be supplying the prize myself, that leaves making it a qualifier as the best option.

So, my questions are, assuming I want to host a European qualifier
1) I think this would disqualify me from participating, is that correct?
2) Is there a minimum attendance necessary for it to be considered a valid qualifier?
3) If so, what is the minimum? and what happens if you fail to achieve it? I really do not want the scenario where someone travels halfway across the country or from abroad assuming it would be a qualifier and then have to cancel that aspect of it on the day due to numbers.
4) I'm not currently a Prince, does this matter?

Thank you,

Seamus.

ps. If someone wants to tell me that they and a number of their playgroup would love to travel to Dublin for a tournament whenever I want to hold one, that would make this a whole lot easier

Seamus,
The answers you seek are in the "Tournament Rules" on the LHS of the website. The quick version:

1) If you run it, you can't play in it (assuming you're going to be the Judge)
2) If there aren't enough for 2 tables of 5, then its not a Qualifier
3) No way to ensure it before the date other than twisting arms and coercing people emotionally to attend
4) You don't HAVE to be a Prince, but you'll need to have a Prince be willing to effectively sponsor it and verify the details are correct. If you can get one of the English or Scots Princes to turn up, by checking in advance, then I think you're onto a winner.

I would suggest you try get in contact with some of the other relatively nearby Princes (Other Irish Princes, English or Scots Princes) and get them to try come along with some of their playgroups. Once you get to about 15+ you've got a nice size tournament on your hands.

It is rather futile to even talk about Irish princes, or even players. The only people playing in this isle are in fact in Dublin. I did my fare share of research half a year ago, and it seemed the island is pretty much dead. And not in the reanimated kind of dead.

The best bet would be trying to get Hugh or other English/Scottish players and a prince to attend. If you were planning on showing up in Burton during spring, I can't see why they wouldn't be up for coming to Dublin. That's, at least if everything's planned out carefully: time, place, crashing...

As I PM'd you in vtes.uk, I know of this one guy in Cork interested in playing some, and there's a possibility I can get one or two people hooked in Itzacon, coming up next weekend. That's in Galway. Also, if you're planning on organizing the tournament before the mid of May, there's a high chance I will be able to attend. There's at least one player still hanging in North of Ireland! At the start of June I'll head back to Finland, though.