Cliftonville Hockey Club
Encyclopedia
| Address | CIYMS Sports Club, Belmont, Circular Road, Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... , Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west... |
| Website | www.cliftonvillehockey.com |
| info@cliftonvillehockey.com | |
| Secretary 2007-2008 | Dixon Rose |
| Sports | Men's Hockey |
| Branch | Ulster Branch of the IHA Ulster Hockey Union The Ulster Hockey Union is the administrative arm of the Irish Hockey Association with responsibility for men's hockey throughout the province of Ulster.... |
| Founded | 1896 |
| Club Colours |  |
Cliftonville Hockey Club is a hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
club based at C.I.Y.M.S. Sports Club, Circular Road, Belfast. Home fixtures are played on a sand-filled artificial surface. The club was founded in 1896 and was one of the founding members of the Ulster Hockey Union
Ulster Hockey Union
The Ulster Hockey Union is the administrative arm of the Irish Hockey Association with responsibility for men's hockey throughout the province of Ulster....
. The 1st XI currently plays in Section One of the Ulster Senior League
Ulster Senior League (Men's Hockey)
The Ulster Senior League is a league competition for the first teams of men's hockey clubs affiliated to the Ulster Hockey Union of the Irish Hockey Association.-Formation:...
. The first reported match was played against North Down
North Down Hockey Club
North Down Hockey Club is a field hockey club affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association. The club was founded in 1896.The men's section fields five adult teams, with the First Team competing in One Premier League of the Ulster Senior League...
at Comber
Comber
Comber is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies 5 miles south of Newtownards, at the northern end of Strangford Lough. It had a population of 8,933 people in the 2001 Census. Comber is part of the Borough of Ards...
in November 1896 where an eight goal to nil loss was recorded.
Grounds
The club's origins lie in the Cliftonville area of north BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. The club played games at Solitude
Solitude (football ground)
Solitude is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the home ground of Cliftonville. The stadium holds 6,224, but is currently restricted to 2,180 under safety legislation. The stadium was built in 1890....
before finding a permanent home with the Cliftonville Cricket Club
Cliftonville Cricket Club
Cliftonville Cricket Club is a cricket club in Northern Ireland, playing in Section 1 of the NCU Senior League.The club was formed as Enfield in 1870, using a pitch in Clifton Park, now Clifton Park Avenue in north Belfast, disbanded in 1873, and reformed in 1874. In 1880, the club adopted its...
on the other side of the Cliftonville Road.
In late August 1972, the clubhouse was burned and looted during civil unrest. Physical intimidation prevented the members from entering the grounds. The club sought help without success from local and government authorities, in the hope that the club could be protected and assisted in the continue playing hockey and cricket at the ground. As a result, the club abandoned the ground and took up a nomadic existence.
The first grounds used in exile were the Girls' Model School
Belfast Model School for Girls
Belfast Model School for Girls is an all-girls ICT Specialist School located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Also Known as "G.M.S" . In 2006 the school was granted Specialist school status for ICT, one of only 12 schools in Northern Ireland to achieve this...
pitches at Dunkeld Gardens. In 1981, the club moved to Boucher Road Playing Fields. Then, in 1986, the Boucher Playing Fields were closed and Cliftonville moved to the Queen's University pitches until taking over the tenancy of Belfast YMCA all-weather pitch at Bladon Drive in 1987.
In 1992, the decision was made that all 1st XI home games would be played on the artificial pitch at the Olympia Leisure Centre.
The club found a new permanent home with CIYMS Sports Club at Belmont in 2004.
Today the historic original ground is the property of the Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council is the local authority with responsibility for the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of , the largest of any district council in Northern Ireland, while also being the fourth smallest by area...
and is used by the local community but not for cricket or hockey.
1960s and 1970s
Between 1945, when competitive hockey resumed after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and 1962 the club did not win any senior trophies. Indeed, the 1st XI were relegated from the Ulster Senior League
Ulster Senior League (Men's Hockey)
The Ulster Senior League is a league competition for the first teams of men's hockey clubs affiliated to the Ulster Hockey Union of the Irish Hockey Association.-Formation:...
to Qualifying League in 1958-59. The team won promotion straight back and over the next twenty years enjoyed its best and most consistent period of success.
In 1963-64, the 2nd XI won the Irish Junior Cup
Irish Junior Cup (Men's Hockey)
The Irish Junior Cup is a knockout trophy played for field hockey clubs in Ireland. Entry is open to sides that do not qualify for the Irish Senior Cup and to the second teams of clubs that play in the Irish Senior Cup...
, this has proved to be the only success in this competition.
The Ulster Senior League
Ulster Senior League (Men's Hockey)
The Ulster Senior League is a league competition for the first teams of men's hockey clubs affiliated to the Ulster Hockey Union of the Irish Hockey Association.-Formation:...
was won seven times between the 1966-67 and 1975–76 seasons, and they were runners-up in 1965-66, 1969–70 and 1974-75. The Anderson Cup
Anderson Cup (Ulster hockey)
The Anderson Cup is a hockey tournament for clubs that are members of the Premier League of the Ulster Senior League. The current holder is Banbridge.-Trophy:...
and Kirk Cup
Kirk Cup
The Kirk Cup is the oldest hockey tournament in Ulster and the oldest provincial hockey trophy in Ireland. It has become a tradition since the 1966-67 season for the final to be played on Boxing Day, a date previously reserved for the Anderson Cup Final. The final attracts the largest crowd of the...
were also won in this period.
The Irish Senior Cup
Irish Senior Cup (Men's Hockey)
The Irish Senior Cup is the premier knock-out trophy played for by the best men's hockey clubs in Ireland. It is one of the oldest hockey tournaments in the world.-Historical format:...
was won in 1974-75 and 1975–76, for the only the second and third time in the club’s history. This led to qualification to play in the European cup-winners' competition.
Honours
- Irish Senior CupIrish Senior Cup (Men's Hockey)The Irish Senior Cup is the premier knock-out trophy played for by the best men's hockey clubs in Ireland. It is one of the oldest hockey tournaments in the world.-Historical format:...
(3 wins)- 1931-32, 1974–75, 1975-76.
- Irish Junior CupIrish Junior Cup (Men's Hockey)The Irish Junior Cup is a knockout trophy played for field hockey clubs in Ireland. Entry is open to sides that do not qualify for the Irish Senior Cup and to the second teams of clubs that play in the Irish Senior Cup...
(1 win)- 1963-64.
- Ulster Senior LeagueUlster Senior League (Men's Hockey)The Ulster Senior League is a league competition for the first teams of men's hockey clubs affiliated to the Ulster Hockey Union of the Irish Hockey Association.-Formation:...
(9 wins)- 1906-07, 1928–29, 1930–31, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1975-76.
- Kirk CupKirk CupThe Kirk Cup is the oldest hockey tournament in Ulster and the oldest provincial hockey trophy in Ireland. It has become a tradition since the 1966-67 season for the final to be played on Boxing Day, a date previously reserved for the Anderson Cup Final. The final attracts the largest crowd of the...
(6 wins)- 1903-04, 1911–12, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1967–68, 1968–69.
- Anderson CupAnderson Cup (Ulster hockey)The Anderson Cup is a hockey tournament for clubs that are members of the Premier League of the Ulster Senior League. The current holder is Banbridge.-Trophy:...
- 1929-30, 1931–32, 1936–37, 1961-62 (incomplete)