Collegians (Belfast)
Encyclopedia
Collegians is the name of a club for former pupils of Methodist College Belfast
. In the 108-year history of the club, it had rugby union
, cricket
, hockey
, basketball
and athletics sections. The cricket section merged with Cooke Cricket Club in 1998 to form Cooke Collegians, and the remainder of the club is now called Belfast Harlequins
after a merger with North of Ireland Cricket and Football Club
in 1999.
Collegians was the name for rugby union, hockey and cricket sections. The rugby club celebrated its centenary in 1990. The ladies' hockey section commenced play under the Collegians name in 1896 until around 1906 and then they played for many years on a non-competitive basis under the name of Methodist College Old Girls. The ladies resumed play under the Collegians name in 1942. The Collegians men's hockey section is much younger, commencing play in 1967. During the 1950s and 1960s Collegians also fielded a highly successful basketball team that won several cups.
Debate grew from the 1960s onward over the opening of club membership to all. Change finally came over a period from 1988-1990, with each section adopting its own change date. Initially there was a quota imposed to try to preserve the ethos of the club, but the quota system was quickly dispensed with.
Collegians Rugby Club won the Senior Cup
on 8 occasions, the Senior League
7 times and the Junior Cup
7 times. Prior to the First World War
Collegians were known as the Rosetta Men as they played their home games at Rosetta Park, close to the current Ravenhill
ground of Ulster Rugby
.
In September 1967, Collegians Men's Hockey Club played and won its first ever competitive fixture, with a 1-0 win against Gallaher. In the first season promotion to the Intermediate League was secured with an unbeaten record in the league. This success was carried over to the 1968-69 season and the Intermediate League was again won. However, a restructuring of the leagues meant that the 1st XI had to win the League for the second year in succession to receive promotion to Senior League Section 2
. The overall playing record in the first season was played 26, won 22, drawn 1, lost 3. They scored 111 goals and conceded 3.
In their first season in Senior hockey
, they were pipped for promotion by one point, remaining unbeaten (Played 18, won 8, drew 10). However, the following year promotion to the top section in the Senior League
was achieved. The team finished level on points with Annadale
, winning a test match by two goals to one to gain their place in Senior League One.
Methodist College Belfast
Methodist College Belfast , styled locally as Methody, is a voluntary grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland, one of eight Northern Irish schools represented on the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, and is a member of the Independent Schools Council...
. In the 108-year history of the club, it had rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and athletics sections. The cricket section merged with Cooke Cricket Club in 1998 to form Cooke Collegians, and the remainder of the club is now called Belfast Harlequins
Belfast Harlequins
Belfast Harlequins is a multi-sports club located off the Malone Road in south Belfast, Northern Ireland. The club name provides the overall umbrella for rugby union, men's and ladies' hockey and squash...
after a merger with North of Ireland Cricket and Football Club
North of Ireland FC
North of Ireland Football Club is a former Irish rugby union club that was based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was the first rugby club formed in what is now Northern Ireland and only two other clubs - Dublin University and Wanderers - were formed earlier anywhere else in all Ireland . It was...
in 1999.
Collegians was the name for rugby union, hockey and cricket sections. The rugby club celebrated its centenary in 1990. The ladies' hockey section commenced play under the Collegians name in 1896 until around 1906 and then they played for many years on a non-competitive basis under the name of Methodist College Old Girls. The ladies resumed play under the Collegians name in 1942. The Collegians men's hockey section is much younger, commencing play in 1967. During the 1950s and 1960s Collegians also fielded a highly successful basketball team that won several cups.
Debate grew from the 1960s onward over the opening of club membership to all. Change finally came over a period from 1988-1990, with each section adopting its own change date. Initially there was a quota imposed to try to preserve the ethos of the club, but the quota system was quickly dispensed with.
Collegians Rugby Club won the Senior Cup
Ulster Senior Cup
The Ulster Senior Cup is a knock-out competition for senior rugby union teams in the province of Ulster.It is administered by Ulster Rugby.The most successful club is Queen's University with 22 wins...
on 8 occasions, the Senior League
Ulster Senior League
The Ulster Senior League is a rugby union competition for senior clubs in the Irish province of Ulster. It has traditionally being ranked second in importance to the Ulster Senior Cup. It has declined in importance due to the formation of the All-Ireland League and growth in importance of the...
7 times and the Junior Cup
Ulster Junior Cup
The Ulster Junior Cup is a rugby union competition for clubs in the Irish province of Ulster that are not considered strong enough to play in the Ulster Senior Cup. It also includes the second teams of the senior clubs...
7 times. Prior to the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Collegians were known as the Rosetta Men as they played their home games at Rosetta Park, close to the current Ravenhill
Ravenhill Stadium
Ravenhill Stadium is located in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is used by Ulster Rugby. It has a normal capacity of 12,300 and is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union.-History:The grounds were opened in the 1923/24 season...
ground of Ulster Rugby
Ulster Rugby
Ulster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Ulster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Belfast, representing the Irish province of Ulster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
.
In September 1967, Collegians Men's Hockey Club played and won its first ever competitive fixture, with a 1-0 win against Gallaher. In the first season promotion to the Intermediate League was secured with an unbeaten record in the league. This success was carried over to the 1968-69 season and the Intermediate League was again won. However, a restructuring of the leagues meant that the 1st XI had to win the League for the second year in succession to receive promotion to Senior League Section 2
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 overall playing record in the first season was played 26, won 22, drawn 1, lost 3. They scored 111 goals and conceded 3.
In their first season in Senior 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...
, they were pipped for promotion by one point, remaining unbeaten (Played 18, won 8, drew 10). However, the following year promotion to the top section in the 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 achieved. The team finished level on points with Annadale
Annadale Hockey Club
Annadale Hockey Club is a hockey club based at Carryduff, County Down. The club currently plays in the Premier League of the Ulster Senior League.-Formation:...
, winning a test match by two goals to one to gain their place in Senior League One.