Ulster Hockey Union
Encyclopedia
Irish Hockey Association
The Irish Hockey Association is the governing body for the game of hockey throughout the island of Ireland.The Association was formed in 2000 with the merger of the Unions that managed the men's and women's game separately. These Unions had governed the sport of hockey since the late 19th...
with responsibility for men's 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...
throughout the province of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
.
The Union is responsible for applying the Laws of hockey and the organisation of competitions for all affiliated clubs and schools.
Foundation
The first reports of hockey matches in UlsterUlster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
appear in the Newspapers in the early 1890s.
The Ulster Hockey Union was formed in c1896. Later at a Special General Meeting of the Union held on 15 October 1897 in the Royal Avenue Hotel, Belfast, the Union resolved to form 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:...
and to seek to affiliate with the Irish Hockey Union
Irish Hockey Association
The Irish Hockey Association is the governing body for the game of hockey throughout the island of Ireland.The Association was formed in 2000 with the merger of the Unions that managed the men's and women's game separately. These Unions had governed the sport of hockey since the late 19th...
. It was reported that Cliftonville
Cliftonville Hockey Club
Cliftonville Hockey Club is a hockey 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. The 1st XI currently plays in Section One of...
, North Staffordshire Regiment, King's Own Liverpool Regiment, Ulster, 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...
, Ards, Royal Hospital and Antrim
Antrim Hockey Club
Antrim Hockey Club is a hockey club based at Muckamore Cricket Club, Moylena, Nursery Park, Belfast Road, Muckamore. Home fixtures are played on the sand-filled artificial surface at the Local Council owned Antrim Forum in Antrim town. The Club was founded in 1894 and was one of the founding...
would participate in the new League.
For approximately the first 75 years the Ulster Hockey Union did not represent clubs from the North West area of Ulster. Clubs in this area were members of the Northern Hockey Union. The Northern Hockey Union was formed at a meeting on 12 October 1896, with four member clubs. The founding members were The Route (Coleraine
Coleraine
Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
), Lacrosse (Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
), Ballymoney and Londonderry Hockey Clubs. This Union would become more commonly known as the North West Hockey League.
Current membership
The number of member clubs currently stands at 30. The first teams of these clubs play in the three sections of the 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:...
with ten teams in each section.
| Premier League | Senior One | Senior Two |
|---|---|---|
| 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:... |
Antrim Antrim Hockey Club Antrim Hockey Club is a hockey club based at Muckamore Cricket Club, Moylena, Nursery Park, Belfast Road, Muckamore. Home fixtures are played on the sand-filled artificial surface at the Local Council owned Antrim Forum in Antrim town. The Club was founded in 1894 and was one of the founding... |
Ballymena |
| Banbridge Banbridge Hockey Club Banbridge Hockey Club is a hockey club based in Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland. The club currently plays in the Premier League of the Ulster Senior League. The club was formed in 1897.-Grounds:... |
Armagh | Campbellians Campbellians Hockey Club Campbellians Hockey Club was founded in 2006 and is a section of the Old Campbellian Society, Campbell College, Belmont, Belfast. It was admitted to the Ulster Senior League Section 2 for the start of the 2006-07 season. In 2010-11 season, the 1ST XI won promotion to Section 1.The club plays home... |
| Bangor | Ballynahinch | Down |
| Cookstown Cookstown Hockey Club Cookstown Hockey Club is a hockey club based in Cookstown, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association and was founded in 1951. The first team currently plays in the Premier League of the Ulster Senior League and are current holders of the... |
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... |
Foyle |
| Instonians Instonians Instonians is the name of the umbrella organisation that incorporates rugby union, men's and ladies' hockey and cricket sections. There is also a golf society that plays under the Instonians name.... |
Cliftonville Cliftonville Hockey Club Cliftonville Hockey Club is a hockey 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. The 1st XI currently plays in Section One of... |
Larne |
| Kilkeel | Newry Olympic | Omagh |
| Lisnagarvey Lisnagarvey Hockey Club Lisnagarvey Hockey Club is the most successful Irish men's hockey club. The club is based in Hillsborough, County Down, Northern Ireland. It has a current membership of 700. The club also has a ladies section.-Formation:... |
Portadown | Parkview Parkview Hockey Club Parkview Hockey Club is a hockey club affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association. It was founded as Fisherwick Hockey Club in 1898, changing its name to Parkview in 1924. It is based in the Co Antrim village of Doagh, near Ballyclare. The club's founding members were workers... |
| Mossley Mossley Hockey Club Mossley Hockey Club is a field hockey club for men based in the village of Mossley in Newtownabbey, County Antrim. It was formed in 1929 following a meeting of employees of Henry Campbell’s Mill in the village. The club currently fields six adult teams, with the first team plaing in the Premier... |
Queen's University Queen's University Hockey Club Queen's University Hockey Club Men's Section was formed at Queen's in the latter part of the nineteenth Century. The Belfast News Letter reported the Ulster Hockey Union AGM of 19 September 1898, and recorded that "a committee meeting was held afterwards when Queen's College Hockey Club was... |
P.S.N.I. |
| 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... |
Raphoe Raphoe Hockey Club Raphoe Hockey Club is a hockey club Bent based in the village of Raphoe, County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. It is in a bent position as the only club from the Republic of Ireland to affiliate to the Ulster Hockey Union and the Ulster Women's Hockey Union of the Irish Hockey AssociationThe men's... |
Portrush Portrush Hockey Club Portrush Hockey Club is a hockey club affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association based in Portrush, County Antrim. The club currently plays in Section 2 of the Ulster Senior League.-Formation:... |
| N.I.C.S. | South Antrim | Saintfield |
Clubs
- 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:...
- Ulster Junior League (Section 1 to Section 7)
- Section 1 - The Bannister Cup
- Section 2 - The Davidson Cup
- Section 3 - The Athletic Stores Challenge Cup
- Section 4 - The Braddell Shield
- Section 5 - The Priory Cup
- Section 6 - The County Hospital Cup
- Section 7 - The Ludlow Cup
- 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...
- 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:...
- Linden Cup
Schools
- Burney CupBurney CupThe Burney Cup is an annual competition involving the strongest schools affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association...
- McCullough CupMcCullough CupThe McCullough Cup is a hockey competition. It is an annual tournament played for by schools affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association...
- Richardson CupRichardson CupThe Richardson Cup is a hockey competition for the boy's under-15 teams from schools affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association. The trophy is currently held jointly by Campbell College and Cookstown High School.-Trophy:...
- Other Junior Trophies
- Prior Shield - 2nd eleven, played in Winter Term. Format similar to McCullough CupMcCullough CupThe McCullough Cup is a hockey competition. It is an annual tournament played for by schools affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association...
. - Dowdall Cup - 2nd eleven, played in Spring Term. Knockout Format.
- Taylor Cup - High School competition for under-16 year old players.
- Ferris Cup - for teams of under-14 year old players. Knockout Format.
- Bannister Bowl - for teams of under-13 year old players. Knockout Format.
- Prior Shield - 2nd eleven, played in Winter Term. Format similar to McCullough Cup
Defunct clubs
- Crossgar - Club folded prior to start of the 2007-08 season due to lack of playing members.
- Wanderers - Club existed initially from the 1920s until September 1955 when moved/rebranded to re-establish the N.I.C.S. Hockey Club. Reformed in the 1980s before finally folding in 1997. Falling playing numbers and the pressure on many clubs to play games on artificial turf contributed to their demise. Many members joined South Antrim Hockey Club.
- Beachlawn - Merged in 1972 with South Antrim Hockey Club.
- Lisburn Old Boys/F.S.O.B (Friends School Old Boys) - Folded in 1995 as a result of relegation from Senior hockey and a depleted playing membership.
- North of Ireland - Did not reform after World War IWorld War IWorld 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...
.
- Q.U.B. Old Boys - Former Queen's University players, club competed for 6 seasons.
- Belfast Y.M.C.A./Holywood '87 - In 1986 after an increase in rent charged at City of Belfast Y.M.C.A. Bladon Drive grounds, the club relocated and changed their name to Holywood 87. Relegation from Senior League One in 1998 and dwindling playing numbers forced the decision to fold.
- King's Scholars/Stranmillis - The club always struggled for playing numbers and in 1978 the decision was made to merge with the Queen's University Club.
- Corinthians - folded after a 'sine dies' suspension was imposed on the club at the end of the 1987-88 season.
- Down County Mental Hospital - works team that played for several seasons in the 1930s and 40s. Finalists in the 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...
in 1939. Donated the Down County Hospital Cup that is still played for as the trophy for Section 6 of the Junior League.
- Montalto - folded during the 1963-64 season.
- St Donards - folded after the 1952-53 season
- Old Bleach - folded after the 1967-68 season.
- Holywood - folded after the 1967-68 season.
- Cloughfern
- Michelin
- Dunmurry
- Ards
- Ballycastle
- Malone
- Ulster Hockey Club
- Strabane
- Lissara
- Waringstown
- Whitehead
- Short & Harland
- Derry Y.M.C.A.
- Killyleagh
- Albert Foundry
- Hollerith/ICT
- Courtalds
In addition various army teams competed throughout the years.