290:, whose Headmaster, the late W.H. Mol, had taken over the position of Club President. Ballymena a Senior Club After a number of successful years, which produced successive Junior League Championship wins in 1950–51 and 1951–52, an application was made to the Ulster Branch for admission to the senior ranks, and so, in the 1952–53 season, Ballymena became a Senior Club. Two years later, they moved to their present home at Eaton Park, then a modest 9 acres, which they had acquired from the Mid-Antrim Sports Association, and where other sports like Cricket, Tennis, Men's Hockey and later Athletics, were being catered for. Only the first of these has survived, and continues to flourish as a very successful and thriving Section of the Club. The following couple of decades saw Eaton Park expand to 30-odd acres, and the erection of a pavilion, a function hall, training floodlights, a grandstand and a clubhouse with kitchen facilities. Success After acquiring senior status in 1952, Ballymena had to wait ten years for their next playing success, winning the Senior Cup in 1962–63, benefiting from the leadership and superb place-kicking of captain
623:
203:
182:
161:
189:
175:
29:
285:
in 1887, but the Club as we know it today, began after the First World War, in 1922, and entered the Junior League in the 1923–24 season, playing their games in the local
Demesne. Within the next 10 years, they twice won both the Provincial Towns· Cup and the Junior Challenge Cup, and even competed,
309:
Trail
Blazers in 1970, Ballymena blazed a trail in Irish rugby by appointing a principal coach, Maurice Crabbe, adopting a squad system and setting up a club coaching scheme, and the stage was set for the golden decade that was to follow, during which Ballymena were arguably the foremost club in
286:
albeit with little success, in the Senior
Challenge Cup. The Post War Era at the end of the Second World War, the Club reformed, and were now playing at the Showgrounds, using the changing facilities provided by
310:
Ulster and
Ireland. They contributed many players to the Ulster Provincial side and to the Irish International team during this period, which came to a climax in 1980 with a major Club tour to Canada.
196:
168:
650:
515:
347:
1972–73 (shared), 1975–76, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1985–86, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2004–05 (shared), 2005–06 (shared), 2015–16
1190:
567:
997:
1165:
643:
1185:
1050:
1170:
636:
1175:
540:
536:
527:
519:
511:
549:
523:
358:
1927–28, 1931–32, 1952–53, †1962–63, †1969–70, †1972–73, †1973–74, †1976–77, †1978–79, †1990–91, †1993–94, †1999–2000, †2004–05
273:. The club fields five adult teams and an under-20s team. In youth rugby, there are under-18s, under-16s and under-14s teams.
1160:
336:
1962–63, 1969–70, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2011–12, 2012–13
558:
554:
457:
990:
1035:
341:
399:
386:
715:
659:
319:
262:
133:
1030:
695:
330:
983:
781:
291:
924:
417:
903:
1180:
1016:
586:
282:
270:
49:
1155:
1129:
771:
487:
477:
467:
776:
407:
294:. This was followed by a number of lean years, which, however, still produced Internationals like
746:
700:
500:
873:
1124:
959:
736:
211:
761:
710:
442:
298:, a past-President of the I.R.F.U., and a past-Chairman of the International Rugby Board,
8:
842:
507:
422:
303:
622:
1104:
1099:
1094:
1055:
934:
858:
680:
1040:
766:
690:
363:
287:
1084:
1060:
1045:
837:
751:
675:
437:
352:
258:
944:
822:
545:
447:
427:
299:
949:
919:
812:
741:
472:
120:
369:
1928–29, 1929–30, †1971–72, †1972–73, †1997–98, †1999–2000, †2000–01, †2004–05
1149:
1109:
1089:
964:
868:
832:
802:
720:
685:
563:
482:
462:
452:
1006:
954:
929:
893:
883:
827:
266:
59:
939:
863:
705:
250:
1134:
1119:
1114:
888:
878:
817:
807:
532:
432:
412:
295:
975:
898:
628:
254:
90:
28:
756:
616:
281:
Ballymena RFC was first affiliated to the
Northern Branch of the
235:
499:
The following
Ballymena players have also represented the
398:The following Ballymena players have represented
1147:
991:
644:
998:
984:
651:
637:
621:
494:
1191:Ulster Senior League (rugby union) teams
1148:
1005:
658:
1166:Rugby union clubs in Northern Ireland
979:
632:
1186:All-Ireland League rugby union clubs
160:
13:
1171:Rugby union clubs in County Antrim
378:
14:
1202:
608:
387:Category:Ballymena R.F.C. players
261:, playing in Division 2A of the
201:
194:
187:
180:
173:
166:
159:
123:, Gareth Fisher, Stefan McMaster
27:
1176:Rugby clubs established in 1887
592:
580:
1:
402:at full international level.
247:Ballymena Rugby Football Club
119:Don Nicholl, Darrell O'Kane,
41:Ballymena Rugby Football Club
1161:Rugby union teams in Ireland
599:The Ireland Rugby Miscellany
276:
71:; 137 years ago
7:
10:
1207:
1017:Irish Rugby Football Union
573:
393:
313:
283:Irish Rugby Football Union
271:Irish Rugby Football Union
265:. It is affiliated to the
253:club based in the town of
1069:
1023:
1013:
912:
851:
790:
729:
668:
233:
228:
224:
151:
147:
139:
127:
113:
105:
97:
83:
65:
55:
45:
35:
26:
501:British and Irish Lions
495:British and Irish Lions
601:(2007): Ciaran Cronin
587:League Tables 2022–23
1036:Ulster Senior League
342:Ulster Senior League
508:Willie John McBride
423:Willie John McBride
23:
1181:Sport in Ballymena
1130:Queen's University
1095:Belfast Harlequins
1056:Ulster Schools Cup
1007:IRFU Ulster Branch
874:Galway Corinthians
859:Belfast Harlequins
772:Queen's University
661:All-Ireland League
320:All-Ireland League
302:and the legendary
263:All-Ireland League
236:ballymenarugbyclub
21:
1143:
1142:
1125:Omagh Academicals
1041:Ulster Junior Cup
1031:Ulster Senior Cup
973:
972:
737:Blackrock College
696:Dublin University
443:Dion O'Cuinnegain
364:Ulster Junior Cup
331:Ulster Senior Cup
288:Ballymena Academy
244:
243:
220:
219:
93:(Capacity: 1,000)
1198:
1156:Ballymena R.F.C.
1061:Medallion Shield
1046:Ulster Towns Cup
1000:
993:
986:
977:
976:
711:Terenure College
662:
653:
646:
639:
630:
629:
625:
620:
619:
617:Official website
602:
596:
590:
589:at irishrugby.ie
584:
438:Jonathan Moffett
375:† Won by 2nd XV
353:Ulster Towns Cup
344:: 14 (3 shared)
292:Jonathan Moffett
259:Northern Ireland
240:
237:
229:Official website
205:
204:
198:
197:
191:
190:
184:
183:
177:
176:
170:
169:
163:
162:
153:
152:
130:
116:
86:
79:
77:
72:
38:
31:
24:
20:
1206:
1205:
1201:
1200:
1199:
1197:
1196:
1195:
1146:
1145:
1144:
1139:
1065:
1019:
1009:
1004:
974:
969:
908:
847:
786:
725:
664:
660:
657:
615:
614:
611:
606:
605:
597:
593:
585:
581:
576:
546:Trevor Ringland
497:
492:
448:Trevor Ringland
428:Matt McCullough
418:David Humphreys
396:
381:
379:Notable players
316:
300:Barton McCallan
279:
234:
216:
215:
207:
206:
202:
199:
195:
192:
188:
185:
181:
178:
174:
171:
167:
164:
134:All-Ireland D2A
128:
114:
84:
75:
73:
70:
36:
19:
12:
11:
5:
1204:
1194:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1168:
1163:
1158:
1141:
1140:
1138:
1137:
1132:
1127:
1122:
1117:
1112:
1107:
1105:Clogher Valley
1102:
1100:City of Armagh
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1076:Ballyclare RFC
1073:
1071:
1067:
1066:
1064:
1063:
1058:
1053:
1048:
1043:
1038:
1033:
1027:
1025:
1021:
1020:
1014:
1011:
1010:
1003:
1002:
995:
988:
980:
971:
970:
968:
967:
962:
957:
952:
947:
942:
937:
935:Clogher Valley
932:
927:
922:
916:
914:
910:
909:
907:
906:
901:
896:
891:
886:
881:
876:
871:
866:
861:
855:
853:
849:
848:
846:
845:
840:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
810:
805:
800:
794:
792:
788:
787:
785:
784:
779:
774:
769:
764:
759:
754:
749:
744:
739:
733:
731:
727:
726:
724:
723:
718:
713:
708:
703:
698:
693:
688:
683:
678:
672:
670:
666:
665:
656:
655:
648:
641:
633:
627:
626:
610:
609:External links
607:
604:
603:
591:
578:
577:
575:
572:
571:
570:
561:
552:
543:
530:
496:
493:
491:
490:
485:
480:
475:
473:Andrew Trimble
470:
465:
460:
455:
450:
445:
440:
435:
430:
425:
420:
415:
410:
404:
395:
392:
391:
390:
380:
377:
373:
372:
371:
370:
361:
360:
359:
350:
349:
348:
339:
338:
337:
328:
327:
326:
315:
312:
278:
275:
269:branch of the
242:
241:
231:
230:
226:
225:
222:
221:
218:
217:
208:
200:
193:
186:
179:
172:
165:
158:
157:
156:
149:
148:
145:
144:
141:
137:
136:
131:
125:
124:
121:Andrew Warwick
117:
111:
110:
107:
103:
102:
101:Peter J Crabbe
99:
95:
94:
87:
81:
80:
67:
63:
62:
57:
53:
52:
47:
43:
42:
39:
33:
32:
17:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1203:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1164:
1162:
1159:
1157:
1154:
1153:
1151:
1136:
1133:
1131:
1128:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1075:
1074:
1072:
1068:
1062:
1059:
1057:
1054:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1028:
1026:
1022:
1018:
1012:
1008:
1001:
996:
994:
989:
987:
982:
981:
978:
966:
963:
961:
958:
956:
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
917:
915:
911:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
856:
854:
850:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
833:Nenagh Ormond
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
796:
795:
793:
789:
783:
780:
778:
775:
773:
770:
768:
765:
763:
762:Old Belvedere
760:
758:
755:
753:
750:
748:
745:
743:
740:
738:
735:
734:
732:
728:
722:
721:Young Munster
719:
717:
714:
712:
709:
707:
704:
702:
699:
697:
694:
692:
689:
687:
684:
682:
679:
677:
674:
673:
671:
667:
663:
654:
649:
647:
642:
640:
635:
634:
631:
624:
618:
613:
612:
600:
595:
588:
583:
579:
569:
565:
564:Tommy Seymour
562:
560:
556:
553:
551:
547:
544:
542:
538:
534:
531:
529:
525:
521:
517:
513:
509:
506:
505:
504:
502:
489:
486:
484:
483:Luke Marshall
481:
479:
476:
474:
471:
469:
466:
464:
463:James Topping
461:
459:
456:
454:
453:Gary Longwell
451:
449:
446:
444:
441:
439:
436:
434:
431:
429:
426:
424:
421:
419:
416:
414:
411:
409:
406:
405:
403:
401:
389:
388:
383:
382:
376:
368:
367:
365:
362:
357:
356:
354:
351:
346:
345:
343:
340:
335:
334:
332:
329:
324:
323:
321:
318:
317:
311:
307:
305:
301:
297:
293:
289:
284:
274:
272:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
248:
239:
232:
227:
223:
214:
213:
155:
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
135:
132:
126:
122:
118:
112:
108:
104:
100:
96:
92:
88:
82:
68:
64:
61:
58:
54:
51:
48:
44:
40:
34:
30:
25:
16:
1085:Ballynahinch
1079:
1070:Senior clubs
1024:Competitions
1015:Part of the
843:UL Bohemians
838:Old Crescent
797:
676:Ballynahinch
598:
594:
582:
498:
397:
384:
374:
308:
304:W.J. McBride
280:
246:
245:
209:
89:Eaton Park,
15:
945:Enniscorthy
913:Division 2C
852:Division 2B
823:MU Barnhall
791:Division 2A
730:Division 1B
669:Division 1A
555:Steve Smith
488:Chris Henry
478:Bryan Young
468:Jamie Smith
458:Steve Smith
251:rugby union
109:Rodney Cole
1150:Categories
1115:Instonians
1051:McCrea Cup
950:Galwegians
879:Instonians
813:Greystones
767:Old Wesley
742:Buccaneers
533:Syd Millar
433:Syd Millar
413:Isaac Boss
408:Jonny Bell
296:Syd Millar
18:Rugby team
1110:Dungannon
1090:Banbridge
1080:Ballymena
965:Tullamore
904:Wanderers
869:Dungannon
803:Banbridge
798:Ballymena
777:St Mary's
752:Highfield
747:Garryowen
701:Lansdowne
385:See also
277:Formation
255:Ballymena
129:League(s)
115:Coach(es)
106:President
91:Ballymena
85:Ground(s)
37:Full name
22:Ballymena
955:Midleton
894:Skerries
884:Malahide
691:Cork Con
686:Clontarf
98:Chairman
940:Clonmel
920:Ballina
864:Dolphin
706:Shannon
574:Sources
400:Ireland
394:Ireland
325:2002–03
314:Honours
140:2022–23
74: (
66:Founded
1135:Rainey
1120:Malone
925:Bangor
889:Rainey
818:Malone
808:Cashel
681:Armagh
267:Ulster
60:Ulster
56:Branch
960:Omagh
930:Bruff
899:Sligo
828:Navan
355:: 13
333:: 14
249:is a
210:Team
46:Union
757:Naas
568:2017
559:1989
550:1983
541:1968
537:1962
528:1974
524:1971
520:1968
516:1966
512:1962
366:: 8
322:: 1
238:.com
143:7th.
76:1887
69:1887
50:IRFU
782:UCC
716:UCD
212:kit
1152::
566::
557::
548::
539:,
535::
526:,
522:,
518:,
514:,
510::
503:.
306:.
257:,
999:e
992:t
985:v
652:e
645:t
638:v
78:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
