Ballyclare RFC

Ballyclare RFC

Full name	Ballyclare Rugby Football Club
Union	IRFU
Branch	Ulster
Nickname(s)	The Hares
Founded	1949;76 years ago (1949)
Location	Ballyclare
Region	County Antrim
Ground(s)	The Cloughan (Capacity: 1,000)
Chairman	Bob Beckwith
President	Lyle Andrew
Director of Rugby	Andrew Wylie
Coach(es)	Mike Orchin-McKeever
Captain(s)	Joel McBride
League(s)	A.I.L. Div. 2C
2024–25	4th. [1]
Team kit
Official website
www.ballyclarerfc.co.uk

Ballyclare RFC is a rugby union club based in the town of Ballyclare, County Antrim in Northern Ireland. They play in Division 2C of the All-Ireland League since becoming a senior club in 2024. ^[2]

History

The club was founded on 20 May 1949 as Ballyclarians. The current grounds at The Cloughan are provided by the Old Ballyclarians Association ^[3] and the clubhouse and pavillon were officially opened in 1992. ^[4] The 2020s have been the most successful period in the club's history, winning three Ulster Towns Cups, the Ulster Junior Cup, All-Ireland Junior Cup and in 2024 won the Ulster Championship for the first time. They subsequently won promotion to the All-Ireland League. ^[5]

Honours

• All-Ireland Junior Cup (1) : 2023-24 ^[6]
• All-Ireland Junior Championship (2) : 1977, 1978 ^[7]
• Ulster Championship (1) : 2023-24 ^[8]
• Ulster Junior Cup (3) : 1988–89, 2001–02, 2022-23 ^[9]
• Ulster Towns Cup (10) : 1976, 1978, 1980, 1986, 2004, 2013, 2018, 2020*, 2022, 2023

(2020 shared with Ballynahinch RFC - unfinished due to the COVID-19 pandemic )

References

1. A.I.L. Tables 2024–25
2. Sadlier, Michael (4 May 2024). "Why Ballyclare's rise to senior rugby for the first time will impact entire town". Belfast Telegraph . Retrieved 27 March 2025.
3. "Ballyclare RFC - history". ballyclarerfc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
4. "Ballyclare RFC - club grounds". ballyclarerfc.co.uk. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
5. "McBride strikes late to secure historic AIL promotion for Ballyclare". ulster.rugby. 27 April 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
6. Sadlier, Michael (27 January 2024). "Ballyclare lift AIL Junior Cup with win in Dundalk". Belfast Telegraph . Retrieved 22 March 2025.
7. Keers, Russell (21 January 2022). "All-Ireland Junior Cup: Win would 'rank as one of Ballyclare's best achievements'". northernirelandworld.com. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
8. "Ulster Championship 1 2023/24". ulsterrugby.sportlomo.com. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
9. "Junior Cup Final - Enniskillen 36-42 Ballyclare". ulster.rugby. Retrieved 27 March 2025.