North of Ireland FC

Rugby team
teamname = North of Ireland FC


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union = IRFU
Ulster
fullname = North of Ireland Football Club
nickname =
shortname = NIFC
country

countryflagvar = rugby
founded = 1868
region =
ground = Ormeau Grounds
Belfast
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chairman =
president =
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league = Ulster Senior League
AIB League
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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 Northern Ireland and only two other clubs - Dublin University and Wanderers - were formed earlier anywhere else in all Ireland [ [http://www.irishrugby.ie/300_285.php www.irishrugby.ie] ] ["The Ireland Rugby Miscellany" (2007): Ciaran Cronin] . It was founded in 1868 by members of North of Ireland Cricket Club [ [http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/FootballStudies/2003/FS0601d.pdf www.la84foundation.org pg 6] ] . NIFC also played in the first recorded rugby game in Ulster when they played a 20-a-side match against Queen's University RFC.

Throughout their history, NIFC were one of the most successful clubs in Ulster Rugby, winning eighteen Ulster Senior League titles and eighteen Ulster Senior Cup titles. They also played several seasons in the AIB League. However in 1999 they merged with Collegians to form Belfast Harlequins [ [http://www.irishrugby.ie/23_7866.php?PHPSESSID=2ef47a7b8ce5adc00dfe62c38c3d6740 www.irishrugby.ie] ] .

Notable Players

"See also cat|North of Ireland F.C. players"

ru|IRE

The following NIFC players represented Ireland at full international level.

BILru|British Lions

The following NIFC players also represented the British and Irish Lions ["The Ireland Rugby Miscellany" (2007): Ciaran Cronin] .

Cricket internationals

NIFC remained closely associated with North of Ireland CC and several of its players also played cricket at international level.
* Robert Alexander
* Neil Doak

Honours

*AIB Division Three
**"Winners": 1994-95: 1
*Ulster Senior League
**"Winners": 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1901, 1902, 1909, 1921, 1927, 1946, 1955, 1959, 1966, 1992: 18
* Ulster Senior Cup
**"Winners": 1885, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1901, 1902, 1908, 1920, 1930, 1935, 1939, 1955, 1969, 1973: 18
**"Runners Up" : 1887, 1903, 1906, 1909, 1911, 1921, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1971, 1977, 1979, 1984, 1992: 14
* Ulster Junior Cup
**"Winners": 1895, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1936, 1954, 1957, 1963, 1985: 9
**"Runners Up" : 1896, 1899, 1902, 1924, 1927, 1952, 1962, 1976 : 8

References