Belfast Harlequins

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Belfast Harlequins is a multi-sports club located off the Malone Road in south Belfast. The club name provides the overall umbrella for rugby union, men's and ladies' hockey and squash. The club has close connections to Methodist College Belfast (MCB). The club is now welcoming to former and current pupils of MCB and all other schools.

Contents

[edit] Background of the Club

Belfast Harlequins was formed in 1998 with the merger of Collegians and North of Ireland Cricket and Football Club ('North'). The former clubs were two of the oldest and most distinguished clubs in Ireland. North sold its famous ground at Ormeau to pay for the redevelopment of the Deramore Park facilities. This has arguably made Deramore Park one of the best sporting facilities in the British Isles.

The club uses a version of the Maltese cross that MCB uses as its sports logo, with the colours being those of Navy, Sky Blue, Red and Maroon. The North colours were traditionally Red, Blue and Black, with Collegians using Navy, White and Maroon.

On and off the field all three sections of the Belfast Harlequins set-up have been successful. Deramore Park has 1 squash court, 3 rugby pitches, 1 cricket pitch, 1 synthetic hockey pitch and one bowling green which Belfast Bowling Club owns and plays on.

The merger has worked well, with respect shown to the history of both clubs. Pictures and memorabilia of both clubs and grounds is placed around the bar area and throughout the club. The partnership with Belfast Bowling Club is currently very stable.

In looking to the future the club has high hopes. In their infancy are both the Mens and ladies Mini Hockey schemes. On Saturday mornings over 100 children from 12 local primary schools take to Deramore for Mini rugby. The Launch of an Under 16 team in Rugby, Under 15 and Under 12 teams in Mens Hockey and an Under 14 team in Ladies hockey should ensure the a steady flow of players for the future.

A new development saw the co-operation of Harlequins with St Brigid's Gaelic Football Club. A sporting cross-community deal has been created by allowing the use of the Grafton Arena for matches and training during the GAA season in the summer. Harlequins and St Brigid's encourage their respective members to try Gaelic Football and Rugby.

[edit] CRICKET

In 2005, the cricket section left the Harlequins set-up and now plays at Stormont under the name of Civil Service North of Ireland. The original Collegians Cricket Club merged with Cooke to form Cooke Collegians at the end of the 1998 season prior to the merger with North. They play at Pirrie Park and the Shawsbridge Sports Complex.

[edit] HOCKEY

[edit] Mens Section

The Harlequins Mens 1st team play in Section 1 of the league set up of the Ulster Branch of the Irish Hockey Union. The Mens section currently fields 5 teams. The 1st team Coach for the 2006-07 season is former Irish International Julian Stevenson.

The Harlequins hockey sections essentially are that of Collegians as North of Ireland did not have a hockey section since prior to World War 1. On the hockey field Collegians had an eventful history. Alan Green of BBC Radio 5Live fame spent a few seasons on Collegians First XI prior to pursuing his career in England. He holds one irrevocable record - he was the first player for Collegians ever to be sent off! Players such as former Ireland Under-21 goalkeeper Iain Kelly, Cecil Andrews, Philip Duke, Ivan Kerr, Alan Smith and Kevin Ryan formed the backbone of Collegians hockey teams over many years. Philip Duke, who still plays today, holds the record of scoring more goals than any player in one season for the club. Kevin Ryan in particular played in every season of the mens hockey clubs existence under the Collegians name. The club had one full Irish international in Ian Kirk-Smith, who gained several Full Caps whilst still a Collegian.

In the first season at the new Astro pitch at Deramore in 2000-2001 the Belfast Harlequins Mens Team won the Linden Cup. In 2000 Peter Wood steped down from what some would say had been the position of running the club. Peter had coached the U15s for 15 years and had a significant influence at branch level where he held the presidency in 1999, the year Methody won the Burney Cup, a team, who most had gone to his coaching sessions at Collegians. The Mens Hockey Club have found themselves in a position similar to many others who play outside the Ulster Premier League in that it supplies players to Clubs in the top tier of league hockey.

[edit] Ladies Section

The Harlequins Ladies play in Section 1 of the Ulster Womens Hockey Union League. The Womens club is the largest in Ulster fielding 7 teams every Saturday.

The club has provided a number of Ulster administrators and coaches, including Alison Watt who is the current Ulster U21 Womens Coach.

Jenny McDonough and Suzanne Beaney have represented Ireland at full international level. Numerous players have and continue to represent Ulster at various levels, with Jenna Watt representing Ulster at U18.

Home games are played at Deramore Park or Pirrie Park and occasionally Paisley Park.

[edit] RUGBY

The Rugby Club field 6 senior teams, an U20 team and an Under 16 team, who all play in their Respective leagues within the Ulster Branch. The 1st Fifteen in 2006-07 play in Division 1 of the All-Ireland League.

In 2003 the Rugby Club signed a three year sponorship deal worth a six figure sum with Grafton Recruitment, re-naming the 1st, 2nd and U20 XVs the Grafton Belfast Harlequins, this deal was extended in 2006 to cover one more season.

The Grafton Belfast Harlequins were particularly successful in the 2004-2005 season. They finished third in the league table and played at Landsdowne Road in Dublin in the end of season play-offs. Unfortunately they lost narrowly in the Final to Shannon after a poor defensive display in the first half of the game. This is closer than a North or Collegians team had ever come to putting their hands on the Trophy.

[edit] SQUASH

In Squash, Belfast Harlequins have a Irish Junior International. The team play in the top section of the Ulster League and have had quite a successful run since the new court at Deramore was opened.

[edit] Collegians & North of Ireland Cricket & Rugby Club - Historical Background

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 1942, although they had played for many years on a non-competitive basis under the name of Methodist College Old Girls. The Collegians men's hockey section is much younger, commencing play in 1967. During the 1950s and 60s Collegians also fielded a highly successful Basketball team that won several cups.

Collegians Rugby Club won the Senior Cup on 8 occasions, the Senior League 7 times and the Junior Cup 7 times.

Deramore Park was home to Collegians and Methodist College since 1919 until the school purchased Pirrie Park from Harland & Woolf in 1932. Deramore Park was bequested in Trust for the use of Collegians by Mr C W Neill in 1941. The Board of Trustees were required to consent to the merger in order to allow the continued use of Deramore Park by the new club. Prior to World War 1 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.

North was one of the oldest clubs in the British Isles. They were participants in the first recorded rugby game in Ulster when they played a 20-a-side match against Queen's College, Belfast. The ground at Ormeau was steeped in history, having hosted many an Irish cricket international. The Ormeau ground was also host to many hockey and lacrosse international matches until the 1930s.

North Rugby Club won the Senior Cup on 18 occasions, the Senior League 17 times and the Junior Cup 9 times.

In 1998 North Rugby Club was relegated from Division 1 of the All-Ireland League and Collegians were relegated out of the League altogether by finishing at the foot of Division 4. The new rugby club was permitted to retain the standing of the former North club for the start of the 1998/99 season. The league positions of Collegians were retained under the Belfast Harlequins name by the hockey sections.

[edit] Achievements of Belfast Harlequins to date

[edit] External reference

Websites: [1] Belfast Harlequins Rugby Club; [2] Belfast Harlequins Hockey Club [3] Methodist College Belfast

Sources: Belfast Newsletter, The Northern Whig, Belfast Telegraph, Collegians Club Centenary Brochure.

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