Clontarf F.C.

Clontarf Football Club is an Irish rugby union club based in Clontarf, Dublin. The club plays in Division 1A of the All-Ireland League.

History

Origins and early history
Clontarf Football Club currently plays at Castle Avenue, where it moved in 1896. The club gets its mascot from the meaning of Clontarf, which translates as "meadow of the bull". The red and blue colors are used by most sporting clubs in the area. The club was formed before the establishment of the Irish Rugby Football Union.

Separate and shared facilities
Since 1896, the grounds at Castle Avenue have been jointly occupied by Clontarf Cricket Club and the rugby club. Until 1947, both games were played on the same ground, and the wicket was fenced off in the winter. In 1982, following a fire which destroyed the bar and lounge, an agreement was reached between both clubs to go their separate ways. Subsequently, each club was provided with separate premises and the use of a common main bar and hall for each club's season.

Playing highlights
In 1902, Clontarf was admitted to Senior Ranks — Leinster League — and in the following year reached the final of the Leinster Club Senior Cup, where they were beaten by Lansdowne  by one goal (5 points) to one try (3 points).

Other highlights of the club's history include the winning of the Leinster Club Senior Cup in 1936, a feat which was to elude Clontarf teams for another 63 years until the much so sought after cup was returned to Castle Avenue in April 1999. However, the intervening years were not without success as various teams representing the club won leagues and cups in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Clontarf won the Leinster Floodlight Competition in 1989, 1990,1997 and 1998, the All Ireland Floodlight Competition in 1990, and the All Ireland League Division II in 1996/97. Since attaining Division 1 status in 1997, Clontarf has maintained its position as one of the top twelve clubs in Ireland. It has reached three All Ireland League division one finals, two of them to record winners Shannon. The club has produced a number of professional rugby players such as Cian Healy, Emile Prior and Brian O'Driscoll, Tadgh Furlong, Matt D'Arcy, Michael Noone and Joey Carbery.

During their 1966 world tour the club had only one loss to the Athletic Rugby Football Club of New Zealand  captained by I.N. McEwan. Among the teams played were Blackheath from England, and Cardiff of Wales.

In 2014, Clontarf won the All-Ireland League for the first time in the club's history, topping the table by a point, after a finish which saw Clontarf beat Ballynahinch at Castle Avenue while Old Belvedere lost to Garryowen, giving Clontarf the title. Four days after this victory, the same Clontarf side faced Barbarians F.C. to mark the 1000 year anniversary of the Battle of Clontarf. Clontarf were winners on the day, running out 43–42.

In the community
On a local level, the club runs a "mini" rugby team and youth rugby is of importance to the club. The club has won several mini rugby competitions over recent seasons.  For the 2018/2019 season, a Girls Youth team was set up and trains twice a week at the club.

The club has had an association with the local St Paul's College, Raheny and Mount Temple Comprehensive School, as well as Belvedere College in central Dublin, for several years. The club also has a social committee, with theme nights, awards balls, golf outings and Tag Rugby runs during the summer months.

Teams
Clontarf have teams from senior level down as young as under-8. At senior level there are five teams, the firsts play in the AIL Division 1, while the rest of the senior teams play in the Leinster Metropolitan Leagues. In 2007/2008 the first team won the Leinster League cup beating St Mary's College in the final. They were also a runner-up in the J1 Section A league, and runners-up in the J4 league. The J2 team won the J2 section B gaining promotion to J2 section A.  In 2014/2015, the J4 team won the Leinster Branch Metro League Division 6 title and won promotion to division 5.  The J6 team won the 2016/2017 Leinster Branch Metro League Division 11 title and won promotion to division 10.

Honours
 All-Ireland League Winners 2014, 2016. Runners up 2013, 2017
 Leinster Club Senior Cup Winners 1936, 1999, 2002
 Metropolitan Cup Winners 2012

International players
 Mick McGrath - plays for the Ireland national rugby sevens team
 Cian Healy - plays for Ireland and British and Irish Lions
 Tadhg Furlong - plays for Ireland and British and Irish Lions
 Joey Carbery - plays for Ireland
 Noel Reid - plays for Agen and formerly Ireland

References

External links
  

 
Rugby clubs established in 1876
Rugby union teams in Ireland
Rugby union clubs in Dublin (city)
 All-Ireland League rugby union clubs
Leinster Senior League (rugby union) teams
1876 establishments in Ireland