Clontarf

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.{{neededdate=September 2020}}

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.