Membership
The club was closed to former pupils or staff of Royal Belfast Academical Institution, which regards itself as one of the leading schools in Belfast. Instonians was the last 'old boys' club in Ireland to finally open its membership to all in 1990. In practice, however, the men's hockey club still only accepts members meeting the old ''closed'' criteria.Grounds
The club for many years used the Royal Belfast Academical Institution grounds at Bladon Drive, Osborne Park and Orangefield, before moving to its own grounds at Shane Park in 1965. Shane Park was sold for redevelopment in 1999 and the club now groundshares at the Shaw's Bridge Sports Complex with Cooke RFC, Cooke.Rugby
Instonians Rugby Club started as a section within the Belfast Old Instonians Association. The original part of the modern-day club, it started play in the Ulster Junior League in season 1919–20, and produced play of sufficient quality to merit immediate election to the Ulster Senior League (rugby union), Ulster Senior League for the following season. The 1st XV currently plays in the Ulster Qualifying League 1. Instonians have won the Ulster Senior Cup nineteen times, the Ulster Junior Cup four times and the Ulster Senior League (rugby union), Ulster Senior League seven times (with five shared titles). 31 Instonians rugby players have been capped by Ireland at full International level and the club has produced two British and Irish Lions captains.Honours
*All-Ireland Cup (rugby union), All-Ireland Cup: 1 **1926–27 *Ulster Senior Cup (rugby union), Ulster Senior Cup: 19 ** 1921–22, 1922–23, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1930–31, 1933–34, 1937–38, 1945–46, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1964–65, 1978–79, 1998–99 *Ulster Senior League (rugby union), Ulster Senior League: 12 (5 shared) ** 1924–25, 1925–26, 1926–27 (shared), 1927–28, 1950–51 (shared), 1952–53 (shared), 1953–54 (shared), 1956–57 (shared), 1957–58, 1959–60, 1984–85, 1986–87 *Ulster Junior Cup: 5 ** †1936–37, †1959–60, †1973–74, †1993–94, 2014–15 † Won by 2nd XVLadies' Hockey
Instonians Ladies' Hockey is somewhat unusual in that the club is associated with a boys' school. However, the ladies' hockey section was the second part of the club to be formed in 1921. Membership was initially made up from wives, sisters, daughters and girlfriends of ''Inst'' old boys and staff. The ladies' hockey club was one of the most successful club sides in Ulster over a period from 1930 until the mid-1960s. They were winners of the Ulster Shield on ten occasions and won the Irish Senior Cup (Ladies Hockey), Irish Senior Cup in 1955. The dawning of the 1970s saw a gradual decline in playing standards, and eventually Senior League status was lost. They took up a nomadic existence moving from ground to ground over the past twenty years. However 2006 saw Instonians Ladies' Hockey Club renew its connection with the parent club with the opening of a new water-based artificial turf pitch at the Shaw's Bridge Sports Complex. Instonians Ladies currently play in Section Four of the Senior League (following the restructuring of the ladies leagues in 2007 removing Qualifying and Intermediate Sections) of the Ulster Women's Hockey Union.Cricket Club
Instonians Cricket Club was founded in 1932. The first team currently plays in the Premier League of the NCU Senior League.Honours
*NCU Senior League: 4 (2 shared) **1962, 2009 (shared), 2013 (shared), 2014, 2016 *NCU Challenge Cup: 3 **1964, 2009, 2012 *Ulster Cup (cricket), Ulster Cup: 4 **1999, 2007, 2010, 2011 *NCU Junior Cup: 4 **†1967, †1970, †2001, †2017 † Won by 2nd XIMen's Hockey Club
Instonians Men's Hockey Club was formed in 1959. The first team is one of the top teams in Ireland, winning the Irish Senior Cup (Men's Hockey), Irish Senior Cup on four occasions with their initial success coming in 1995. Four Irish Club Championships have also been won. In association with Royal Belfast Academical Institution the club have just completed the purchase and laying of a water-based artificial turf playing surface at the Shaws Bridge Sports Complex.Notable former players
Rugby union
; British and Irish Lions ; {, , - style="vertical-align:top" , , * Keith Crossan * David Hewitt (rugby union, born 1939), David Hewitt * David Irwin (rugby union), David Irwin * Ronnie Lamont , , * Colin Patterson (rugby union), Colin Patterson * Robin Thompson * Sam Walker (rugby union), Sam Walker * Roger Wilson (rugby union), Roger Wilson *Michael Lowry (rugby union) *James Hume (rugby union)Cricket
; men's internationals * Herbie Martin; played rugby union for Instonians. * Regan WestField hockey
; men's internationals * Paul Gleghorne * Mark Gleghorne * Michael Watt (field hockey), Michael Watt ; men's internationals * Mark Gleghorne ; men's internationals * Mark Gleghorne ; women's internationals * Maeve KyleOlympians
; Ireland at the Olympics, Ireland * Paul Gleghorne; field hockey – Ireland at the 2016 Summer Olympics, 2016 * Maeve Kyle; athletics – Ireland at the 1956 Summer Olympics, 1956, Ireland at the 1960 Summer Olympics, 1960, Ireland at the 1964 Summer Olympics, 1964 * Michael Watt (field hockey), Michael Watt; field hockey – Ireland at the 2016 Summer Olympics, 2016 ; Great Britain at the Olympics, Great Britain * Mark Gleghorne; field hockey – Great Britain at the 2016 Summer Olympics, 2016External links