Ballina Rugby Football Club

Ballina Rugby Club was formed in 1928. It was a start of an era, the birth of a club that was to shed lustre on Connacht, and Irish Rugby. Ballina was proposed for membership at the February meeting of the Connacht Branch in 1928.

The affiliation, which was accepted unanimously, was proposed by Galwegians, and seconded by U.C.G. In 1929 the Camp Field (now the home of Ballina Stephenites) was acquired as a rugby pitch. In those early days the club headquarters were based at the Crescent Hotel then owned by the Cosgrave family. It was there that visiting teams were entertained. In the season of 1928/29 Ballina shot right to the top of the Connacht graph, by winning the Senior League.

The year of 1948 Ballina (post war years) they won the Junior Cup. The 1948 win heralded better things to come, moulding a team to take the first Connacht Senior Cup title to Ballina in the 1950/51 season. The team also won the Senior League that season, and shared the title the following year. Surprisingly fortunes slumped for a time until a Junior League win against Sligo in 1973. The league win was the start of a purple period in the clubs history for it culminated in two Junior Cup wins; two leagues; the winning of the Junior B league, and under age titles.

During this golden era on the pitch Ballina R.F.C. moved into their new clubhouse on the 3rd September 1978. In 1979 Ballina R.F.C. went on to have its finest hour, when against all odds they beat Athlone in the Connacht Senior Cup Final 10-6 in injury time.In 1980 the Junior Cup was added again to the clubs honours and then for the next five seasons Ballina won the Junior League five times on the trot.

In that time a Junior B League (1983) and another Junior Cup (1985) were added.Over the next few years the under age teams took the honours but in 1992/1993 season the club won the Senior League and gained entry into the All Ireland League Division 2.The club struggled with life in the AIL and were relegated twice in two years.
There they began to rebuild and in 1998 gained promotion back to Division 3.The club stayed in Division 3 for six years until 2005 when they were relegated out of the All Ireland League.

In 2017-18 season the Ballina RFC won the Connacht Junior 1 A League, The Calwey Cup and the Connacht Junior Cup. They were sent forward by the Connacht Branch to represent the province in the All Ireland League qualifying Round Robin. They beat the Leinster, Munster and Ulster provincial champions securing a bonus point win in all three games and qualifying for the AIL league 2C division for 2018-19.

In 2018-19 season Ballina RFC entered the All-Ireland League 2C, just a year on from their rise from the junior ranks the were crowned winners of the AIL 2C league having remained unbeaten on home soil for all rounds of the AIL that season. The title and further promotion was secured following a 47 - 27 point win over Tullamore.

Connacht Senior League winners 2021-2022 season. The 1st XV played in the All Ireland League 2B for the 2021-22 season finishing 9th after 18 rounds.
They played Galwegians over two legs to retain their place in 2B, but despite beating Galwegians 15-3 at Ballina in game, Galwegians held onto their Division 2B place [37-34] aggregate score after two legs.

The Senior 1st XV played in the All Ireland League 2C division for seasons 2022-23 and 2023-24. The team was relegated from the All Ireland League in April 2024.

The Senior 1stXV will play in the Connacht Junior Division 1A, and will compete in the IRFU All Ireland Junior Cup during the 2024-25 season.