Sports records

Sport in Ulster took off in the late-19th century and much of the impetus was generated by the presence of the armed services. Cricket, football and rugby in particular benefited from this presence. The plethora of centenary histories of Ulster rugby clubs gathered together under the archive also demonstrates clearly that schools and universities encouraged participation in sport and assisted in its local development.

The history of sport in Ulster is part of the cultural heritage and some years ago PRONI contacted all the main sporting organisations and clubs in Northern Ireland outlining our facilities for preserving sporting records and making them available to the public. The administrators of both British and Gaelic sports associations were contacted. Our most notable successes included the deposit of the records of the Irish Rugby Union, Ulster branch and the minutes of the Ulster Council of the Irish Lawn Tennis Association, 1927-70.