History of Portrush Hockey Club
Portrush Hockey Club was formed in 1909, following a meeting in the town's Osborne Hotel on 29 September. The first President was F Audinwood, and the first Captain was RA Bailey, who chaired the original meeting. The Club achieved early successes, winning the Derry and Antrim League in 1913 and 1914, and the Kerr-Smiley Cup in 1912, 1913 and 1914. The Club's success was mirrored by the individual achievement of the youthful James McVicker of Portrush and Queen's who was capped for Ireland against Wales in 1914, winning 2-1 at Cardiff. That Season Ireland also beat Scotland 4-2 in Dublin and drew 1-1 with England in Birmingham.
After the First World War, during which hockey was suspended, the Portrush Club began playing again, and achieved success in 1922 by winning the Braddell Shield in the Final against Lisnagarvey Second XI, and winning the Intermediate Cup the next year - again by beating Lisnagarvey Second XI Success continued in the Twenties, with Portrush winning the North-West Senior Cup in 1924, 1927 and 1928.
Further success was to follow, and with a new generation of players in the Thirties, Portrush won the Irish Junior Cup in 1932. One of their players that day was Fred Daly, who went on to become the Open Golf Champion. For the rest of the Thirties, Portrush played in the Senior Qualifying League, and towards the end of that decade they won the Ulster Section of the Irish Senior Cup. Though hockey was suspended at the beginning of the Second World War, the all-Ireland Cup competition continued, and Portrush won the Irish Junior Cup in 1943, for the second time. Don Minihan, a member of that Cup-winning side, later played for Ireland. In 1946 Portrush again won the Irish Junior Cup, by beating Monkstown.
