MALONE TORNADOES
SUPPORTING ABILITY NOT DISABILITY
SUPPORTING ABILITY NOT DISABILITY
We are a mixed ability rugby team in Belfast with a big dream to play in the Mixed Ability World Cup in 2025! Get involved and help us make this dream a reality!.
There’s lots of ways you can help Malone Tornadoes. Join the team, help us find sponsors, donate, and spread the word about our team.
Malone Rugby Football Club was founded in 1892 by residents of Malone Park, Belfast. From this beginning, with thirteen playing and a dozen non-playing members, the Club has grown to one of the largest and most successful Clubs in Irish Rugby.
After two successive Junior League wins, the Club was granted Senior status in 1896 and played i
Malone Rugby Football Club was founded in 1892 by residents of Malone Park, Belfast. From this beginning, with thirteen playing and a dozen non-playing members, the Club has grown to one of the largest and most successful Clubs in Irish Rugby.
After two successive Junior League wins, the Club was granted Senior status in 1896 and played its first game at this level against Collegians.
In 1932 the club changed its name to Malone Rugby Football Club and eventually gained a permanent home at Gibson Park.
Malone RFC has been a successful and integral part of Ulster and Irish Rugby for over 132 years, with many being capped for Ireland and the British Lions.
We are proud to have our key facilitators and coaches from the Tornadoes such as Chris Shields and David McKay, who in their professional capacity have taken their experiences and knowledge gleaned at Tornadoes to be instrumental in developing the ever-widening parameters and opportunities for both Disability Tag and Mixed Ability Rugby
We are proud to have our key facilitators and coaches from the Tornadoes such as Chris Shields and David McKay, who in their professional capacity have taken their experiences and knowledge gleaned at Tornadoes to be instrumental in developing the ever-widening parameters and opportunities for both Disability Tag and Mixed Ability Rugby across Ulster and Ireland. The impact and the fruits of their labour is evident across Irish Rugby with it now been able to boast about having seven MAR clubs and over thirty Disability Tag Teams.
Malone Tornadoes’ focal point is the training, playing and participation in the game of rugby but the Tornadoes’ remit is significantly more than just those goals. The club has grown massively to having 45 playing members with on average 30 attending training every Monday night at Gibson Park, home of Malone RFC. The families and friends
Malone Tornadoes’ focal point is the training, playing and participation in the game of rugby but the Tornadoes’ remit is significantly more than just those goals. The club has grown massively to having 45 playing members with on average 30 attending training every Monday night at Gibson Park, home of Malone RFC. The families and friends of the players are included in everything we do as a club and have a voice, just like the players have, in the running of their club and their input and support is so important.
Whilst striving to grow and develop the game within Belfast and Ulster, Malone Tornadoes has gained a world-wide reputation through reaching out to other clubs and establishing communication to engage in making the Mixed Ability Rugby experience even more inclusive and more than just a game. From participating in numerous games across Ireland, coming 3rd in IMART 2022, Malone Tornadoes was then chosen to host the MARIS’ (Mixed Ability Rugby Invitational Squad) first game in Ireland in May 2023. This honour which also included one of the Tornadoes as MARIS’ Head Coach was a fantastic success demonstrating Malone’s vision for inclusion and welcoming players and officials from 7 different countries including players from Belgium, Spain and Canada.
Always looking ahead to progressing the club, the fixture list in 2024 is a busy one with tours to Winchester RFC in January and in March, Madrid hosted by Alcobendas RFC, a club with ever-growing connections to Malone RFC. All this is not possible without the constant support of our community!
Interested in sponsoring us as a business? Please fill out the information below and we will be in touch to discuss our current sponsor plans!
Malone Tornadoes Mixed Ability Rugby, Gibson Park Avenue, Belfast, BT6 9GL