MALONE TORNADOES

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 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 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.