Hockey is one of the core sports at RBAI and is associated with a long-standing tradition of success throughout Ulster and Ireland. The 1st XI has won the Irish Schoolboy Championships on seven occasions, which is the joint top number of victories throughout all schools on the island. The 1st XI has emerged victorious in the Burney Cup (the Ulster Schools’ Cup) on seventeen occasions and are the current holders of this trophy, whilst the McCullough Cup has also been brought back to College Square East on seventeen occasions: making RBAI the most successful 1st XI in the country. The school has also always had a history of success at U13, U14, U15 and 2nd XI levels, having won the respective cup competitions on numerous occasions.
The RBAI Hockey Club plays matches and holds practices on the state-of-the-art water-based hockey pitch at Shaw’s Bridge. The pitch is used by RBAI teams on a daily basis and the school offers a strong consistent fixture list on Saturday mornings.
The club strives to expose pupils to the highest level of coaching expertise alongside an ethos of fun and enjoyment. Each year group receives coaching from fully qualified teachers within the school, high calibre external coaches and past pupils of the school who return to offer their knowledge to the next generation.
A total of 19 former pupils have gone on to represent Ireland and/or Great Britain at Senior International level, with 5 players going on to compete at the Olympic Games. RBAI Hockey Club currently have 11 pupils playing for Ulster underage teams, with 6 of them also representing Ireland at U16, U18 and U21 level.
