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North of Ireland Championships

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North of Ireland Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
Founded1879
Abolished1894
Editions15
LocationBelfast, County Antrim, Ireland
VenueCliftonville Cricket Club
SurfaceGrass

The North of Ireland Championships[1] was an early Victorian period men's and women's grass court tennis tournament founded in 1879. The championship was played at the Cliftonville Cricket Club, Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland.[2] The tournament ran annually for fifteen editions until 1894.[3] It was the precursor tournament to the later Ulster Grass Court Championships.

History

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The regional tennis tournament the North of Ireland Championships tournament was established early as 1881,[4] at the Cliftonville Cricket Club on Cliftonville Road in Belfast. Some time later the club was renamed as the Cliftonville Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club. The North of Ireland Championships tournament ran until 1894 when it was abandoned. cancelled after 1894.

Following World War One in 1919 new regional lawn tennis was established representative for Northern Ireland called the Ulster Grass Court Championships staged at the Belfast Boat Club,[5] South Belfast. This grass court tournament ran until at least 1980. In 1928 a second regional tournament was established known as the Ulster Hard Court Championships that was played on clay courts that was staged through to the 1950s.

The former tournaments were both amateur events, but in the mid-1960s a professional event was staged in Belfast called the Ulster Professional Championships.[6]

Notable male players who this championship includes Manliffe Goodbody[7] who won it three times (1889, 1890, 1893). The North of Ireland and Ulster grass court tournaments have survived into the 21st century where today as two separate events is known as the North of Ireland Open,[8] and the Ulster Senior Open.[9]

Finals

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Men's singles

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(incomplete roll)

Year Champion Runner Up Score
1879[3] England Captain Short England M. Short 6–5, 4–6, 6–3
1881[3] Ireland Edward Johnson Charley England J.R. Bristow 2–1 sets
1882[3] England George Frank Wemyss Anson Ireland Edward Johnson Charley 2–0 sets
1885[3] England Charle Milligan Johns England Alfred Dawson Johns 6–3, 6–3
1888[3] Ireland Tegan Dickson Ireland Robert Cully Barton 6–0, 6–0
1889[3] Ireland Manliffe Francis Goodbody Ireland Tegan Dickson 6–3, 6–2, 6–2
1890[3] Ireland Manliffe Francis Goodbody (2) Ireland Arthur Henry Gore Ashe 5–7, 6–4, 6–0, 6–2
1891[3] Ireland George Courtney Ball-Greene Ireland Manliffe Francis Goodbody w.o.
1892[3] Ireland Francis Owen Stoker Ireland George Courtney Ball-Greene w.o.
1893[3] Ireland Manliffe Francis Goodbody (3) Ireland Francis Owen Stoker w.o.
1894[3] Ireland Alexander Horsbrugh Porter United Kingdom David Elgar Payn 6–2, 6–1, 6–1

Women's singles

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(incomplete roll)

Year Champion Runner Up Score
1890 Ireland Miss. M.A. Kinahan Ireland Miss Newett 6–2, 6–0
1891 Ireland Miss. Hearn Ireland Miss. M.A. Kinahan 6–2, 6–2
1892 Ireland Miss. R. Shaw Ireland Miss. Hearn 4–6, 6–4, 6–1
1893 Ireland Miss. R. Shaw (2) Scotland Miss. Jane Corder 3–6, 6–0, 9–7
1894 Ireland Miss. R. Shaw (3) Ireland Miss. F. Carr 6–1, 6–1

References

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  1. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.68.
  2. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Tournament: North of Ireland Championships". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  4. ^ Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) Lawn Tennis in 1881. George Routledge and Son. London. p.68.
  5. ^ "Tennis at Belfast Boat Club". Belfast Boat Club. Belfast, Northern Ireland: The Belfast Boat Club. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  6. ^ The Belfast Telegraph (3 July 1965), Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. p.14
  7. ^ Baily's Magazine of Sports and Pastimes (1889). Volume LI. January - June. Vinton & Co Ltd, London. p. 129.
  8. ^ "Adult Tournaments: North of Ireland Open – Downshire". Ulster Tennis. Ulster LTA. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Adult Tournaments: Ulster Senior Open – Belfast Boat Club". Ulster Tennis. Ulster LTA. Retrieved 26 July 2023.

Sources

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  • Baily's Magazine of Sports and Pastimes (1889). Volume LI. January - June. Vinton & Co Ltd, London.
  • Routledges Sporting Annual (1882) George Routledge and Son. London.
  • The Belfast Telegraph (3 July 1965), Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland.