Instonians Rugby Club started as a section within the Belfast Old Instonians Association. The original part of the modern-day club, it started play in the Ulster Junior League in season 1919–20, and produced play of sufficient quality to merit immediate election to the
Ulster Senior League for the following season. As of 2025 the 1st XV currently plays in the
All Ireland League,
Division 1B. Instonians have won the
Ulster Senior Cup twenty times, the
Ulster Junior Cup four times and the
Ulster Senior League seven times (with five shared titles). 31 Instonians rugby players have been capped by
Ireland at full International level and the club has produced two
British and Irish Lions captains.
Honours •
All-Ireland Cup: 1 • 1926–27 •
Ulster Senior Cup: 20 • 1921–22, 1922–23, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1930–31, 1933–34, 1937–38, 1945–46, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1964–65, 1978–79, 1998–99, 2023-24 •
Ulster Senior League: 12 (5 shared) • 1924–25, 1925–26, 1926–27 (shared), 1927–28, 1950–51 (shared), 1952–53 (shared), 1953–54 (shared), 1956–57 (shared), 1957–58, 1959–60, 1984–85, 1986–87 •
Ulster Junior Cup: 5 • †1936–37, †1959–60, †1973–74, †1993–94, 2014–15 † Won by 2nd XV ==Ladies' Hockey==