The Irish National Bowls Championships combines Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Traditionally, the game was played mainly in Northern Ireland, but the Kenilworth Bowling Club of Dublin joined the Irish Bowls Association in 1906, which prompted the merger into one team. With the exception of the Commonwealth Games, players continue to represent a combined Ireland team at all major international championships.
History The singles championship is called the Dr Rusk Cup named after Dr John Rusk, President of the IBA and the singles representative player at the Lawn Bowls at the 1934 British Empire Games. The Pairs is called the T.W McMullan Cup, the Triples is known as the Charlie Clawson Cup and the Fours is known as the C.L MacKean Cup. Roy Fulton is a record seven times singles champion closely followed by Martin McHugh with six wins.
The Women's National Championships were inaugurated in 1947 but only consisted of the pairs and fours initially.
The national champions are determined by the winners of the Irish Bowling Association Championships. To qualify for the Championships, bowlers must win their respective championship. The four qualifying tournaments are held by the Northern Ireland Private Greens League (NIPGL/NIWPGL), the Northern Ireland Bowling Association (NIBA/NIWBA), the Bowling League of Ireland (BLI/LBLI) and the Northern Ireland Provincial Bowling Association (NIPBA/PTWBA).
The 2020 and women's 2021 Championships were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2023 event clashed with the 2023 World Outdoor Bowls Championship, which denied the chance for several leading bowlers to either defend or regain titles.
Past winners Men's singles YearChampion Runner-Up Ref1908 R. Archer (Ormeau) John Lindsay (Belmont) 1909 D. W. Barnett (Belmont)T. H. Forsythe (Shaftesbury)1910 A. Cherry (Ormeau)R. Stead (Ballynafeigh)1911 James Coulter (Ormeau)W. R. Forsythe (Shaftesbury)1912 R. Archer (Ormeau) & George Cooper (Kenilworth)+ joint winners declared1913 George Cooper (Kenilworth)F. McCartney (Belmont)1914 W. McLetchie (Bangor)S. S. Mercer (Shaftesbury)1915 James Coulter (Ormeau)J. McCann (Falls)1916 George Cooper (Kenilworth)Tom McCrea (Falls)1917 Sam Windrum (Shaftesbury)S. J. Thompson (Ulster)1918 William Dougal (North Belfast)Walter Scott (Cavehill)1919 J. B. Teuton (Shaftesbury)R. R. Thomson (Kenilworth)1920 W. R. Forsythe (Ulster)Leslie Lewis (Kenilworth)1921 S. Boyd (North Belfast)George Cooper (Kenilworth)1922 J. B. Teuton (Shaftesbury)S. Arthurs (Woodvale)1923 James Fitzpatrick (Falls)Charles Park (Ormo Bakery)1924 D. W. Barnett (Belmont)J. K. Dunlop (Falls)1925 Tom Kearney (Larne) Harry King (Castleton)1926 Charles Park (Ormo Bakery) Tom Kearney (Larne)1927 Tom McCrea (Ulster)Harry King (Castleton)1928 John Park (Forth River)J. Baker (Woodvale)1929 John Park (Forth River)J. Baker (North Belfast)1930 J. Landon (Castleton)Fred Wright (Alexandra)1931 George Cooper (Kenilworth)T. Topping (Cavehill)1932 Dr John Rusk (Cavehill)Thomas B. Molyneaux (Ballynafeigh)1933 Percy Watson (Cavehill) John Park (Woodvale)1934 John Park (Forth River)James Fitzpatrick (Falls)1935 Thomas B. Molyneaux (Ballynafeigh) John Downing (Shatfesbury)1936 W. Brown (Knock)J. Wilkin (Alexandra)1937 A. B. MacLaughlin (Alexandra)Syd Thompson (Musgrave)1938 Percy Watson (Cavehill)H. McCutcheon (Divis)1939 Joe Baker (Forth River)W. J. Thompson (Belfast)1940 Joe Baker (Forth River)W. L. Bowie (St. James's Gate) 1941-1945 not held1946 Barry Fitzmaurice (Cliftonville)S. J. Dixon (St. James's Gate)1947 William Barr (Londonderry)H. Whiteside (Castleton)1948 F.J. Wright (Cliftonville)Albert Cameron (Kenilworth)1949 Bob Miller (Bangor)W. McClean (Ballymoney)1950 Syd Thompson (Willowfield)R. McKillen (Portrush)1951 Garth Anderson (Coleraine)Raymond Fisher (Ormeau)1952 Tom Henry (Londonderry)Pat McCarragher (Divis)1953 Walter Christie (Victoria)Percy Watson (Cavehill)1954 Sammy Park (Cliftonville) George McFadden (Woodvale)1955 Jack Webb (Musgrave)Pat McGuirk (Leinster)1956 Roy Fulton (Coleraine)Pat McGuirk (Leinster)1957 Roy Fulton (Coleraine)Willie Byme (Herbert Park. Dublin)1958 Jack Webb (Musgrave)Syd Thompson (Willowfield)1959 Jimmy Connolly (Leinster) J. Hill (Derry)1960 Jim Hood (Cavehill) Syd Thompson (Willowfield)1961 Tom Kennedy (Lisnagarvey)Andy Smith (Falls)1962 Roy Fulton (Coleraine)Con McCarthy (Dublin)1963 Billy Tate (Bangor)Pat McGuirk (Leinster)1964 Roy Fulton (Coleraine)Bertie McConnell (Belmont)1965Roy Fulton (Coleraine)Danny Laverty (Woodvale)1966 Davy McEnaney (Leinster)Harry Brown (Limavady)1967 Roy Fulton (Coleraine)Sammy Millar (Windsor)1968 Tom Sutton (Cavehill)Pat McGuirk (Leinster)1969 John Higgins (York Road)Pat McGuirk (Leinster)1970 Danny Laverty (Woodvale)Willie Murray (Portrush)1971 Roy Fulton (Coleraine)Billy Crothers (Ewarts)1972 David Marchant (Leinster) Billy Pimley (Falls)1973 Billy Curragh (Ards)Don Mellor (Leinster)1974 Sammy Ashwood (Balmoral)North McQuay (Knock)1975 Willie Murray (Portrush) Alan Eager (Kenilworth)1976 Hugh Wallace (Carrickfergus)John Henry (Ballymoney)1977 Dennis Darcy (Crumlin)North McQuay (Knock)1978 Marcus Craig (Cliftonville)Frank Daly (Crumlin)1979 Sammy Allen (Ballymena)Chris Wallace (Carrickfergus)1980 David Corkill (Knock)Tommy Catherwood (Cookstown)1981 Billy Loughrey (Portrush)Tom Sutton (Cavehill)1982 Paul McVeigh (Falls)Ken Hogg (Ballymoney)1983 Gordon Woods (Ballymoney)Sammy Allen (Ballymena)1984 Ian Gillen (Blackrock)Ivan Craig (Rathfriland)1985 Morrow Horner (Belmont)John Higgins (York Road)1986 Ken Hogg (Cookstown)Alan Geary (Blackrock)1987 Alan McMullan (Balmoral)Michael Geary (Leinster)1988 David Corkill (Knock)Don McArthur (Limavady)1989 Jim Baker (Cliftonville)Tom Turkington (Balmoral)1990 Stephen Adamson (Dunbarton)Willie Smyth (Magherafelt)1991 John Nolan (Blackrock)Noel Graham (Lisnagarvey)1992 Alex Lightbody (Bangor)Gary McCloy (Portrush)1993 Colin Best (Willowfield)Noel Weir (Rathfriland)1994 Gary McCloy (Portrush)Andrew Whisker (Saintfield)1995 Noel Graham (Lisnagarvey)John Nolan (Blackrock)1996 Jeremy Henry (Portrush) Michael Dunlop (Ormeau)1997 Greg Moore (Banbridge) James Talbot (Old Bleach)1998 Clifford Craig (Bangor)James Talbot (Old Bleach)1999 John Murphy (Crumlin)James McKenny (Dromore)2000 Ian Ross (Brookgreen) Jonathan Ross (Lisnagarvey)2001Jeremy Henry (Portrush)Martin McHugh (Whitehead)2002 Myles Greenfield (Dunbarton)Noel Graham (Lisnagarvey)2003 Martin McHugh (Whitehead)Blair Somers (Blackrock)2004 Martin McHugh (Whitehead)John Leonard (St. James's Gate)2005 Martin McHugh (Whitehead) Wilfie Moore (Limavady)2006 Martin McHugh (Whitehead) Adam Barr (Limavady)2007 Gary Kelly (Ballymoney)Stephen Millane (St. James's Gate)2008 Ian McClure (Portrush)Tony Budde (Belmont)2009 Gerard McGleave (Divis) Thomas Smyth (Leinster)2010 Richard Leonard (St. James's Gate) Graham McKee (Bangor)2011 Paul Daly (Ulster Transport)James Martin (Ballymoney)2012 Ian McClure (Portrush)Gerard McCleave (Divis)2013 Martin McHugh (Whitehead)Ian McClure (Portrush)2014 Neil Mulholland (Lisnagarvey)Ian McClure (Portrush)2015 Martin McHugh (Whitehead) Peter Convery (Dunbarton)2016 Barry Kane (Dunluce) Mark McPeak (Belmont)2017 Mark Wilson (Cookstown) Noel Graham (Lisnagarvey)2018Stephen Coleman (Ballymena) Gary McCloy (Portrush)2019Gary McCloy (Portrush) Aaran O'Keefe (Banbridge) 2020 cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic2021Simon Martin (Belmont)Aaran O'Keefe (Banbridge)2022Adam McKeown (Old Bleach)Jackie Erskine (Bangor)2023Ross McMullan (Limavady)Ian Wilson (CYM)2024David Copeland (Dunbarton)Kyle Blakely (Banbridge)2025 Richie Leonard (Crumlin)Ryan McElroy (Dunbarton) + Shared title due to final not being played.
Most titles NameTitlesYear Roy Fulton71956, 1957 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1971Martin McHugh62003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2015 George Cooper41912, 1913, 1916, 1931 John Park31928, 1929, 1933
Men's pairs