Collingwood Cup - History

The Collingwood was donated by Bertram J. Collingwood, a lecturer in U.C.D.

The first competition took place in 1914 and was won by U.C.D. It did not take place in the First World War years 1915-1919 nor in 1933 -1934 because of a dispute between the football authorities North and South.

The original cup was lost in the late 1930s and was replaced by the current cup in 1939.

The Collingwood is run under the auspises of the Irish Universities Football Union (IUFU) and there have been 90 Collingwood Cup tournaments to date. The early years were dominated by U.C.D. and Queen's but since 1970, it has become much more competitive and seven different teams have won it since then. The most successful team overall is U.C.D. with 42 wins followed by Queen's with nineteen. (see below)

Until the 1970s it was a knockout competition with just 6 or 7 teams. The number of entrants then gradually increased to a maximum of 15 by the 1990s and the competition was played with a World Cup format of 4 groups leading to semi-finals and final. In recent years St. Mary's Belfast and St. Patrick's Drumcondra have ceased to compete and in 2006 the tournament reverted to a knock out format with 13 teams.

Past Collingwood winners
1943	U.C.D.		1965	Trinity		1987	U.C.D.
1944	U.C.D.		1966	U.C.G.		1988	U.C.D.
1945	U.C.D.		1967	Queen's		1989	U.C.D.
1946	U.C.D.		1968	U.C.G.		1990	U.C.C.
1947	Queen's		1969	U.C.D.		1991	U.C.C.
1948	U.C.D.		1970	U.C.G.		1992	U.C.D.
1949	U.C.D.		1971	U.C.G.		1993	U.C.D.
1950	U.C.D.		1972	U.C.D.		1994	U.C.D.
1951	U.C.D.		1973	U.C.D.		1995	U.C.G.
1952	U.C.D.		1974	U.C.C.		1996	U.U.J.
1953	U.C.D.		1975	Queen's		1997	U.U.J.
1954	U.C.D.		1976	U.C.D.		1998	St. Mary's
1955	U.C.G.		1977	Queen's		1999	N.U.I.G.
1956	U.C.D.		1978	U.C.C.		2000	U.C.C.
1957	Queen's		1979	Trinity		2001	U.U.J.
1958	U.C.D.		1980	Ulster Poly		2002	U.C.C.
1959	U.C.D.		1981	U.C.D.		2003	U.C.C.
1960	Queen's		1982	Queen's		2004	U.C.C.
1961	U.C.D.		1983	U.C.D.		2005	U.C.C.
1962	Queen's		1984	U.C.D.		2006	U.U.J.
1963	Queen's		1985	Queen's		2007	U.C.D.
1964	Queen's		1986	U.C.C.		2008	U.U.J

U.C.D. and Queen's dominated the early years but an analysis of the years since 1970 shows that there are now many more potential winners.