In February 1904, Ballymena Bowling Club gained membership in the Irish Bowling Association (IBA). Early in the 1904 season Ballymena played and beat Coleraine in the opening game of the new bowling green laid in Ballymoney. This victory and the new green in Ballymoney inspired the small band of Ballymena enthusiasts. On June 5th 1905, the new green was declared open by Mr. J. K. Currie, County Councillor of the area. It was not long until the Club made their mark on the international scene in 1908 William McConnell becoming the first in a long list of international bowlers to come out of Ballymena and in the same year a Canadian team visited the club, the first of many overseas teams to visit Ballymena.
In 1913 the club was honoured with three Irish internationals which defeated England in Cardiff. While during the World War years there was no competitive bowls but they entertained wounded soldiers who were patients in local hospitals and made the facilities freely available to them. In 1916 the club played some friendly matches with several clubs. The club didn’t entertain much success immediately after the War but in 1920 the team did make the Irish Cup final just to be defeated by Falls.
With the Provincial Towns Bowling League (PTBL) being founded in 1925 and the first Ballymena President, Thomas Boyd was installed. This began the long association with the Provincial Towns. In its inaugural year the local pair, W. Clarke and J.K. Neave won the pairs competition and J. Clarke, D.G. Parker, J.K. Neave and J.H. Hamill won the IMA Senior Rinks Competition. The following year Ballymena won the Provincial Towns Senior League for the first time. In 1928 the club joined the Private Greens League (PGL) but withdrew in 1932 as the players were struggling to travel to games and decided to re-enter the Provincial Towns Competition and was rewarded by winning the league title for a third title and Ballymena dominated the league by winning it three times in that decade. In 1935 the B Team from Ballymena lifted IBA Junior Cup. To top off the decade Mr. William Coe from the club was elected President of the IBA.
Ballymena decided to renter the PGL which meant that in 1946 the club were playing in both the PGL and PTBL by arrangement with the IBA and in the inter-association match in 1947 the club provided players for both teams. The 50’s was somewhat quieter with the only success coming at the end of the decade when the Ballymena team won the Piggot Cup.
The next success for the club came in 1967 after Ballymena rejoined back into the PGL with the Midweek team winning the league and then winning it again in 1970 and 1971. 1979 saw Ballymena bowler Sammy Allen lift the PGL Singles crown, which he followed with the Irish Singles title and to top that feat he then went on to win the British Isles Singles Crown.
In 1987 the Ballymena Senior team suffered a blip in their history and we're relegated to the second division. The attoned for the blip by winning the division two title the following season. After 48 years the wait for Division One success finally was over. In 1993 the Braid side lifted the PGL Division One Title. The year after saw the beginning of the renowned Ballymena Floodlit Competition. 1995 saw Ballymena gain funding to install a second green.
In 2000 Ballymena juniors lifted both the Irish Cup for the first time since 1935 and completed the season by winning the Junior League. The following year saw the Seniors lift the PGL Cup and the Midweek team lift their league crown. In 2002 the Midweek and the Senior team won their respective league titles. Success continued in 2003 with the Junior and Midweek teams lifting their respective PGL Cups.
In recent years Ballymena has been successful in the PGL championships.
In 1913 the club was honoured with three Irish internationals which defeated England in Cardiff. While during the World War years there was no competitive bowls but they entertained wounded soldiers who were patients in local hospitals and made the facilities freely available to them. In 1916 the club played some friendly matches with several clubs. The club didn’t entertain much success immediately after the War but in 1920 the team did make the Irish Cup final just to be defeated by Falls.
With the Provincial Towns Bowling League (PTBL) being founded in 1925 and the first Ballymena President, Thomas Boyd was installed. This began the long association with the Provincial Towns. In its inaugural year the local pair, W. Clarke and J.K. Neave won the pairs competition and J. Clarke, D.G. Parker, J.K. Neave and J.H. Hamill won the IMA Senior Rinks Competition. The following year Ballymena won the Provincial Towns Senior League for the first time. In 1928 the club joined the Private Greens League (PGL) but withdrew in 1932 as the players were struggling to travel to games and decided to re-enter the Provincial Towns Competition and was rewarded by winning the league title for a third title and Ballymena dominated the league by winning it three times in that decade. In 1935 the B Team from Ballymena lifted IBA Junior Cup. To top off the decade Mr. William Coe from the club was elected President of the IBA.
Ballymena decided to renter the PGL which meant that in 1946 the club were playing in both the PGL and PTBL by arrangement with the IBA and in the inter-association match in 1947 the club provided players for both teams. The 50’s was somewhat quieter with the only success coming at the end of the decade when the Ballymena team won the Piggot Cup.
The next success for the club came in 1967 after Ballymena rejoined back into the PGL with the Midweek team winning the league and then winning it again in 1970 and 1971. 1979 saw Ballymena bowler Sammy Allen lift the PGL Singles crown, which he followed with the Irish Singles title and to top that feat he then went on to win the British Isles Singles Crown.
In 1987 the Ballymena Senior team suffered a blip in their history and we're relegated to the second division. The attoned for the blip by winning the division two title the following season. After 48 years the wait for Division One success finally was over. In 1993 the Braid side lifted the PGL Division One Title. The year after saw the beginning of the renowned Ballymena Floodlit Competition. 1995 saw Ballymena gain funding to install a second green.
In 2000 Ballymena juniors lifted both the Irish Cup for the first time since 1935 and completed the season by winning the Junior League. The following year saw the Seniors lift the PGL Cup and the Midweek team lift their league crown. In 2002 the Midweek and the Senior team won their respective league titles. Success continued in 2003 with the Junior and Midweek teams lifting their respective PGL Cups.
In recent years Ballymena has been successful in the PGL championships.