Cliftonville was one of the founding members of the Ulster Hockey Branch and has a distinguished record on and off the pitch. The club has supplied many outstanding hockey players and
officials over the years and has been a club respected by other teams both on and off the pitch.

Cliftonville Hockey Club was formed in 1896 and had its first match against North Down which Cliftonville lost 8-0 - Cliftonville only had 13 members - 11 players ,an umpire and a lines man.

From those early days the club the club has gone from strength to strength Between 1966 and 1976 the senior league was won 7 times. The Anderson and Kirk Cup were also won in this period. Two successive Irish Cup victories lead to qualification to play in the European Cup Winners Competition. A truely golden era for the club.

Sadly in 1972 hostile elements set fire the club house. The club took up a nomadic existence for over 30 years.

In 2004 the club set up home at CIYMS in East Belfast. With a new club house and facilites ( arguably the best showers in the league) the club has started a new era in its long and illustrious history.