Welcome to the Athletic Association, situated in the beautiful surroundings of the Lagan Valley Country Park. Newforge Country Club, home of the Athletic Association is a leader in the provision of Sports, Leisure and Recreation facilities, with the aspirations to be the best.  Newforge Country Club offers first class sports pitches for football, rugby, cricket, bowling and hockey. In addition to this we provide a setting and facility for a full range of corporate and special events from weddings to conferences and dining to sporting and team building activities. You can choose from any of the four function suites, catering for 30 to 270 people. Newforge is fully wheelchair accessible and there is a lift for those with limited mobility to access the first floor.

History of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Athletic Association.

The RUC Athletic Club was formed in June 1928, by Captain T. D. Morrison, M.C.D.I, to foster approved sporting activities for members of the force. It is affiliated to and operates in close liaison with the Police Sport UK of Great Britain. Members compete in the various Police Sport UK Championships staged at various centres annually throughout GB & N. Ireland. The funds of the Association are used to provide or assist in the provision of facilities & services for, or in connection with, any form of recreation or amateur sport for persons participating in or enjoying or viewing the same and encouraging social intercourse and wellbeing generally.

The first major RUC Sports took place at Balmoral in July 1930 and over the next sixty years the sports attracted athletes such as American sprinter, Harrison Dillard, flying Dutch woman, Fanny Blankers-Koen and Jamaican Herb McKinney (all post-war Olympic Champions).

Paralleling the development of the sports was the development of a highly talented Athletics Team, which in 1950, held or shared nine Northern Ireland records. At the same time great Athletes emerged led by Shot-putter Davy Davidson, 440 runner Billy Dundas and future Olympic Champion Mary Peters.

The 1970's saw the beginning of the end for the sports as an international attraction however some years in the Pearl International Games, Mark Forsythe again wore the RUC colours and competed in two Olympics – Barcelona and Seoul.

The Father of the Association

Captain T. D. Morrison was Commissioned in the army in 1915 he served with the Ulster Division in the First World War, and the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers from 1917 to demobilisation and joined the RIC in 1920 becoming District Inspector in 1920 before going to the Constabulary Depot and transferred to Belfast in 1922. Promoted County Inspector in 1939, he took over the Maintenance Branch of the R.U.C. and during the War, the Special Constabulary and Ulster Home Guard.
The main objectives of the Athletic Association:

• To provide a variety of membership benefits, offering great value for money, that you will not receive anywhere else e.g. car insurance, travel discounts etc.
• Providing support both financial & practical for AA members of sporting bodies affiliated to the PSNI.
• Financing worthwhile sporting & recreational facilities for members of the Athletic Association in other areas, with over £200,000 in grants paid to sporting sections & recreation clubs throughout the Service