Clifford McIlwaine

Clifford McIlwaine
Personal information
NationalityBritish (Northern Irish)
BornApril 1952 [1]
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Sport
SportBadminton
ClubMalone
Holy Trinity BC
Medal record
Representing  Northern Ireland
Irish Nationals
1972–74, 1978, 1981 men's doubles
Welsh International
1972 mixed doubles

Clifford Ennis McIlwaine (born April 1952), is a former international badminton player from Northern Ireland who competed at the Commonwealth Games and was a five-time champion of Ireland.

Biography

McIlwaine started playing badminton as a 12-year-old at the Malone club and played cricket for the Irish Schools as a wicketkeeper.[1] He studied at Queen's University Belfast.[2] He later played for the Holy Trinity club,[3] represented Ulster at provincial level[4] and all-Ireland at international level.[5]

Primarily a doubles specialist he formed a successful men's doubles partnership with David Doherty and also partnered Bill Thompson in men's doubles[6] and Dorothy Cunningham in mixed doubles.[7]

McIlwaine represented the Northern Irish team[8] at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, Australia,[9] where he competed in the two events.[10]

By November 1979 he had earned 35 Irish caps and took a two-year appointment as the Irish U18 coach.[1] In February 1981 he set a new Irish record when he earned his 46th cap, breaking the previous record set by Ken Carlisle.[11]

He was a five-time Irish doubles champion at the Irish National Badminton Championships, winning themen's doubles in 1972, 1973, 1974, 1978 and 1981.[12][13]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Badminton". Ireland's Saturday Night. 17 November 1979. p. 4. Retrieved 16 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ^ "Surprise as McIlwaine is dropped". Belfast Telegraph. 1 March 1974. p. 26. Retrieved 16 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ [hhttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0002318/19820217/555/0021 "Alpha set to retain title"]. Belfast Telegraph. 17 February 1982. p. 21. Retrieved 16 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ "Incentive for Ulster players". Belfast News-Letter. 27 October 1978. p. 16. Retrieved 16 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Ireland confident of victory". Belfast News-Letter. 4 December 1980. p. 16. Retrieved 16 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Badminton". Daily Record. 15 January 1981. p. 29. Retrieved 16 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Ulster stars defend titles". Belfast News-Letter. 12 December 1975. p. 18. Retrieved 16 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "No cuts, so 72 head off to Brisbane". Belfast News-Letter. 6 July 1982. p. 12. Retrieved 18 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Ursula Jumps For Joy". Belfast Telegraph. 6 July 1982. p. 18. Retrieved 18 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Northern Ireland Brisbane 1982". Commonwealth Games Federation. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  11. ^ "Badminton". Belfast News-Letter. 19 February 1981. p. 14. Retrieved 17 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "Irish Senior Nationals Winners". Badminton Ireland. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  13. ^ "Badminton Ireland National Champions Men's Doubles 1912-Present". Eirball. Retrieved 18 March 2026.