Since it's inception on November 7th 1882, Glentoran have had a most varied and chequered history, with so many ups and downs with peaks and troughs, disasters and triumphs. It is very much the club of the working class East Belfast people and throughout its 118 year history this support from the local community has been unstinting.
Initially playing its football in Ormeau Park, Glentoran were formed after the amalgamation of two local junior sides, Oakfield and Nettlefield. After much deliberation a name was given to this new team, it's name Glentoran, named after the house of its then Chairman, Victor Coates.
The clubs choice of colours, Red, Green and Black, came about in a somewhat strange way. Many different choices were put forward before one evening whilst enjoying a drink in a local pub, some members of the committee were attracted to the blazers of a touring cricket team from Dublin, Na Shulas. That night the choice of club colours were decided on and they have remained ever since.
The clubs nickname, The Cock 'n' Hens, comes basically from the rhyming slang for Glens.
Glentoran won their first domestic league title in 1894 and their last title, won in 1999, was their 20th championship success. They also clinched their 18th Irish Cup win last May.
In European competitions Glentoran have competed in 58 games since their European debut in 1962, a record for Irish League sides.
On two different occasions they have reached the second round stage of the European Cup, in its old form. In 1977 they overcame Valur of Iceland (2-1 on aggregate) before losing to Juventus of Italy (6-0 on aggregate) in the next round.
In 1981 they eased past Progres Neidercorn from Luxembourg by a 4-0 margin but unfortunately lost out 3-2 after extra time to CSKA Sofia in the second round.

The 1973-74 season was perhaps Glentoran's finest hour in Europe when they reached the Quarter Final stage of the now defunct Cup Winners Cup. On the way to the Quarter Final stage they beat Chimia Valcea of Romania, then Brann Bergen of Norway before finally losing out to Borussia Moenchengladbach of Germany in the Quarter Finals.
Glentoran do also claim a little piece of European history. Back in 1967 in a European Cup tie with Benfica of Portugal, they drew 1-1 in Belfast before drawing 0-0 in Lisbon. In doing so they were the first team to stop Benfica scoring in a home European game and at the same time, sadly, also became the first side to go out of Europe on the Away Goal Rule.
Further back Glentoran also claim a unique record of being the first British side to win a European trophy when they won the Vienna Cup in 1914. Just prior to the outbreak of the First World War, Glentoran embarked on a summer tour of Europe and were invited to play in a challenge game with a Vienna Select XI. The invitation was duly accepted and Glentoran won the match by two goals to one and secured the Vienna Cup at the same time.
Over the years many famous footballers began their illustrious careers with Glentoran. Players such as Danny Blanchflower, Billy Bingham, Jimmy McIlroy, Peter Doherty and Terry Conroy have all began their road to future glories donning the red, green and black.
All in French, the clubs motto 'Le Jeu Avant Tout' is simple in its translation, 'the game above all'. It's a simple motto but completely sums up the traditions of Glentoran and is something that holds true for Glentoran today, just as it did in its foundations back in 1882.