2004–05 Ulster Rugby season

The 2004–05 season was Ulster Rugby's tenth under professionalism, and their first under head coach Mark McCall. They competed in the Heineken Cup, the Celtic League and the Celtic Cup.

Former head coach Alan Solomons and forwards coach Adrian Kennedy left at the end of the previous season to join Northampton Saints. Backs coach Mark McCall was named as the new head coach, with Allen Clarke as his assistant. Maurice Field replaced Clarke as head of the academy.

In the Celtic League, they finished eighth. Tommy Bowe was the league's second top try scorer with eight. In the Heineken Cup, they finished third in Pool 6, failing to qualify for the knockout stage. They went out of the Celtic Cup in the quarter-finals, losing to Neath-Swansea Ospreys. Neil Best was Ulster's Player of the Year. Kieran Campbell won the IRUPA award for Try of the Year.

Players in

 * Rory Best from Belfast Harlequins
 * 🇳🇿 Campbell Feather from Border Reivers
 * Declan Fitzpatrick from Belfast Harlequins
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Andrew Kershaw from 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Saracens
 * Kevin Maggs from 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Bath
 * Gavin Pfister from 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Pertemps Bees

Players out

 * Clem Boyd (retired)
 * Warren Brosnihan (released)
 * 🇦🇺 Ryan Constable (retired)
 * Robbi Kempson to 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Northampton
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Andrew Kershaw to 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Leeds Tykes
 * Tony McWhirter (retired)
 * 🇳🇿 Matt Sexton (retired)

Ulster Rugby Awards
The Ulster Rugby Awrds ceremony was held at the Ramada Hotel on 12 May 2005. Winners were:


 * Bank of Ireland Ulster Player of the Year: Neil Best
 * Guinness Ulster Rugby Personality of the Year: Tommy Bowe
 * Club Ulster Supporters Player of the Year: Kieran Campbell
 * Kukri Schools Player of the Year: David Pollock, Royal School Dungannon
 * First Trust Bank Club of the Year: Ballymena RFC
 * Calor Gas Youth Player of the Year: Nigel Newell, Ballynahinch RFC
 * Dorrington B. Faulkner Award: Brian Reid, Coleraine RFC
 * Northern Bank Coach of the Year: Gerald McCarter, City of Derry R.F.C., Ulster U21s
 * Downtown Radio Club/PRO Media Liaison Officer of the Year: Joan Beatty, Enniskillen
 * Belfast Telegraph Club Team of the Year: Ballymena RFC 2nd XV
 * The Botanic Inns Merit Award: Suzanne Flemming