Adam Smith, regarded by many as the father of modern economics, once observed that crop failures caused dearth but that it took “the violence of well-intentioned governments” to convert “dearth into famine.” Throughout the 19th century, governments, social-reformers and subsistence –dwellers learned the enormous human cost that resulted when the poor were left to starve.
Ireland suffered regular famine for more than a century before when what became known as THE Irish Famine first struck the country in 1845. The potato blight travelled across Europe before arriving in Britain and then Ireland, but in most places the links between those who were suffering and those who were in a position to alleviate that suffering were sufficiently established to ensure dearth did not become cataclysmic famine. Not so in Ireland.
The famine lasted until the 1850s, a million starved to death. Nothing would ever be the same again. The blight returned in 1879 but by then the Celtic population of Ireland, who suffered disproportionately in earlier famines, were politically better represented and had structures in place to ensure those in need were assisted. As a result, the 1879 blight caused great hunger but cost fewer lives.
Brother Walfrid lived through the famine of the 1840s. The community who 125 years ago today decided to form a football and athletic club in order to feed the starving either lived through the same hardship, or were the progeny of those who did. All were informed by the actions across the water in 1879. Squalor, disease and starvation afflicted Glasgow, as it did many of the newly industrialised cities of the world. Walfrid and his colleagues were not going to stand idly by and hope for the best.
Celtic Football Club was not the only institution established in those years to cater for the poor. Across Britain others campaigned for clean water, sanitation, better working conditions and occasionally health care, but Celtic were quite unlike any others.
Football had caught the public imagination and benefited from the increased availability of leisure time in the early 20th century. Brother Walfrid could just as easily established a musical troupe to raise funds. If so, there would be no Celtic. Those who met in St Mary’s hall had seen how successful other football clubs were becoming and decided to copy their ways. They watched how successful Hibernian, from Leith, had become and decided Glasgow’s east end would be equally fertile ground.
Hundreds of other football clubs were formed in the 19th century but no others had the unique story of Celtic. If you listen to modern brand consultants you will hear them talk about establishing a legend for your brand. Adorn it with positive, aspirational sentiment that people want to be a part of. Whenever I hear this kind of talk, or watch a business try to position itself along these lines, I think of how getting the foundations right on day one set our club out on this enormous journey.
No one was trying to establish a brand in 1887, in fact, those in charge of the club seemed immune to the concept for over a century, but all of the positive sentiment which is persistently associated with Celtic can be traced back to that meeting at St Mary’s, even down to what might have seemed like small detail. Unlike Hibernian, Celtic would not be a club for members of a church or parish, this would be a club who wanted all members of society to work with, support and play for. From conception, the message of social responsibility was evangelised.
The world is enormously different today than it was back then, and our community reflects those changes, but anyone who counts himself a Celtic fan is a product of the club’s history. You are here for a reason.
Tomorrow night’s opponents proclaim they are ‘more than just a football club’. In their case that is correct, but this is a truism for most football fans. Few will say, ‘Although I turn up every week, there’s nothing special about this place’. Those who understand how much more Celtic are than just a club, know that it is no longer the responsibility of Brother Walfrid, now it is yours and mine. We have the enormous responsibility to take care of that 125-year heritage and, if possible, enhance it. That’s the challenge every time you get your ticket out your pocket, you scribble on a blog, or you’re asked to assist someone in need.
What an enormous privilege.
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thetimrepier.
Yes it was quiet, spooky considering.
Maybe Roy Keane was right .
That is what you get from the prawn sandwich brigade.
paulsatim is neil lennon
That is class.
kikinthenakas
My heart will be with you mi amigo.
I will have a bottle or two tomorrow come what may :>)))
Enjoy.
HH
WGS sitting on fence…. Re Scotland.
Far more enthusiastic about CFC FCB.
I see there will be a big press conference ay ayebroke tomorrow, rumour has it they will be announcing a celebration of 140 years history, surely companies house will have something to say
TET, I was happy as a lurker and thought about joining a few times.
It’s taking its toll on my work output though. Daytime posting is gonna have to be limited to lunch ;)
Jude,
Thoughts with you and prayers for your sister, god willing everything will turn out right.
Tony, starts the Morra.
He Must..
It’s the Uncommonsensical Thing .. tae dae,Neil..
Nae Doot ..Aboot it.
His Stick-to-Itiveness wull pay a big Divi.
He’ll dae us Proud.
He and Sammi, wull win this wan fur us.
Kojo.
Still, Laughin’
Happy 125th Birthday, Celtic. Sorry my dad, his brothers and other family members now gone are not here to se it.
But, then again, many of them were in their prime for Lisbon and 9 in a row; other relations were no doubt delirious at 7-1 in the sun, and at many other great times in the dim and distant past – my old mum still goes on about Bertie Peacock! Doubtless there were many sad times too – the 1-5 and 4-1 re
Question to WGS on CL Highlights:
Are you heading to the Celtic v Barca game tomorrow?
Of course I am!!
Are you talking to the SFA – evades question.
Says: looking forward to watching the game with his grandson.
See you there in 20 hours – take care all – off to bed – can’t wait for tomorrow night.
H!H!
Som mes, I thought it was less sitting on the fence and more saying ive not been offered it so can’t say anymore.
But yer right, he was almost gushing about the game tomorrow.
Geordie…,
no sure what you mean, criticising player is every supporters right, that should never change, kicking a man when he’s going through what Broony did is a big bit different.
newradbhoy
It seems like they the group stage is beneath them, theyv`e
bought in to the best league in the world guff and that they should
be able to thrash teams like ajax.
A photo from allcelts that was posted by Estadio a while back
I love it:))
http://enematic.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/new-pic-from-all-celts/
Good night this time :))
canamalar
Oh aye, you can’t be doing that now, FFS, for what they have done, they should be gone, dead and burried, not being playing football at any level.
They don’t give a flying fig for anyone, and they know that nothing will be said or done.
Doh they think
For me Miku starts tomorrow night.
Given our injury situation we need experience in the team. Miku has experienced playing against Barca before and has scored against them so for me he comes into the fore for a place in the starting line up.
Tony Watt a great prospect but not his time yet for a game of this magnitude. His day will come.
Geordie Munro
Keep posting
AttentionseekersCSC
Canamalar, what I’m saying is lets hope no-one has any reason to criticise him.
Always remember the first time I went Celtic Park with my dads pal and he bot me a bovril and I thot it was tea and put 3 spoonfuls of sugar in it not knowing it was salt.
So has Obama or Romney won ????
Why on earth would the Barca team choose the Radison on bloody Argyle St to stay in?
Somebody made a boo boo there
I take it the GB are there tonight:-)
Just off the twitosphere;
“We don’t need a Show Racism the Red Card badge on our shirts, we wear the Hoops and the whole world knows what that stands for” – Ian Bankier
Hoopy birthday Celtic!
Anyone see the Celtic Underground tweet tonight about a Sevco press conference tomorrow? I wondered if it might be a good day for them to release bad news as Barca are in town. Or if they might be attempting to take some attention away from our Champions League campaign. Still hoping for a heavy tax case defeat for them or something worse.
Glad to see some praise for Scott Brown tonight. In my view he was one of the few shining lights under Mowbray and flourished as soon as Lennon arrived. His slow start under Strachan was down to the untimely loss of his sister and that could have ended the career of many a player. The way he has bounced back from that has been amazing.
Strachan’s midfield tactics stifled him as he couldn’t charge forward to the same extent. Mowbray’s tactics were inexplicable at the best of times. So the past 2 seasons have been his first real chance to show what he can do. I think he has showed that he is in the £4m bracket under Lennon and if he can put his injury trouble behind him he has the chance to be one of our most successful captains.
I just wish we would get behind every player without the need to find a scapegoat all the time. In recent times we have gone from Agathe to Lennon to Caldwell to McGeady to Samaras. The transformation in Samaras with a little self-confidence is remarkable. Clubs employ sports psychologists to do the work that the fans could do far more effectively.
The extra spring in the step of the players on Champions League nights is down to us. Lets raise the roof tomorrow night and show the world that Celtic are back where they belong.
Craiginho
Reduced Productivity Tomorrow CSC
…results against the Huns when it looked as if we would be gone forever were sore! But there is never any second’s thought about the love for Celtic – it is in the blood.
Wee BGFC and Princess BGFC are now following in a long, long line, and their weans, and grandweans will travel the well-trodden path to Paradise long into the future. Enough to make you greet with happiness.
Hail, Hail all Celtic Supporters, especially my own wee lovely gang!
BGFC
Bring on the Spaniards by the score…
TET, oh theres a few of them on here. ;)
Lovely service at St Mary’s tonight. C of S Minister from Bonhill spoke well and brought a bit of humour. Big Celtic fan. Nice touch by Barca directors attending.
Hope we can emulate performance from Camp Nou tomorrow night.
Hail hail.
est
Miku?? no chance. T W all day long!!
Obama for me. Romany will lead us into WW3. He is a Bush clone!!
dannygall
23:43 on 6 November, 2012
When we played them the last time I remember posts on here saying they were walking about the City on the day of the game…They obviously are looking for Bairds
the exiled tim
23:43on6November,2012
So has Obama or Romney won ????
Neck and neck.
Romney looking confident there whilst posing for photos with his two brothers, Scarf and Hat.
With hooper a doubt could miku and watt both play, with commons,
sammi, broony and victor across the middle.
Geordie…,
sober up :oD))
every time he has a bad game he will be criticised and thats right, I also think if he chooses to continue to play for scotland he will get stick, and I can see sense in that, especially if playing for scotland requires him to miss Celtic games because he needs rest.
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/
Just reading back and saw your sister is ill, will keep her in my prayers Mate and hope she recovers soon..
Miku will start if Sammi isn’t fit, if he is, he will play up on his own.
Tony will be on the bench.
If Sammi starts and can’t see the game out, Miku will come on before Tony imo.
But I know nothing, and will bow to Lenny’s superior knowledge of the game.
That is just what I think he will do tho.
thetimrieper.
It seems to me that when teams like chelsea, man city (new rich teams).
When they buy all these expensive superstars, all they are buying is attitude.
They are that used to being THE players for theyre old teams that they want everything to go through them on the park.
Teams also need lesser players, i.e. the grafters.
These guy’s win the ball and play it to the gifted ones.
Get the blend right and play like a team and for each other.
Well let’s hope he doesn’t have a bad game.
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/
Obama for me. Romany will lead us into WW3. He is a Bush clone!!
Will the romany no lead us into bare knuckle fighting, bare-back
riding and mental weddings.