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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1,074 Comments- Pages:
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weeminger
11:48 on
6 November, 2012
Thanks for this great idea
http://www.redonline.co.uk/news/sam-baker-s-daily-letter/john-lewis-refuge-gift-list
Always have been. Always will be.
#125
happy birthday Celtic on this our 125th year.May our identity strengthen as it has done for every second of those years.Hail hail
Paul67
Sent e-mail but forgot to put the name thetimrieper.
Paul67,
Excellent stirring piece!
Unfortunately due to illness it looks like I will miss the game tomorrow night, but no more fitting opponent could we have to play us at Celtic Park on this our 125th anniversary.
Proud and privileged to be a member of the Celtic Family.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Tutelage !
Angelo tutelare CSC — Way down south
Not really been on the blog for a couple of weeks mainly due to work,but i must say what a brilliant article to come back to
Hail Hail
great start again to the day paul67
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.
had to pick this wee bit what celtic fc and the fans mean to me.
a club for ALL
so think about it poppy agenda crew
as for myself i always see the good before the bad
happy birthday celtic 125 years unbroken
go get em celtic
jam67
Paul67
A wonderful article that really does capture the spirit of Celtic FC.
P67 – an article to be very proud of. Excellent stuff.
The club is our identity, it’s what we most closely associate ourselves with and it is a privilege just to be part of it.
MWD – time for some bromide in your tea….!
Hail Hail
T4
I am sitting in warm and sunny Fethiye, sipping an ice cold beer and listening to the waves lap against the shore.
Sounds idyllic.
It is idyllic but reading posts over the last couple of days have me longing for my seat in a cold and damp North Stand tomorrow evening.
i have a feeling that the Barca evening is going to be special and to all those in attendance … enjoy.
Paul
Rubbish article. ( just tying to stimulate some debate :-) )
Happy Birthday Celtic Football Club. The good & great times outweigh the bad times!! HaiL HaiL
Paul – thank you.
As if the goosebumps I’ve had all day weren’t enough you go and write that!!
Leaving work here in Newcastle shortly before driving up for what will be a very special occasion. I am truly privileged to be able to attend just as I am truly privileged to have been born and raised The Celtic Way.
To all of us “Happy Birthday Celtic” and from all of us, “Thank you Brother Walfrid”.
Lieber Celtic Glasgow, Zum Geburtstag viel Glück.
Paul67
Congratulations on a very erudite and eloquent article.
Once again let me wish Celtic FC a happy 125th birthday – here’s to the next 125 years!
Glad that Brother Walfrid stuck to his guns and insisted that the club be called Celtic, and not Glasgow Hibernians. Nothing against the name Hibernian/s – but there was already a club with that name.
Also think that it is time to name one of the two remaining ‘nameless’ stands in his honour.
Makes sense to me!
HH!!
31 hours…
Cults
You’re welcome Erza Fishul Programme
Paul67 – The blight returned in 1879 but by then the Celtic population of Ireland
The Celtic population Paul67? (thumbsup)
Ok Bhoys since we’re getting all historical …
Name YOUR top 5 Celts?
No right or wrong answers , can be player, manager, fan, owner, founder…????
Happy 125th Bhoys
I’ve been going to Paradise for 50 of them but the links go back to the early days- proud of everyone involved
Hail
Hail
Put some icing on the cake tomorrow night Celtic HaiL HaiL
BSR
Like the cover page- Vic just edging Messi to the ball…result?
CultsBhoy
Paul McStay
Henrik Larsson
Tommy Burns
Neil Lennon
Pierre Van Hooijdonk
Mort
Or should I say… Hoopy Birthday? (thumbsup)
…good morning all from Canada…
Hail Hail! to all the bhoys and ghirls…we have much to celebrate and much to be proud of. We are a one of a kind group and I’ve never been prouder to be a Celtic supporter.
Paul, a very well written leader this morning (as are they all); thanks again for all of your efforts. There isn’t a day I miss reading CQN and the banter is always entertaining and informative.
Enjoy the day, with hopefully a result against Barca tomorrow.
HH…YNWA…
Derryglas, indeed.
BlantyreKev, it sure is.
sannabhoy, there was in the old days, when the recession left us with time on our hands.
Parkheadcumsalford, that’s a good idea.
Folly Folly, you’re welcome.
Sheik Yerbouti, cheers.
EXILED TIM, aye.
MWD, add it to the list.
paulsatim, thanks.
sixtwo, cheers.
Can I Have Raspberry, indeed.
izzy, could be.
CultsBhoy, aye, that is a history. :-)
thetimrieper, replied.
Token Tim, shout us on from the couch (or behind it).
jungle jam67, indeed.
Hamiltontim, thanks.
TTTT, it sure is.
St Martin’s Bhoy, and if, you know….
Tallybhoy, thanks.
philvisreturns, yes. Correct context.
Very eloquently put Paul
Having only yesterday celebrated the great Centenary league championship
My question is ‘what happened to those intervening 25 years’?
‘Happy Birthday Celtic ‘
One of life’s great loves
1.Brother W
2. Fergus
3. Jock
4. McStay
5.Henke
———————
6. Paul67 ( close Paul but no cigar on my list!- ha)
CultsBhoy
Brother Walfrid
Willie Maley
Jock Stein
Jimmy Johnstone
Fergus McCann
HH!!
CultsBhoy loves being 1st forever & ever
12:51 on
6 November, 2012
Ok Bhoys since we’re getting all historical …
Name YOUR top 5 Celts?
No right or wrong answers , can be player, manager, fan, owner, founder…????
***************************
Brother Walfrid, Jinky, Jimmy McGrory, Jock Stein and the Lisbon Lions :¬)
The most important Irishman of all
By: Newsroom Staff on 06 Nov, 2012 09:01
AMID the poverty, neglect and intolerance of Victorian Glasgow, one man had a dream. His dream flourished and now countless thousands share his vision of a football club that opens its doors to all.
He was born Andrew Kerins in Ballymote Co, Sligo on May 18, 1840, and ventured on the divine path by taking up the oath of the Marist Brotherhood…
And as thousands of Irish took flight from the deprivation in their homeland by sailing to Glasgow, Brother Walfrid was assigned to Sacred Heart School in the city´s East End to cater for their spiritual and educational needs.
He had already taught at nearby St Mary´s before moving to Sacred Heart in 1874 but by the time he had moved to London´s Spitalfields in 1892, the first buds of his vision had started to unfold.
The immigrants from Ireland soon realised that the streets of Glasgow were not paved with gold and not for the first time in Scottish history the ogre that is religious intolerance raised its ugly head.
Walfrid therefore had two main aims; feeding the newcomers who were finding employment difficult to attain AND integrate them into the mainstream of Scottish life where two religions were increasingly at loggerheads with each other.
Feeding the poor was a problem with a relatively straightforward answer – a charity drive. Knocking down the walls of religious intolerance, however, was a rather more thorny issue and one that was to present pitfalls on both sides of the divide.
His idea to raise money was to enter the embryonic world of football by forming a club that would attract paying customers and either by accident or design, the new club was utilised to alleviate the other dilemma.
Although formed to raise money for the needy of the East End who were mainly Catholic and Irish, the new club would be neither exclusively Catholic nor Irish. Many Irish clubs had emerged in the 1880s and their names instantly signified their origin – Hibernian, Shamrock, Emmett, Harp, Erin, Emerald – but Walfrid was keen to build an ecumenical and cultural bridge between Ireland and Scotland so the most likely name, Hibernian, was dropped.
He had earlier established a minor football club named Columba and he was intent on using something similarly meaningful to both Scots and Irish. Thus, Celtic Football Club was born kicking and screaming into uncertain surroundings both in the football and cultural senses.
The name Celtic was intrinsic to the values and aims of the club in establishing an unquantifiable link between the indigenous Scots and the newcomers whose descendants would be born Scottish.
Since then the club has always opened its doors to one and all no matter the faith or colour, creed or race. That has always been the case since its foundation and that will always continue to be the case.
One man´s vision and a meeting at St Mary´s Hall in Abercromby Street on November 6, 1887 grew far beyond the cobbled streets of the Calton and now that dream lives on in the hearts of Celtic supporters of every faith and colour, creed and race on every corner of the globe
Celticfc.net
“Being a Celtic supporter is not always easy, but it is always worthwhile.”
Fergus McCann
Sheik Yerbouti
I did miss out Mark Daly, but I was only thinking about the written media.
These guys have/had a real chance to make a name for themselfs, none had the balls to take it up, a sad inditement of the best wee country.
MurdochauldandHay – The most important Irishman of all
At first I thought it was about Bono. (thumbsup)
Paul67
The Celtic story is all the evidence a seeker requires that love never fails.
(Corinthians 1. 13)
Human beings do not always reflect a loving spirit and can be distracted from that ideal by Life’s events.
However when that happens, the loving foundation on which Celtic is based, manifested in great acts of charity, is a totem or symbol to bring all of us back to our true roots, and by all I mean all, not just Celtic men.
Sacred Heart in Dalmarnock – my first school!
Paul67:
“…more than just a football club…”; these words alone summarise our Family, the Celtic Family.
To all those before us and for those who will come after us, God Bless and enjoy being a part of the Celtic Family…more than just a Football Club.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!