CQN 11 Knocking it out the park

1030

Where to start on last night’s CQN11 St Patrick’s Dinner?  We knocked it out the park.  Hundreds came, thousands of pounds were raised, enough to help Mary’s Meals build a kitchen for a thousand more school kids in Malawi, and a £5,000 donation to Lisa Hague’s 30k Challenge for Marie Curie Challenge for Cancer Care.

My sincere thanks to everyone who came along and made the night so special, especially those who stepped forward and helped Mary’s Meals and Lisa’s Challenge.  The night could not have happened without Phil Agnew’s experience, work and charm.  He is a credit to everything good about the Celtic support.

Special thanks to Tom Boyd, John Hughes, Joe Miller and Tommy Coyne, who added range to the night at the Q&A session.  Thanks to Stuart Armstrong, who dropped in to spend an hour with us, and share some of his undisguised joy at being a Celtic player.

Archie Macpherson spoke about the world Jock Stein blew apart when he arrived at Celtic 50 years ago this week.  Archie’s range on Scottish football is peerless.  He became a friend and confidant of Jock, and gave us an insight into the extraordinary man.

No St Patrick’s Night would be complete without great music and for that our thanks to Patricia Ferns and Liam McGrandles, and a special mention those who put their shoulder to the wheel on the night, especially Geo from Biglens and the great hospitality staff at Celtic.

I’ve many people to catch up with but I’m planning to sleep for the next several days.  Cup Final apart.

If all weekends were like this weekend………
If all gatherings were like Celtic gatherings……….

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1,030 Comments

  1. newradbhoy

     

     

    Shifty is suspended…..so yeah…..i guess he will be wound up :)

  2. thunder road

     

     

    13:12 on 15 March, 2015

     

     

    Oh that’s their major abode in Bannockburn, they hiv their wee fundraisers in there etc

     

    Hole of a place

  3. Neganon on another attack on the SNP,nearly on a daily basis,then accusing SNP supporters of bullying.Good God,do you know the meaning of “Irony”.

     

    Cup final day,a great CQN night on Friday,and he witters on about politics.

     

    Two ways it will go today,a siege on the United goal,Jackie going for penalties,or they open up,go for it,and get royally gubbed.

     

    Butterflies,most important game of the season today,then it moves to midweek.

     

    COYBIG.

  4. !!Bada Bing!!

     

    10:40 on

     

    15 March, 2015

     

    Bobby Tait in the Directors Box at Poundland yesterday,just meeting up with some old friends i’m sure…..#notparanoidenough

     

     

    Reverted back to “Masons gallery”now that the “Non Sevco”men have gone.

  5. Melbourne Mick

     

     

    Grande prix just coming oan Tele

     

     

    Hope all you Melbourne ( and Ausie ) Bhoys and Ghirls and settled for the main event today

     

     

    Worldwide Tims enjoy today :-)

     

     

    Hail Hail

  6. Cowiebhoy

     

     

    I always had Bannockburn down as a bit of a Tim stronghold for some reason.

     

     

    Is it?

  7. Captain Beefheart,

     

     

    “Pissheads”.That probably was Broonys first drink since RD arrived.If you can point out one game to me where Broony looked unfit,or ran out of steam,fair do”s,but you cant.A superb athlete,built like a thoroughbred.

     

    Really surprised at you for your comments.

  8. Thunder Road,

     

     

    Oh there is plenty of us in Bannockburn, absloutely plenty, just not many attend those 2 establishments :-)

     

    Cowie, St Ninian’s, Stirling and Raploch, all have plenty more of us

     

     

    Hail Hail

  9. I gave my Cup Final ticket away this morning. I drove to Motherwell early to see my mother for Mothers Day. She didn’t recognise me. Some days she days, but today I heard her ask my father, “Who is that man who gave me the flowers?”

     

     

    Heartbreaking.

     

     

    My younger brother was there too and he said he couldn’t get a ticket. My father said he was looking forward to the game on TV. I gave my bro my ticket and he raced to the Railway Tavern to catch his mates.

     

     

    Seeing my elderly and infirm parents sitting on that couch, my father hurting as much as I that my dear mother didn’t know me, I decided I’d watch the game with him.

     

     

    He was the giant of a man who took me to my first Celtic game. Who lifted me over every home game and most away games. I can never know when either of them will be taken from us, so I can easily give my brother my ticket and spend a few hours with him, enjoying the game together. It surely isn’t much to ask.

     

     

    Just as I write this, my mother looked across at me and said, “Oh Thomas when did you get back from Australia?”

     

     

    Her memory comes and goes. My father told her I had come to watch Celtic lift the cup on the TV.

     

     

    He is rubbing his hands in anticipation.

     

     

    “How long now Thomas?” he asks.

     

     

    Just an hour and a half, I tell him. He sounds like I did going to games as a young bhoy.

     

     

    Hail Hail.

  10. Hamiltontim

     

     

    12:13 on 15 March, 2015

     

     

    ‘Polis stopping and searching buses at Harthill and Stepps. If you’re on any bus stopped politely point out that they have no right to search buses in excess of two hours before KO.’

     

     

    ##

     

     

     

    They have every right and telling them otherwise would be counter productive.

     

     

    The two hour thing is what’s in their practice guidelines, that’s all. It has no statutory effect.

  11. praecepta,

     

     

    As I have said before,I was at the 7-1 game as well,but too young to really appreciate it.I do remember the two day party in my relatives house in Govan.My first final I was aware about was the 1960 SCF against Big Jocks Dunfermline.Devastated

  12. Tom, at times I struggle with what you put up on blog

     

     

    Today, the mark of a real Celtic Mhan

     

     

    Well done and cap doffed

     

     

    hope you, Mum and Dad. Have a great day

     

     

    Hail Hail

  13. Cannae believe….well….i guess i should….that the Beebs ‘coverage’ starts just 20 mins before kick off.

     

     

    Does it stop the minute we win?

  14. Delaneys Dunky on

    Tom McL

     

     

    Enjoy the match with your dad. The first cup final my own dad is not here to watch with me. Treasure every second today.

  15. Thunder Road, I was thinking the same myself. 20 minutes build up for a major cup final?

  16. kikinthenakas on

    Tom

     

     

    Loved that post. My wee mammy passed away in January due to that disease. Thinking about you today and I’m having a few just now and I down one for you in respect n celebration of our mammies.

     

    Bhoys will be in the Tavern later. I’m still in Costa Del Sol.

     

    Good luck n God bless ye

     

     

    Kikinthenakas

  17. Tom you sound like a fine man.

     

    Hope you and your parents have a great day.

     

     

    Going to a celebration of life next week for a good friend with lots of others on the request of him and his family.

     

    Do not know how he is as it is a couple of months since I last saw him.

     

    Do not know what to expect but your wee story somehow just lifted me.

     

     

    Once a Celt …………Always a Celt

  18. In tollbooth orange walk just went by heading in mcchuillis direction they really are desperate people

  19. upthehoops

     

     

    Guess we are lucky its not STV.

     

     

    They would have a couple of commercial breaks stuck in for good measure!

  20. Maybe on my own on this,and maybe regret it after the game,but I am quite happy that Madden is the ref today.Not the worst I have witnessed at any time reffing our games.Talks in a friendly manner to the players,and they seem to have no problems with him.

     

    He says with fingers crossed.

  21. martybhoy59

     

     

    13:37 on 15 March, 2015

     

     

    ‘In tollbooth orange walk just went by heading in mcchuillis direction they really are desperate people’

     

     

    ###

     

     

    To be fair, that is as good as it gets for them these days.

  22. Thanks for the kind comments.

     

     

    My father just opened a bottle of Bells he has had since Christmas and I now have a large glass in front of me.

     

     

    I guess I’ll be staying the night in Motherwell. Here’s hoping for a victory to celebrate.

     

     

    4-1 Celtic.

  23. Delaneys Dunky on

    TB

     

     

    I will whisper it, but I think Bobby Madden is the best ref in Scotland.

  24. Geordie Munro on

    “Not so chuffed to see Scott Brown starting”

     

     

    Alfie,

     

     

    He was out on a night out the day before a day off that the manager knew all about

     

     

    Jeez I thought we were over sit-downgate by now.