Famine, LSE complaints, David, Billy and Henrik
I didn’t really know what to expect when I attended the launch of Peter Howson’s latest work on Brother Walfrid (more information here). The headline item is a painting, which the artist attempts to capture the horrors of famine across the world, and the compassion which drove Walfrid to do something about the poor in his own community. The painting contains figures which Howson accurately calls “grotesques”, a weighty work for a weighty subject.
The film accompanying the work manages to bring fresh insight into the potato blight which afflicted Europe in the mid-19th century, arriving in Ireland with devastating effect when Walfrid was a child. The blight caused hardship in Scotland and elsewhere, but as we all know, became the Famine in Ireland.
Microbiology, Malthusian politics and liberal economics combined to leave over a million to die, while millions more emigrated, often only to survive a short existence thereafter. Well done to Howson and his collaborators. If you get a chance, check it out.
Best of luck to Henrik Larsson who moves up the managerial food chain by taking over at his former club, Helsingborgs. If he can cut it at this level, I’d expect his next move to be to the UK.
Absolutely loved the Rangers Supporters’ Trust complaint to the London Stock Exchange about Mike Ashley, who I am sure will have acted without consulting his army of legal advisors when loaning Newco Rangers money to pay their wages this month.
The complaints are futile, neither Ashley nor Newco have broken any LSE rules, but they hammer home the divisions which are doing so much damage to the club. The reality for Newco fans is unattractive, Ashley looks set to continue to pick off their commercial assets, while major shareholders will seek a high return on their speculative investment, but it’s reality nonetheless.
The future of this club is not going to look like Rangers. Better to accept this and give Newco the support it needs, than turn it into the ‘next Rangers’, if you follow my drift.
Great news – Davie Hay will be on the blog on Thursday between 10:00 and 12:00. We’ve done this before a few times now, so you know the drill. Tune in and leave your questions on the blog which Davie will answer.
These events have been really enjoyable in the past, so put it in your diary.
We’re also having a party at the Supporters’ Club in Greenock on Friday 21 November with Davie and Billy McNeill to celebrate the launch of Caesar & The Assassin, their story of managing Celtic. We have plenty planned for the night, so if you’d like to attend, get your ticket from the Greenock Supporters Club, or email me at celticquicknews@gmail.com with the work Greenock in the subject line.
ALL ticket money is going to the Inverclyde Foodbank, you can pay as little as £1 for your ticket, up to a maximum donation of £10.