Dear sir I refer to your article, Fly the Flag, published on January 14. In its place, an expensive new mosaic Harp was commissioned from craftsmen in Ireland and shipped over to Easter Road, where it hung in the boardroom. Rangers objected to the question from one of the magistrates as to why they had failed to sign a Catholic employee. In 1990, the then Rangers head of security, Alistair Hood jokingly suggested that Ibrox Stadium should have seatbelts installed to stop fans doing The Bouncy. The thought of Celtic being suspended from Scottish football over such a matter was ridiculous, but that genuine threat hung over the club for the remainder of the season. Liverpool FC fans often boo the national anthem with manager Jurgen Klopp urging fans to respect a minutes silence for the death of Queen Elizabeth II before Tuesdays nights Champions League match against Ajax. The Latin word Scoti originally referred to the Gaels, but came to describe all inhabitants of Scotland. One study showed that 74% of Celtic supporters identify themselves as Catholic, whereas only 10% identify as Protestant; for Rangers fans, the figures are 2% and 65%, respectively. adopted "You'll Never Walk Alone" as its official motto on its coat of arms as the song became their football anthem. Wales is the most Celtic part of mainland Britain, with 83 per cent.2006-09-21, The only exception is Orkney and Shetland, where roughly 40 per cent are of Viking ancestry. In Scotland, the majority of people are not actually Scots, but Picts. The Liverpool version is a bit cringing. The Hoops fans see Rangers as a club that no longer exists following its liquidation, and they dont want people to forget it. All rights reserved. Celtic supporters have traditionally been associated with support for Irish republicanism, and the flying of Irish flags at matches is common. Middle East Eye. Football hooliganism had been on the rise most definetly in the early 70s and the authorities had to be seen to be doing something about it. The Irish connection to Celtic is at the heart of what the club represents and throughout its history that bond has only grown stronger. The flying of the Palestinian flag by Celtic fans is not a negative. When you add alcohol and political fervour into the mix the result can sometimes be a little too saucy for the governors. Ref: Celtic ordered to take down Irish Flag by SFA. Since that first day, long in the planning, when his mother or father decided finally to inaugurate him into the sacred mysteries he has been condemned to be viewed with suspicion, fear and loathing by the government, civic authorities and the men who actually run the game. So around 100 Celtic fans in a crowd of 60,000 waved Palestinian flags at the game in a show of solidarity with the Palestinians. Scotland is a much changed land since those far off times when a flag could lead to the SFA threatening to expel a club from the association. The Edinburgh team is called Hibernian as a derivative of the Latin for Ireland, Hiberna. Traditionally, Rangers supporters are Protestant while Celtic fans support the Catholic Church. You will see quite a few of them of them also express support for terrorist organisations that killed many of their fellow citizens. "Obviously it won't be allowed - that is for sure. Similarly, when the Green Brigade - a group of Celtic supporters - recently unveiled a banner stating Refugees welcome, a club founded by immigrants, they were not advocating a side in the Syrian conflict, but showing their backing for the plight of refugees. Ironically, it was Hibernian (itself decked in Irish colours) who were behind George Graham. Indeed Mr Wilson told the council that the emblem had never been of any annoyance to Rangers. many Celtic supporters, apparently, are descendants of 19th-century Irish immigrants. In retrospect, the matter may now seem to many as if it were a storm in a teacup, to be recalled for amusement, but at the time it was anything but that (especially in light of events surrounding Belfast Celtic). ANALYSIS: How Many Goals are Scored from Corners? Several cases of misconduct involving Celtic & Rangers supporters, culminating in disgraceful behaviour at the New Years Day 1952 clash with Rangers, had been concerning the authorities in Scotland. Some groups of Celtic supporters also sing or chant Irish folk and rebel songs, which express support for the IRA. But Victorian Glasgow was not tolerant of these interlopers, who they deemed to be racially, culturally and, by their Catholic faith, religiously inferior. Celtic supporters are sympathetic to the Palestinian cause because their ancestral story is, for the most part, similar. Youll be the biggest man in football Mr Kelly was told Youll establish a reputation never possessed by anyone in football if youll only take the flag down. Perhaps Mr Kelly did not wish to be the biggest man in football or perhaps he wanted to maintain his reputation for adhering to his principles. For Celtic, a club founded by members of a disparaged minority, it was a big victory for the Irish community and the clubs sympathisers. Every time Celtic won a game their suffering was eased a little. I have copied parts of the letter to illustrate the Editors opinion of Harry Swan.. Written during the 1970s, it tells the story of a family dispossessed of their land and left starving due to the Great Irish Famine of the mid 19th-century. It might have been the flag of Siam for all the attention that any spectator, supporting home or visiting team, gave to it, and if it had been the flag of Siam the SFA would have paid no attention to it, either. Our many Irish fans show that our Irishness is not just something from the past. It can store single-byte and multibyte characters. The disaster occurred at a football match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. Only England and Wales jurisdiction apply in all legal matters. But why is a team in the middle of Scotland so affiliated with Ireland? So yes, indeed, one of the obvious clubs that sing it are Liverpool - where it's ingrained in their blood. In modern usage, Scottish people or Scots refers to anyone whose linguistic, cultural, family ancestral or genetic origins are from Scotland. On account of its associations through founders and supporters with Ireland the Celtic club from the beginning had flown over the stand at Parkhead the old Irish flag of a golden harp on a green background. Modern residents of Scotland and Ireland wont share much DNA with these ancient ancestors. Required fields are marked *. No mention was made of the fact that Rangers, one of the most important member clubs of the association, was excluding players from its team on the grounds of their religion. When I thought of paying homage to them, I did a little research to take the pulse of todays Celtic fans on Harry Swan.. While expressing dissatisfaction that their recommendation to transfer the New Year game had not been adopted, the Glasgow magistrates endorsed the recommendation of the Referee Committee, as did also the SFA council by twenty-six votes to seven, after first ordering the chairmen of the Celtic and the Rangers football clubs to leave the chamber. Fans support the most successful teams of their youth Liverpool continues to be one of the Premier League teams with the greatest number of supporters in Ireland and it has enjoyed that honour for a long time. Away fans at the fixture has become a thorny subject in recent years.2022-03-22. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Celtic were founded in 1887 by a Marist (Catholic) Brother from Ireland and the clubs origins were firmly embedded in Irish Catholicism. Indeed, the Gaels, Gauls, Britons, Irish and Galatians were all Celtic tribes.2017-11-30. Its not a question of a separate football club. And thus was cancelled what was probably the most ridiculous order ever given in football legislation., Those of you following the debate about what the SFA should do about Hampden Park when the lease is up for renewal in 2020, would have noticed Fergus McCanns open letter to the Herald newspaper. In terms of spectator numbers at live matches, Celtic. The first sod of turf laid at Celtics new home had been imported from Donegal in Ireland. How Many Times Has Man City Won Against Liverpool. Why Do Celtic Fans Call Rangers Sevco? In certain premises, there was a leaning toward Celtic FC, and emotions were still raw. And how Celtic chairman Robert Kelly defiantly stood his ground against the games bosses and won. Why do Liverpool fans boo the English anthem? No one had proved Celtic had broken any rules.. Even after decades of being overcharged and made to watch the game in gulags these football fans remain true to their club. This verse is from a song that Celtic football fans sing called The Fields of Athenry. But they were treated poorly for longer in West Central Scotland and that is, in my personal opinion, part of the reason why as a support we've always clung onto that connection. Their reasons for doing so were eloquently expressed in a GoFundMe page. The failure to connect the outward signs of rioting and misbehaviour with greater social ills 1972 showed British unemployment at 1.3million, a figure never ever before reached, and Scotland bore a large burden of that figure, rampant inflation and a fall in the standard of living in the face of growing consumerism, as well as the continuing climate of sectarianism and bigotry pertaining to the West of Scotland and extreme tension in Ulster. Yet, often, football and its mass participation is an ideal place for angry young men and women to gather around and express solidarity. Your email address will not be published. In fact, its not uncommon for Celtic supporters to be targeted by far-right thugs on European trips for our anti-fascist/anti-Nazi views. The articulation and succinct description of the SFA at that time, and George Graham, can never be printed. To understand why Celtic fans are vocal about the struggle of the Palestinians, you need to understand where many Celtic fans come from. At the time of writing they are comfortably past the 200k mark and will be approaching 500k by the time of the Uefa hearing on 22 September. Perhaps now because of a simple act of solidarity and generosity, they will know that they dont suffer alone. The flag controversy before the famous flag controversy in the 1950s. This article is available in French onMiddle East Eye French edition. Why do Celtic fans fly Irish flags? Al Kirsch, 24 April 2011 It is also a catholic club so for the most part if youre a catholic living in Glasgow you support Celtic and if youre a Protestant you support rangers . The flags . What Time Is The St PatrickS Parade In Liverpool? Some of the biggest and most successful Irish Celtic managers include Martin ONeill, Brendan Rogers and Neil Lennon. Throughout history, often the only place where people could congregate and voice a political opinion without fear of arrest and persecution was at a public stadium. The season following the flag flutter saw Celtic face Rangers at Celtic Park with the eyes of the press on the lookout for any trouble. At the beginning of the 16th century, Scotland was a piously Catholic nation. The massive influx into the city of poor Irish people, fleeing due to dispossession of land, poverty or general necessity, was a huge burden on the residents. During the fascist regime of General Franco in Spain, to display the Catalan flag was to risk death or imprisonment. The only place where the Catalans could safely fly these fags was Barcelonas Nou Camp stadium. Started in 1887 to raise funds for poor Irish families in Scotland the Irish can still be felt on Celtic Park today in the Irish folk and rebel ballads sung and the flags that flutter above the stand. It is unlikely though that Fergus McCann would invent such a detail. Last weekend, Glasgow's two rival soccer teamsthe Celtic and the Rangersfaced off for the first time this season. Social media has been abuzz after footage showed an Irish flag being removed from a billboard at Dens Park during their league clash on St Patrick's Day. A huge part of the cultural identity of Celtic and their fans is the Irish/Catholic thing, with the UK/Protestant side of the equation represented by Rangers (until they went out of business in 2012 and were replaced by a new club using all the same colours and logos). Closer to home, Liverpool is seen as one of the biggest Irish football clubs in England thanks to the citys connection with the Emerald Isle. This flag has nothing to do with the trouble., Celtic, strengthened in their view by councils opinion, continued to fly the flag. : at time of writing the sum stood at $125,000. Celtic are proud of our Irish roots. Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said Scottish fans would not be allowed to wave Palestinian flags at Tuesday's match. Celtic supporters have traditionally been associated with support for Irish republicanism, and the flying of Irish flags at matches is common. The fact that as late as the 1990s this was an issue for at least some officials of Queens Park is a little depressing but as the Farry-McCann affair demonstrated, there were still lingering suspicions of peoples motivations even then. Sports Clubs / Ultras: Liverpool Urchins Their past history of success has led to many fans supporting the Reds who play at Anfield. The Club flies the Irish Tricolour on Match Days to mark our Irish heritage. ScottishCeltic hold the distinction of being the first British club to win the European Cup and they are among Britains best supported teams. In an attempt to combat what was seeing as a growing wave of football hooliganism through 1971 and 1972, Celtic were asked by the Glasgow magistrates no less, to consider taking the Irish Tricolour down off the stand because .. some people found it offensive.. Coverage of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster by the British tabloid The Sun led to the newspapers decline in Liverpool and the broader Merseyside region, with organised boycotts against it. just remember celtic are in the scottish league and all in all are a scottish team. Among the most prominent distinctions between the six Celtic nations are the languages they speak ( Irish Gaelic . This has resulted in fines from European football's governing body UEFA. In this, they stated their aim of raising 75k to match any Uefa fine and then distribute it to the two nominated charities. For instance, when Rangers went into liquidation and had to be relegated to the lower leagues of Scotland, something was missing from the SPL. In recent times, both Old Firm teams have taken measures to combat sectarianism. Do Vince Neil and Tommy Lee like each other? The flying of the Palestinian flag by Celtic fans in the European tie against Hapoel Beersheva last week has made headlines in newspapers and across social media. The foreign flag referred to wasnt specifically named but those of us well versed in Scottish footballs ways knew exactly what the mean spirited officials of Queens Park were getting at; you can hire the stadium but youre not flying the Irish tricolour above it. As a football visionary, Harry Swan was head and shoulders above his associates in Scotland and England. It didnt take long for Celtic to taste success and the Glasgow club claimed its first league title in 1893. The Scottish connection to Ireland is an easy one to make given the proximity of both countries to each other. The Bouncy was first performed in 1984 as a terrace song at Rangers home ground Ibrox Stadium. The Canadian resident, usually a champion of all things Lochee, opened: I read Andy Walkers response to the Harry Swan contribution and I wasnt surprised. The outcome was that the Glasgow magistrates, after consultation among themselves, invited representatives of the Scottish Football Association and the Scottish League to consider the following proposals: 1: That the Rangers and Celtic clubs should not again be paired on New Years Day, when it was suggested passions were likely to be inflamed by drink and when more bottles were likely to be carried than on any other day. Who Is The Best Defender In Liverpool 2022? A clique within the SFA, orchestrated primarily by the secretary, George Graham (a bitter Orangeman and Grandmason), continued to press for Celtic to take down the flag and submit to the SFAs demands.
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