Belfast Celtic to Reform!

You support Celtic, your Irish to them. As is the club. There's no distinction here. We're * s, one and all

 

Funny that btw, it’s something that comes up on this site every now and again, and the Irish lads have that vehemently that’s what we are. I’ve always said we were called Celtic for a reason, and that’s a reason I’ve always loved. Embracing both Scottish and Irish, and the reasons we were formed.

British but, aye nobody likes that, until you’re talking to an English * and can make the point first time a club from Britain won the European Cup it was Celtic. It’s the only time we find that acceptable
, regardless of where we stay haha

 

Trust me, when the time comes, Dublin is Celtic through and through. I'm from Glasgow, it's literally national pride for them.

Ye fair enough many call the Irish glory hunters, so it takes Celtic to go on a run in Europe to see it. But when it happens, it's off national importance tbh, the way it never will be in Scotland

 

I'll be honest, we grew up supporting Celtic, as it's our club. It's sport, not political.

Everyone across Ireland, has Celtic as their "second team", if not the first, and when push comes to shove, will put them above their first team.

Ive seen it's a sport and a team for us growing up, it's an identity for many in Ireland tbh! It's politically charged.

Wear a Rangers jersey in Dublin, at ten in the morning, daytime like, your getting kicked up and down the place. Honestly! The Rangers crest is instilled in everyone here, that's everything wrong with the world.

Lads as a Glasgow man, you don't want to be caught in a Rangers jersey here in Dublin, even early in the morning, it's simply something that's not acceptable!

 

Not sure about the first point there mate. For me personally anyway, we’ve never been just football, just sport. To an extent that I genuinely can’t understand fans of other teams in any sport that have manic fans, when they don’t have that social identity and history, most teams don’t have that aspect that goes deeply beyond football. Just a team, just football, what’s the connection there. Like, look at derbies bigged up down south, what even is the difference in Arsenal and Spurs. Just cause they’re close geographically. What’s the reason there for being a ‘derby’

Celtic isn’t just that for me, never has been, and for the vast majority of fans I’ve ever met it’s a rarity for it just being football. Very rare.

And that’s a thing for any country we congregate in, it’s a connection to that culture when they aren’t surrounded by it, or maybe even grew up where that feels bizarre to others where they live. That’s the Aussies and US fans, 2nd generation guys who’s Mum and Dad might have moved over.

Again, I’m not disagreeing that Irish fans are passionate as * or we don’t have a large following. Honestly, outwith Glasgow by far the largest part of the support is Irish.

I think the gloryhunter thing, and support for teams in English teams and the EPL in Ireland stems largely from us and obviously Sky’s influence, it was always more common for football fans in Ireland to support a team not playing in Ireland. And that was us. With the money and advertisement, and Sky’s push for English football since they formed the Premier League, supporting teams down there is natural.


It’s something that’s slowly getting traction here as well, younger generation of fans now, teenagers etc. it’s not uncommon to support a team down there. And it’s rare they don’t have ‘an English team’


Fries my brain that, hated that from the rare guys my age growing up like that, it’s now the norm. * off, ye can’t support two teams. Don’t get how that’s even a thing

 

You'll see it's a thing, when in Ireland. Everyone has their EPL team, but when faced with Celtic the doubt kicks in.

As a Glasgow man, it's beautiful, it's literally national pride here, once the team does well. Manic infact.

Everyone a Celt here when the club rises to it, it's actually insane. EPL loyalties go out the window, the pride of Ireland rises, Liverpool and United a distant thought suddenly.

When Celtic rise, never doubt it, their homeland Ireland will always row in behind them. I'm a a Scot, but when push comes to shove, it's personal for them tbh!

 

Not saying we don’t have that following and passion in Ireland mate. And it’s not a place I’ve not been to and worked etc.


But last time I was in Dublin, finding a pub that showed our game was impossible because Liverpool were on. Wasn’t until going out into the schemier bits that have the Celtic daft reputation, did I find one. A Celtic daft barman I talked to previously sent me out to it as well, and was saying bunch of dicks are English football daft in the centre of Dublin.

The Celtic mad Irish fans, because of * like that and the following of Man Utd, Liverpool and *, they have all had a * burning hatred for the attitude of they EPL sort of fans.

Glasgow is Celtic’s homeland but mate. I’ll die on that hill. That doesn’t downplay that Ireland and in particular the Irish diaspora in Scotland, and influences have shaped our identity. Like I said, we’re called Celtic for a reason. We are absolutely an intertwining amalgamation of two different cultures, to bring it together and an iconic role model of bringing cultures together and integration. That’s the identity, and one that is sacrosanct for me, we were formed and meant to give a place of hope to show similarities, neither one or the other, and open to all. Cannot ignore the importance of any part of our heritage for me, we have a culture that’s lived and breathed in Scotland and has been shaped and nursed with the Irish.

As far as I know, we’re utterly unique as an example for that. There are clubs that are a beacon of a culture, St Pauli, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Bilbao etc. but none that are about the integration and similarities and common heritage of two different ones, formed to help not just those of the two countries that are in need, but to help and show equality for everyone in need. We are far from that now, but that ideal is something that I treasure, and it’s a large part of who I am. And that’s been formed through the years from the culture of our support that.

 

I'm from Glasgow, and trust me, behind all the EPL support, they'll die Celtic. Here in Ireland I mean.

You may come here and think they support United or Liverpool more than Celtic, but trust me, when it's on the line, these people will always row in behind Celtic.

Celtic is Irish to them, it's a matter of national pride tbh. As far as they are concerned, we play in Scotland, but are born from here, Ireland.

We're the same community, but I think many in Glasgow think, where im from, Ireland forgot us. They didn't, Celtic is a matter of national pride here!

Don't forget it. We're Irish, Scottish etc, but the Irish will always row in behind us. It's that personal tbh!

 

Not a doubt for me that the support over there isn’t like that, and have that personal connection that goes beyond football. Not what I’m saying at all. I’m just not into the ranking the dedication of support and passion from one place or the other.

That’s the special thing about having a worldwide fanbase, and the communities that come together through the support they have for us. It’s curious to me, and you’ve said similar with the thing that fascinates me growing up in Glasgow and seeing what we mean to another culture (similar culture but different) and that’s something we have around the world. Family I have in Australia, that I’ve had more experience than other parts of the world with Celtic boltholes, Celtic are a thing that brings them closer to their family especially the family that might have never been here and grew up there, with parents that have moved over. We’re a connection to their family, an important identity and community for them, for a place they might not have lived in amongst it but they are from, and it is forms some part of self identity. Sometimes the further away from it you are, the more fanatic it is for them as a self-identity and community. Glasgow as you’d probably know, we just live and breathe it, in amongst it, live in the fishbowl. It’s just part of day to day *. Effortless heritage and just what we are.

Other places it’s a cultural heritage, that’s the only place people can experience being surrounded by it. It’s distinct differences, but same ethos. And I am endlessly fascinated with it, and admire it,

 

I was in Dublin when we played Liverpool. Celtic fans were outnumbered at least 4:1 easily. The fact is, there are too many West Brits in Dublin and the South in general.

 

When that's said it obviously means before an English club did because those that are being talked to don't understand the difference. We aren't British. Never have been, never will be.

 

What's a West Brit?

Nothing mandating you have to support Celtic if you are Irish is there?

Worked with plenty of Irish folk and in all honesty if they are from the South we barely even register if there isn't a family connection.

 

Someone who is Irish and sympathetic towards Britain. If there was a poster boy for the term I’d have Bono as it.

 

Was waiting for this. And when Celtic played United in the Champions League, everyone in United jerseys. When Nakamura scored, the place exploded.

They follow Liverpool and United casually, and in a friendly game against Celtic like that, will come out and support United or Liverpool. Point is, put United or Liverpool in a Champions League semi final against Celtic, they'll come out in their United and Liverpool jerseys, but once it's on the line, something changes.

Call it conscience, when Celtic rally, and stick it to United or Liverpool when it matters, the Irish Liverpool and United fan suddenly have huge doubt and their heart kicks in. I've witnessed it first hand.

When Nakamura scored that free kick, Dublin exploded, a city full of United supporters before a ball was kicked. I was there, seen it.

Celtic have given the Irish nothing to cheer about in years, but when it's on the line for Celtic, even against United and Liverpool, they will still row in behind Celtic. It's their identity. They'll never admit it until it happens, but I've seen it happen. Was beautiful!

 

My granda played for Belfast Celtic, when they folded due to sectarianism he moved on to play for Barnsley and Aldershot.

Me? Well I've two left feet

 

Id actually agree, like the Glasgow Celtic support, huge amount of West Brits in the South of Ireland tbh. Fall over themselves trying to look progressive.

Will tell you they don't want a united Ireland, can't afford it, cause they're pragmatic, and not archaic about nationalist ideals. Just constantly bicker amongst themselves.

The thing with them though is, behind all the bullsh1t, when it's put on the line for them, the conscience kicks in. They always revert back to what's important when it matters, even if they'll spend years lecturing the opposite way.

A funny people. Desperate to appear progressive to the outside world, but when the chips are really down, revert to nationalism everytime. See it all the time.

Lost count of the times you'd see Irish and English lads in Dublin drinking together, the Irish lads trying to agree they don't like Celtic with the English lads, they're more progressive than that, a few beers later and the English lads insults Celtic and it all kicks off!

From Irish lads who'd claim not to support Celtic, until Celtic are insulted, and suddenly it's like personal insult to the Irish lads. The Irish are bizarre!

 

Was thinking about this today. It's sort of a weird scenario. Scottish people from Irish decent in Glasgow, grew up beside the stadium all their life, but will often be told by an Irish person, the real fans are from Ireland.

When Scotland played Ireland in Celtic Park was a weird one. If your in a Celtic jersey, it means support for Ireland, not Scotland, even in Glasgow.

Half the Irish fans of their national team will wear Celtic jerseys to Ireland games tbh! You'll be hard pressed to find any lad in Ireland, that doesn't have at least one Celtic jersey in the house somewhere, even if they'd claim not to like them! Id often ask them that question, here years, literally yet to meet one Irish person who doesn't have at least one Celtic jersey, even from growing up!