From Sligo to Glasgow came Celtic

From Sligo to Glasgow came Celtic
by
Daniel McDonagh

Celtic’s birth in the east end of Glasgow
Was conceived by a man, a native of Sligo,
From the west coast of Ireland, from the horrors of the famine,
A Marist priest came to Scotland and made it his home.

Home it became also to those who escaped the famine
As an exodus of Irish fled from their nation,
As the potato blight spread amongst Ireland’s rural population
The British Empire grew fat as the Irish died of starvation.

To the cities of Glasgow, Liverpool and London,
Work could be sought in the Industrial Revolution,
But prejudice and bigotry was their sectarian welcome
As life started hard when living in slums.

Work was found but very poorly paid,
Harassed by the workforce, day after day,
Ridiculed and provoked through their lack of education
Their religion resented by the ignorance of Britain.

Glasgow was no different from the ever-growing cities
As the Irish were badly treated, shown no pity,
Were children grew within the squalor and the poverty
Dressing in clothes that were rag-tag and dirty.

However, it was in the town of Glasgow that Brother Walfrid’s crusade
Was to feed the hungry, a child’s life to save,
As his fight for the poor became his vocation
To bring faith to the needy and to end the starvation.

The Catholic Church of Glasgow took it upon themselves
To provide for the Irish, rescue them from their *,
And as the new headmaster of Sacred Heart school,
Brother Walfrid organized the Penny Dinner tables.

Then it wasn’t until the Scottish Cup Final of 1887
When Edinburgh's Hibernian came to Hampden to face Dumbarton,
Were their success was celebrated by the Irish throughout the land
That Brother Walfrid would produce a team from Glasgow’s east end.

Surrounded by volunteers and Irish Catholic politicians
He founded the Celtic for charitable organizations,
With men like John Conway, John O’Hara and John Glass,
He also enlisted Pat Welsh, the legendary * activist.

On November 6th, a Sunday afternoon in 1887
The name Glasgow Celtic came into formation,
As Janefield Street became the new home of football
To feed the children in the parishes of St.Mary’s, Scared Heart & St.Michael’s.

For six months Brother Walfrid and his band of volunteers
Built the first Celtic Park with blood, sweat and tears,
The Irish Catholics would embrace the Marist Priest’ dream
And find faith, hope and pride in Glasgow’s Irish team.

But in 1892, Brother Walfrid relocated to England
Were his love for education continued in London,
His team of Celtic flourished on the park
And brought pride and passion to his old Irish heart.

Sadly, in 1915, Brother Walfrid’s soul was laid to rest
And as sons of Irish immigrants our hearts have been blessed,
As we follow a team that was built from his dream
And we proudly wear the hoops of white & green.

The name of Celtic belongs to Glasgow’s east end
Were the spirit of football has always remained,
Brother Walfrid’s name lives in the history of our club
With the legends and heroes we have sang for and worshipped.​

 

the best yet brilliant

 

Your best yet IMHO, HAIL HAIL.

 

i agree, your best yet.

well done toronto!

 

very touching

 

thats really gd toronto tim,keep up the gd work!!HAIL HAIL!

 

Thats pish TT, how about this.....

There was a wee priest called Kerrins
Who travelled across the Sperrins
Got pished on a boat
To Glasgow did float
And took up the habit of caring!

 

nice poem HH

 

Thanks Duffers. Dye think I should pack in my day job?