| A Grand Nite Out for the Grand Old Team |
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Over one hundred people came to the club rooms at Donegal Celtic for the successful Return to Paradise evening. Belfast Celtic Society president Jimmy Jones was introduced by Society chairman Padraig Coyle and given a huge welcome by the crowd. Padraig also acknowledged the presence of former players Jimmy Donnelly and Gerry Burrell. The audience also included the widow and family of Johnny Campbell, the nephew and nieces of Jackie Vernon, Charlie Tully junior, and Susan Gallagher and Clare Hill, daughters of club director Patsy McAlinden. You can read more here . |
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| Return to Paradise |
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Fans of Belfast’s Grand Old Team are getting ready for another fantastic night of nostalgia, Return to Paradise. Raising the curtain on the latest evening of celebration, The Belfast Celtic Society invites Hoops fans to attend the event at Donegal Celtic’s clubrooms on the Suffolk Road on Friday, March 2nd. Five of the original cast members of Paradise, the play chronicling the history of the football club, will return to perform selected scenes from the production.
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The actors include Falls Road man Gerard Jordan, playing the inimitable ‘Cheeky’ Charlie Tully and Lalor Roddy, who will give a commanding performance as Celtic manager Lish Scott.
Star players from the era will also take questions from the audience and a timely boost has come from the Progressive Building Society, who has granted the Belfast Celtic Society a £500 Community Award to help gather and protect historic club artefacts.
Launching the event, society secretary Alan McKee, one half of the comedy duo Grimes and McKee, who feature in the play, said; “This is the third event in a series and it’s the big one – bringing Belfast Celtic back home to west Belfast. Our society passed best wishes to Donegal Celtic at the start of the season as they grasped the mantle of representing ‘Celtic’ in the Irish League and the venue is entirely fitting. We’d like to thank Raymond Bonner and everyone at DC for rolling out the green carpet and making us all very welcome.”
With funding from Progressive Building Society literally in the bank, the Belfast Celtic Society has issued an appeal for donations of memorabilia connected with the club.
Alan explained, “We’ve had horror stories of people fishing priceless items out of bins when the value of precious things like medals, jerseys, old books and pictures was missed. We’ve already started gathering important artefacts. For example, some player’s families have donated their league and cup medals and we have plans to exhibit these permanently. I appeal to anyone who has anything connected to the club – no matter how big or small - come along on the night and put your treasures in safe hands! Help keep the history of this great club alive forever!”
Graeme Norris, Area Manager with Progressive was on-hand at the launch of the event.
He said; “As a football fan, I recognise the importance of the Belfast Celtic Society to the local community and Progressive are delighted to present this donation through the eleventh round of our Community Awards, supporting groups working for the benefit of their local communities. Groups wanting to be considered for a Community Award should contact their local Progressive branch for details of the application process.” Belfast Celtic – Return to Paradise will be held at the Donegal Celtic clubrooms on Friday, March 2 from 8.00pm |
| You can read more about Return to Paradise here |
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Belfast Hoops Christmas Boost to Women’s Aid Hotline
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Belfast Celtic fans have given a timely boost to a special hotline helping families suffering from domestic violence. Three hundred pounds has been donated by the Belfast Celtic Society to the 24 Hour Domestic Violence Helpline, managed by Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland .
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Lorna Dougherty, Support Services Manager and Deirdre Teague, Helpline Manager at Women’s Aid |
with Paddy McIlroy and Padraig Coyle from the Belfast Celtic Society |
Padraig Coyle, Chairperson of the Belfast Celtic Society said; “Our society keeps up the Celtic tradition of charity and we are delighted to make this small donation at Christmas. “As well as a time of great joy, the festive period brings pressure on families and a service like this helps those in need of urgent assistance.
“Last year, we gave a donation to the Welcome Centre in the Falls area to help homeless people over the Christmas period. “This year’s donation is going to a similarly poignant charity. I’d like to wish all members of the Belfast Celtic Society a very merry Christmas and hope to see them all at our events in 2007.”
Deirdre Teague, Helpline Manager at Women’s Aid said; “Our 24-Hour Domestic Violence Helpline managed over twenty thousand calls last year. “Donations like this from the Belfast Celtic Society ensure we can let those suffering domestic violence know help is directly at hand. It is vital that communities work together to stop domestic violence and this is one goal for which the society is very much on target." If you need urgent help, contact the Women’s Aid helpline on 0800 917 1414. |
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| Belfast Mayor Welcomes Celtic Veterans |
Belfast Celtic’s magic was recalled this week, as former players and enthusiasts fulfilled two very special engagements. Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr Pat McCarthy, received members of the Belfast Celtic Society in the Mayoral parlour.
Among the delegation was former star striker Jimmy Jones, badly injured during the Windsor Park riot of 1948 that rang the death knell for the grand old team and his former Celtic partner Johnny Denvir.
At the Errigle Inn the night before the society presented its Annual General Meeting, looking back on a very successful and nostalgia filled year. |
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| With several major events having taken place in the past year, society chairperson Padraig Coyle welcomed the opportunity to reflect, as well as building plans for the future to keep Belfast Celtic’s memory alive. Mr Coyle said; “Over the past year we have hosted two evenings in celebration of the Belfast Hoops, one at the Errigal Inn, the other in the Linenhall Library both of which were total successes. It is an honour and a privilege to accept the invitation from the Lord Mayor of Belfast to visit City Hall, recognising that Belfast Celtic is an integral part of the rich tapestry of the history of this city." |
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“Our society continues to keep the memory of the grand old team alive by collecting all sorts of memorabilia before it is lost through time and our membership has rocketed. I’ve been amazed by the amount of interest that still exists in Belfast Celtic, both here and beyond these shores, with people travelling long distances, sometimes across the water, to share their memories of Celtic. "
“Our society is very much committed to living out the ideals of the old club and we’ve been involved in several fund raising events, receiving a terrific response from the public. "On behalf of the society, we would also like to place on record our delight at the success of Donegal Celtic's promotion to the premier division of the Irish League." |
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JSociety President Jimmy Jones presents Mayor McCarthy with a Belfast Legends t-shirt
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| "It means that a team wearing the famous green and white hoops will grace senior football for the first time in nearly sixty years and that is bound to be a major boost for fans in the west of the city. We wish them well for the coming season. “Finally, we hope to outline some plans for work in the coming year, helping to ensure the legacy of Belfast Celtic remains fresh in the memory." |
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