Their reasons for doing so were eloquently expressed in a GoFundMe page. Hahahaha, always a good laugh. How can you divorce football from the reality of people? Ref: Celtic ordered to take down Irish Flag by SFA. By CQN Magazine on 23rd February 2015 Celtic Stories document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); What is a "Downed" Opponent? Among the points McCann made was a cutting remark which few missed. This verse is from a song that Celtic football fans sing called The Fields of Athenry. A plea was issued from Glasgow magistrates to the SFA to ban any flags which could be seen as provocative to supporters of other teams. 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. Often there is a combination of both identities. So why do Liverpool fans boo the national anthem? Why is there a lot of Irish in Liverpool? Rangers objected to the question from one of the magistrates as to why they had failed to sign a Catholic employee. Quora - A place to share knowledge and better understand the world How wrong they were as still the tricolour flies over Paradise, where proudly its admired and loved by Irish exiles eyes. Hibs Chairman Harry Swan is still thought of unkindly by older Celtic supporters over his role in this episode but real driving force was SFA Secretary George Graham, a man with no love of Celtic and all they represented. However, it is not a new phenomenon: Celtic fans fly Palestinian flags every week during games. More than 20% of Liverpools population was Irish by 1851. Which Player Has Scored The Most Goals At Anfield? As supporters of a club that was founded out of charity for victims of the Irish Famine who arrived in Glasgow, Celtic fans have a proud reputation for standing up for the oppressed in all aspects of life. Scottish club's followers have always shown solidarity towards the dispossessed and oppressed, Football and flags: Why Celtic fans back the Palestinian cause. 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. ScottishCeltic hold the distinction of being the first British club to win the European Cup and they are among Britains best supported teams. At the beginning of the 16th century, Scotland was a piously Catholic nation. Other Premier League teams with a strong Irish connection include Manchester United and Arsenal. His contribution to Scottish and British football at that time was immense. Celtic Football Club was formed in 1887 by Brother Walfrid, a Catholic cleric, in order to generate revenue to feed the Irish immigrants resident in Glasgow and relieve their poverty. Dont delude ourselves, he added. A prime example is the NBA franchise the Boston Celtics, which was founded in 1911. When Celtic Park was redeveloped in 1995, that symbolic gesture was repeated when turf from Donegal was once again laid. What Celtic fans dont seem to understand is how others dont get it. 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). Celtic removed a display of Palestinian flags from their stadium after accusing some fans of exploiting a chance to pay tribute to Scott Brown. 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. 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. The New York Times today has a piece on the Rangers-Celtic rivalry in Glasgow and its connection to Protestant-Catholic history. So, why was this flag so important to Celtic? Celtic had taken legal advice on the matter and were confident about the outcome. Other Gaelic languages that belong to the Goidelic branch are Manx and Irish, which, together with Scottish Gaelic, originated from old Irish. This song is sung at Celtic games and at supporters nights every week, theres nothing sectarian about the Fields of Athenry. Why are Celtic FC fans holding Palestinian flags up at their - Reddit While the Alt key is pressed, and symbols. The straight talking former Chairman was never one to shirk a fight or fail to notice any slights against himself or Celtic. This will probably end in a fine approaching six figures as there have been several previous instances of unwarranted political behaviour by Celtic fans. By waving the Palestinian flag, Celtic fans were not choosing a side between Hamas and Fatah, or endorsing any of their political viewpoints. Celtics links to Ireland go right back to the clubs creation. Lazio vs. Celtic: Stabbings, fascist salutes and banners mocking Has Scotland Ever Had A Natural Disaster? As each team must play 34 games in the German Bundesliga, the achievement of a player scoring the equivalent of a goal every game is always seen as an impressive feat. Celtic, founded in 1887 by destitute Irish Catholic immigrants, has remained deeply attached to its Irish roots and its fans have historically been linked to political causes, protesting. 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. Of course flags can still annoy or even antagonise some. The club opened Celtic Park to allow fans . Some of the biggest and most successful Irish Celtic managers include Martin ONeill, Brendan Rogers and Neil Lennon. Rangers fans also tend to identify more as pro-British, waving Union Jack flags at matches while Celtic supporters are more commonly seen waving the Irish tricolour. The 6 Celtic Flags and the Meaning Behind Each Design All rights reserved. Several tribes made up the larger population of the Celtic people. link to What is a "Downed" Opponent? Celtic wasnt even the first Scottish club with an Irish identity, that title goes to Hibernian. In Scotland, most Celtic fans will probably feel Scottish nowadays and have a pride in their own or the clubs Irish heritage. (modern). Who Has The Most Goals In The Premier League This Year? ANALYSIS: How Many Goals are Scored from Corners? When Celtic were paired with Israeli team Hapoel Beersheva in the Champions League tie, everyone knew there would be Palestinian flags on show. You will see quite a few of them of them also express support for terrorist organisations that killed many of their fellow citizens. Why do Celtic fans fly Irish flags? As if being founded by an Irishman wasnt enough, Celtics first manager, Willie Maley, was also from Ireland. Modern residents of Scotland and Ireland wont share much DNA with these ancient ancestors. They do not appear on a printed message. Contents show 1 Who do Celtic fans support? 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. People are not barred from playing for, or just supporting, football teams based on religion. Why do Liverpool fans boo the English anthem? Dundee United also has an Irish connection although it features much less prominently. PA Media. Correspondingly, among some in the British community in Northern Ireland, support for Celtics arch rivals Rangers has become an expression of their Britishness. Last weekend, Glasgow's two rival soccer teamsthe Celtic and the Rangersfaced off for the first time this season. Liverpool is widely known for having the strongest Irish heritage of any UK city perhaps alongside Glasgow. Bottles were thrown, eleven spectators were arrested, two men were sent too prison and others were fined for their part in a number of incidents that took place in and around Celtic Park. The Glasgow magistrates met to discuss the situation, and made several recommendations which they invited the SFA and the Scottish League to consider. Maybe they could have flown the Irish flag at Ibrox at the next Celtic v Rangers game to test their theories out. Why Do Celtic Fans Call Rangers Sevco? The club was established by Irishman Brother Walfrid to celebrate Glasgows Irish population. Sectarianism in Scotland emerged after 16th century reformations of the Church of Scotland (Sanders, Origins ! Israeli police warn Celtic fans not to fly - The Irish Times Harry Swan should be an inductee into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame., http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/the-sfa-and-the-irish-flag-at-celtic-park/, Celtic Incidents, Events and Controversies. The Irish dimension of Celtic is woven into the clubs history and will never be undone. The club was established by Brother Walfrid, an Irishman, to improve the living conditions of Irish communities in Glasgow. Celtic's identity has been shaped as a Scottish Club with Irish roots. Middle East Eye. The flag controversy before the famous flag controversy in the 1950s. For Celtic, a club founded by members of a disparaged minority, it was a big victory for the Irish community and the club's sympathisers. What Is Real Madrid Biggest Defeat In Champions League? In fact, The Harp remained in place for the first 22 years of Mr Swans chairmanship until ground reconstruction and deterioration in the mid-1950s meant the entrance had to be demolished. In recent times, both Old Firm teams have taken measures to combat sectarianism. http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/the-sfa-and-the-irish-flag-at-celtic-park/ Liverpool F.C. Celtic would represent Irish immigrants in Glasgow before growing to become one of the best-supported football teams in the world. 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. by John Brown How Do I Add Football Tickets To My Wallet? Each of these estates has benefited greatly in the decades since the first rules of association football were drawn up. 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. It was in 1952 when a malevolent Referees Committee of the SFA ambushed Celtic FC with what is now known as the Flag flutter. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. When it was announced that Celtic would play the Israeli champions, Hapoel Beer Sheva, in a Champions League play-off match, some of their fans wanted to use the game as an opportunity to make a small and peaceful protest about the Israeli governments treatment of Palestinian people living in the West Bank. Why are Celtic fans not allowed? - WhoIsWh By a lonely prison wall, I heard a young girl calling, Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay, By a lonely prison wall, I heard a young man calling. adopted "You'll Never Walk Alone" as its official motto on its coat of arms as the song became their football anthem. As Celtic supporters, we regrettably recognise that our club had an association with Rangers (1872) through the collective descriptive term, The Old Firm. Celtic are likely to be fined for allowing their fans to wave Palestinian flags at a Champions League game. Celtics connection to Ireland isnt unique, and there are a couple of other Scottish football teams with Irish links; Hibernian and Dundee United. and hold it down. But there are exceptions. Celtics identity has been shaped as a Scottish Club with Irish roots. During season 1951/52, whilst Celtic were floundering on the field, the club became involved in an increasingly tense contretemps with the SFA. Rob Boag Why Scotland's fiercest soccer rivalry features Israeli vs. Palestinian Celtic and Rangers should not meet on New Years Day again due to increased drunkenness at that time of year.Matches between them should be all ticket with a crowd limit set by the Police.Celtic should in the interests of safety number passageways at Celtic Park.The two clubs should avoid displaying flags which might incite feelings among the spectators. Indeed Mr Wilson told the council that the emblem had never been of any annoyance to Rangers. Traditionally, Rangers supporters align themselves as native Scots or Ulster Scots as well as Protestant and Loyalist, while Celtic fans tend to be Irish-Scots and Catholic and Republican. No love for CFC as deluded fans think Fav Celtic Song: Singing against English repression in English. I am a long-time admirer of that fantastic Edinburgh Hibs FCs Famous Five team and its management. However, despite this historic connection to Ireland, Dundee Uniteds Irish past is much less known than its rivals. 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. When I thought of paying homage to them, I did a little research to take the pulse of todays Celtic fans on Harry Swan.. Ironically, neither side is especially associated with Scotland as far as flags and banners are concerned as Celtic's fans have taken to waving Irish flags of green, white and orange, a symbol . Its also taking things too far when some say it was Hibs revenge against Celtic for supposedly bringing them down in the 19th Century (the latter being complete balderdash from Hibernian fans when you look at the facts). 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. Rob, who is a regular contributor to BwB, went on: On www.thecelticwiki.com site, the 1952 Flag flutter debacle is well documented. Sports Clubs / Ultras: Liverpool Urchins Their past history of success has led to many fans supporting the Reds who play at Anfield. Some groups of Celtic supporters also sing or chant Irish folk and rebel songs, which express support for the IRA. Its home is Glasgow, so people from Glasgow support the club.