George & The Song i love so well

When I think of my brother, I always have an immense send of pride and joy.  Reading the many emotional posts from musicians, pubs and friends on social media over the last 24 hours is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking.  10 years ago, I received a phone call in the middle of the night to be told of my brothers’ sudden death.   Not a day has gone past since where I haven’t thought about him & what he might be doing now.  The memory ticker in my mind flashes images of the good times, laughs and hugs from my brother, but sadly over time some of the pictures are fading.

Growing up as one of nine children, our house was always filled with music and songs.  Pop, Rock, Jazz and of course Scottish and Irish folk music.  These days only helped build our appreciation of stories told through songs and melodies.

I recall my dad being mesmerised by a specific performance on The Late Late show from Ireland.   He had recorded Derry born tenor Josef Lockes version of The Town I Loved so Well, written by Phil Coulter about his own experiences growing up in Derry before and during The Troubles, the song is a masterpiece in storytelling.   My dad must have played the video to every family member when they arrived home from school or work that day.  (I think) it was around 1984, so I would have been 6, George would have been 16 and already well on his way to playing the guitar.

Life’s journey takes us on many different routes and while George may have harboured ambitions to be a singer at that time, he would never have thought that he would have made such an impact on so many lives, not only in Glasgow but in Ireland, North America & beyond.

Nearly 25 years after watching Josef Lockes performance on the late show, George auditioned in front of the legendary singer, songwriter and producer Phil Coulter.   I am sure George sang The Town I Loved so Well as part of his audition, and I like to think of Phil Coulter sitting there wondering who does this guy think he is, singing my song?

George obviously made a significant impact that day, as Coulter chose him to be the father figure in Celtic Thunder, allowing George to reach so many new fans across the globe.

After my brother died I found it increasingly difficult to listen to his voice and music.   With so much available on various platforms, I just wasn’t ready to hear him sing again.   When his final album was released about a year after his death, I listened to the songs regularly in the car with my wife and children.

Hearing the opening melody of The Town I Loved so Well and George sing “in my memory, I will always see”, I was taken back to my childhood, the busy home we grew up in; I was standing in Jintys on Wednesday night; I was sitting in the garden sharing a beer or a cup of tea with my brother.

The power of music and song is strong, and now when I listen to Georges music, those grainy images triggered in my mind are once again filled with colour and many, many happy memories.

Top 3 of 2023 - Part 3

Croke Park, Dublin.   Home of the Gaelic Athletic Association.

Closing out 2023 I thought I’d wrap up the year with my own personal favourite moments of 2023 with a three part blog on my top 3 moments of 2023.  The short list pretty much picked itself,  it never took long for me to decide to celebrate 2 footballing triumphs and a trip to an iconic stadium in Dublin.

So, I'll finish up in Irelands Big Smoke back in the last weekend of August 2023.   The Irish capital was jumping.  The Notre Dame Fighting Irish were centre stage for the homecoming of all homecomings and Derry City were in town for their premier league clash against Bohemians at Dalymount Park.   Me?   I was in Dublin with my son and my brother hoping to enjoy the sporting fayre and of course a few Guinness.

For all the visits I’ve made to Dublin over the last 25 years, a trip to Croke Park has always passed me by.   So, this year I made sure it was top of the list of things to do as soon as we had dumped the bags at out hotel.

We took the Luas from our hotel up to O'Connell street and walked the rest of the way to the stadium, momentarily catching glimpses of the sporting cathedral through Dublin’s urban landscape.  We crossed the Royal Canal over the Bloody Sunday Bridge and the sheer size of the stadium comes into focus.  We made our way around The Hogan stand,  behind Hill 16 and round to the front entrance.

With its 82000 + capacity Cooke Park is the 4th biggest stadium in Europe, but it is much more than that.   It is the centrepiece of the Gaelic Athletic Association, the heartbeat of a movement started over 135 years ago and evolving over the years to promote and encourage involvement in traditional irish sports, language, dancing and music.  

Arriving way too early for our tour, we grabbed a bite to eat in the Museum cafe before taking a stroll through the museum.  The items, trophies, flags and pennants on display are a real treasure trove of sporting history spanning the 135 years of the GAA, every club is represented and at every discipline.  The interactive display items give you a chance to test your skills with a Hurley, Sliothar and Gaelic Football.  It's here you really appreciate the skill level required to be able to play Football or Hurling.

The museum has a dedicated exhibition to Bloody Sunday, retelling the story of the Tipperary versus  Dublin challenge match at Croke Park on the 21st November 1920 when Royal Irish Constabulary shot indiscriminately into the crowd there to watch the match killing 13 spectators and Tipperary player, Michael Hogan.

A visit to Croke Park is a must when you are in Dublin.  The history of the GAA is intrinsically linked to rebirth of Irish culture and language, the war for independence as well as the hopes and dreams of players of over 2200 GAA clubs across the 32 counties in Ireland and overseas.

Top 3 Moments of 2023 - Part 2

Closing out 2023 I thought I’d wrap up the year with my own personal favourite moments of 2023 with a three part blog on my top 3 moments of 2023.  The short list pretty much picked itself. It didnt take me long to decide to celebrate 2 footballing triumphs and a trip to an iconic stadium in Dublin.  So, for part 2, we head back to Hampden to watch history being made and to enjoy one last hurrah with our former boss.

Date - 3rd June 2023

Venue - Hampden Park, Glasgow

The winter World Cup in Qatar resulted in an extended domestic campaign.   Our national showpiece cup final was moved to June to accommodate the mid-season FIFA extravaganza and our kick off time was moved from the traditional 3pm slot to a 17:30 early evening window.  Inverness Caley Thistle stood between Celtic and an eighth domestic Treble and another piece of footballing history for our club.

Our route to the final saw us overcome Morton and St Mirren, before heading to the capital to turn over Hearts at Tynecastle.   The Semi-Final pitched us against our city rivals where once again we showed our superiority on the pitch and in the stands – that result effectively ended the season for the Govan club and set us up for a date with destiny.

Much of the chat in the run up to the final was focused on a “will he / won't he" narrative, as the prospect of losing Ange Postecoglou to Spurs became a reality.  However, as ever, Ange was professional in his approach to the match and his sole focus (at least on camera) was on securing the final piece of silverware of the season.

With Celtic fans making up three quarters of the stadium, our fans were in full voice for the early evening kick-off.   Callum McGregor followed in the footsteps of his predecessor Scott Brown, in leading the huddle and delivering a final rallying call to complete a domestic Treble.

When referee John Beaton blew the full-time whistle Celtic had run out 3-1 winners, securing the Scottish Cup thanks to goals from Kyogo, Abada and Jota.   It wasn’t a vintage performance, but it was a perfect end to hugely successful whirlwind stopover in Glasgow for Postecoglou.

The shambles of a team inherited after the Covid season had been rebuilt and reborn.   Our team had a new identity, style and purpose.   The team that Ange built had graduated – with honours.

As the players celebrated with the trophy on the pitch, the fans in Hampden gave Ange and his Bhoys one final send off.  Our rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone was spine tingling and our Ange Postecoglou/Papa Francesco chant echoed around Glasgow long into the night.

It was a bittersweet day in the end, celebrating success with the knowledge we would be searching for a new leader in the days that followed, but sometimes you’ve just got to live in the moment and make the most of what was a perfect occasion.

Top 3 moments of 2023 - Part 1

Closing out 2023 I thought I’d wrap up the year with my own personal favourite moments of 2023 with a three part blog on my top 3 moments of 2023.  The short list pretty much picked itself. It didnt take me long to decide to celebrate 2 footballing triumphs and a trip to an iconic stadium in Dublin.  So, for part 1, we go to a sunny day at Hampden in February.

Date - 26th February 2023

Venue - Hampden Park, Glasgow

February 2023 saw Celtic travel to Hampden for what the club and fans hoped would be the first leg of a domestic Treble.   The league cup final had produced the showdown the sponsors , TV companies, footballing authorities and fans had wanted.  Celtic were up against our city rivals and were eager to lay down a marker for the remainder if the season.

Ninety minutes later it was the fans on the East side of Hampden celebrating.  A 2-1 victory didn't  tell the full story of a dominant display from the Hoops.  Two goals from our Japanese sensation Kyogo grabbed the headlines , but a tactical masterclass from Ange Postecoglou and his squad really showed the gulf in class between the teams on the day.  The Celtic players were hungry, energetic and decisive.  We capitalised on our opponents hesitance and punished their mistakes.

The result was perfect, but the standout performance that day came from the 25000 Celtic fans wedged into our national stadium.  At no point in my previous 40 odd years going to see Celtic have I experienced anything like it.

The synergy amongst the Celtic support that day echoed something of a festival.  Everyone and I mean everyone was united in chorus.  From the Ultras sending fireworks high into the Southside sky, to those in corporate seating in the north and south stand, the atmosphere was electric.

Our opening goal came after 44 minutes.  Kyogo scored a tap in from 6 yards out, the goal sparked a 15 minute chorus of jubilation that echoed around Hampden for the entirety of the halftime break.

For our team to hear that from the dressing room, it must have been inspiring, because 10 minutes into the 2nd half we had doubled our lead.   Celtic were in control and even though we conceded a scrappy goal to make it 2-1, the result never seemed in doubt.

Part 1 of a Treble complete.  The result was great, beating our city rivals was fantastic, but for me the fans that day showed what a unified Celtic support is all about.

Big George & his Fairytale of New York

It never ceases to amaze me the emotions that can be triggered when you hear a song play.   After the sad passing of Pogues front man Shane MacGowan, the radio has been awash with the bands classic Fairytale of New York anthem.  The bittersweet love story penned by MacGowan and Pogues bandmate Jem Finer has been a Christmas staple since 1987.  Everything about the song has a way of reaching into your soul.   The musical arrangements, the video, the story and of course the chemistry between the two great singers who are sadly no longer with us.

The meteoric rise of The Pogues in the 80s was a shining beacon for Irish music and signalled an awakening for a new wave of traditional folk sounds.  My brother George was swept up in the euphoric musical movement that arrived at that time.  Well that, and the links to Irish folk and rebel music through watching Celtic over the years opened the door for George; a self taught musician to become part of the live folk music scene in Glasgow.

From the late 1980s and for almost 30 years, George was part of great live music family in Glasgow and around Scotland.   A regular in Jinty McGintys on Ashton Lane for of 20 years.  George performed in pubs and clubs across the city.  He auditioned for a role in a then new stage production under the management of legendary irish singer songwriter Phil Coulter and in 2007 George was chosen to make up part of the original lineup for Celtic Thunder.   For the next seven years he toured north America and Australia as a kind of father figure in the group.  

Fairytale of New York was as much an Easter song as it was a Christmas song for George.  No matter the time of year George would always belt out the Pogues anthem as part of his set. Whether he sang it solo or performed a duet with friends or family in the bar, Fairytale became a signature of a live performance from George.

After George's death in 2014 I struggled to listen to his songs or voice, the pain of missing my brother was; and still is at times now too much.  However, I know when I am ready there is a catalogue of songs available online where I can hear my brother doing what he loved.

A few years ago, a good friend of George’s contacted my older brother to say he found a recording that George had made for him.   The CD was a collection of some old songs George would sing in the bars in and around Glasgow and George had made the disc for his friends to take back home to Germany with them.

The recording was made at home by George, probably around 2003.   It was so nice to hear his voice back again and to once more listen to him perform Fairytale of New York.

The song will always be seen by most as a Christmas song, but for me it brings so many happy memories of going to see my brother doing what he loved.

The House That Dermot Built

The general malaise that has swept across the vast theatre we call Paradise, has been a slow burning fire that was ignited more than a few years ago.  The unparalleled success on the field over the last decade has helped mask a old problem experienced by Celtic managers and fans for years when the club was under the guidance of the Kelly family during the 1980s and 90s.

The current dynastic success on the pitch at Celtic park can only be matched by the stranglehold our regime and board of directors have over our club.  Plagued by nepotism and cronyism, the current regime have sailed a steady ship in terms of profit, divided and balance sheet.  That success has been driven by an aggressive marketing scheme pulling at the heart strings of supporters willing to pile as much cash as they earn on merchandise, season tickets and 3 to 4 new kits every season.

As fans, we cannot complain, right?   Lennon, Deila, Rodgers, Lennon (again), Big Ange and then Rodgers (again) have delivered an avalanche of silverware that is unmatched at any point in our history.  The reality is though, while we have held trophy after trophy aloft at the end of the season, the club have not progressed in terms of building a squad to look beyond domestic dominance or even compliment the talent we are allowed to enjoy for a season or two.   Our much heralded business model of buying players  and selling them for significant profit looks wonderful on the balance sheet, but provides no continuity or allows us to build on successes on the field of play.

The revolving door at the top of The Celtic Way has become a Merry-Go-Round for the same stale board members, executives and managers.   Peter Lawwell left the club, only to return shortly afterwards, this time bringing his son as head of recruitment.   Dermot Desmond, the business financer behind the club is shaping his own son as heir to the throne in Paradise.  All of this with no input from fans, not meaningful vote on succession.   It’s like the Kelly’s and Whites never left.

Celtic are a club heading in the wrong direction and the people in charge of the operation are too blind to see it.   The annual AGM passes off without any whiff of discontent , as those voices are muted and laughed at.   Any challenge to the regime is deemed insignificant and pointless and our executives laugh and lap it up  - they win every time  and pat each other on the back.

The Celts For Change group picked through the rubble of a broken football team 30 years ago and helped secure a future for our club.  The Sack the Board chants we heard in the defeat to Hearts serve as a timely reminder to our current custodians that the club always has been and always will be the fans – the longer this is ignored by the suits in the directors box, the more irreparable damage will be done.

NCAA Bowl Season, Dublin Calling & The NFL

 This weekend marks the beginning of the NCAA College Bowl season across the United States.   The next 3 and half weeks will see thousands of players, coaches, fans and students zig-zag their way across America in the hope of securing some end of season silverware for their college campus.

The NCAA Bowl season is the reward for a select few teams after a gruelling 15 or 16 week football schedule.  The festival of football kicks off today in the Myrtle Beach Bowl, North Carolina and finishes at the NRG Stadium Houston, when one of Alabama, Michigan, Texas or Washington will be crowned as National Champions.

The regular college football season came to a close last weekend in Foxborough, Massachusetts as Army secured a dramatic 17 – 11 win over Navy at the home of the New England Patriots.  The Navy Midshipmen were also involved in the season opener in a truly memorable weekend in Dublin at the end of August when the Irish came home under the banner of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Dublin and Ireland opened its doors to welcome the biggest migration of sports fans from the USA ever recorded.  From South Bend, California, New York, Belfast, Glasgow and many, many more the spectacle of a home match for Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Aviva stadium in Dublin was an event not to be missed.

Almost a week long book of events including an open air mass celebrated at Dublin Castle and a tailgate party on Notre Dame street, culminated in the Fighting Irish romping to victory and winning the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.  This was more than a game, this was an opportunity for Ireland to firmly pitch itself as a home from home for College Football.

Next August Dublin will once again roll out the red carpet for the college football elite as Georgia Tech take on the Florida State Seminoles.   This time the added spectacle of ESPNs flagship show College Game Day will be broadcast from the Irish capital.

As the appetite for Americas Game continues to grow on this side of the pond, the NFL announced another expansion to their International series matchup recently.  This announcement coupled with Pittsburgh Steelers marketing rights award in Ireland will only whet the appetite even further.

The success of the Notre Dame trip to Ireland, both in terms of income and interest generated will be a significant bargaining tool for the Irish government, tourist board and business partners to raise the question about another game, or dare I say it, an end of season bowl match up.   Maybe wishful thinking on my part, but hopefully not out of the question.

Either way, the Georgia and Florida match is another 9 months away.   In the meantime we can all enjoy the pride and passion of the college bowl season as well as the climax of yet another absorbing NFL regular season.