Celtic Football Club, founded by a Sligo man

Did you know, Celtic FC was founded by a Sligo man?


Andrew Kerins, or Brother Walfrid as he is more famously known, was born in Ballymote in 1840.

At the age of 15, Kerins went to Scotland in search of work, as did many Irish in those times due to the Famine.

In 1964, he joined The Marist Brothers, a catholic religious order who focused on educating the youth of Glasgow.

A few years later, after a four year stay in France, Kerins returned to the Scottish city as a teacher and soon established a football league in his school. He was then appointed Headmaster in 1885 at Sacred Heart School.

Brother Walfrid as he was now known dedicated his time to raising money for the poor in Glasgow, hosting charity matches as he tried to help the most vulnerable in his community.

He formed a number of football clubs, but only one survived, Celtic Football and Athletic Club.

Walfrid proposed the name Celtic, with the strong historic links between Ireland and Scotland, as he never forgot his home in Sligo.

To this day, Celtic remain a massive club globally, with huge support here in Ireland.

There is a monument in Ballymote to remember the club’s founder, in the town where he grew up.

Celtic supporters attending next week’s game at The Showgrounds are expected to visit the monument throughout next week, as they show their appreciation to the Sligo man who started it all.

You can buy tickets to the game here online:


https://srfcdirect.com/match-tickets/