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Details
Title: Our Stories and Our Songs: The Celtic Support
Author: Liam Kelly
Published: 1 Aug 2015
Synopsis
There are few histories in sport which can match that chronicled in connection with Celtic Football Club. Yet in all that has been written, little has focused on the support. ‘Our Stories And Our Songs’ seeks to redress matters by encapsulating the unique identity of the Celtic faithful, who make this famous Club the grand old team it is.
The author’s passion rings true from the outset, as he documents the backdrop to the community from which the support emanated, before exploring the various enthusiasms and representations of the Club. Readers are then taken on a fascinating journey from 1902 to the present day, which relives an unrivalled heritage. In charting ‘special’ moments, created by the fans alone; the atmosphere, humour and passion of the support is captured in a manner that both enthrals and warms the heart. Individual supporters tell their personal Celtic stories. These tales are supplemented by the interviews of prominent fans.
The platform they are offered provides huge entertainment and testifies the faithful’s friendships with supports in Ireland, Germany and Spain (which are each devoted a place within a friendships chapter). The book concludes with a look into the history of different groups that Celtic fans have formed. From those early days when supporters established Brake Clubs to congregate on horse drawn carriage, to today’s pilgrimages in Supporters Club buses – the numerous factions have their own distinctive accounts. ‘Our Stories And Our Songs’ is, ultimately, both an historical and contemporary record of a people, their values, hopes and dreams In keeping with the traditions of the Club, all proceeds from this book go to Jay Beatty’s ‘Down’s & Proud’ charity.
Review
(by P Duffy: https://celticliamkelly.wordpress.com/2015/11/08/our-stories-our-songs-book-review-by-p-duffy/)
Before so much as laying eyes on this book, I felt a sense of warmth in the fact that the author is donating all proceeds from sales to Jay Beatty’s Down’s & Proud charity. With our humble beginnings, it is a truly Celtic gesture and one that should not be understated from an author so young as 19! When the book itself arrived, it struck me as something that was incredibly well structured and laid out. From the image on the cover to the images throughout – the flow of the book with subheadings to the grouping of supporter’s stories; it made for great reading. That way of breaking things up works really well for both the keen and casual reader. I am not a particularly big reader, I like to put down a book and pick it up again when I feel in the mood. This book is a real easy one to return to and allows you to pick up where you left off,instantly enjoying that warm glow that comes with supporting Celtic again. After two great forewords and a concise yet interesting introduction, I began reading a phenomenal chapter about the backdrop to our founding and some of the most unique/little know tales from our early history. It was a chapter that was both written superbly and one that demonstrated a fantastic grasp of the fabric of the club. I learned of a fire at Celtic Park which almost ruined the authenticity of our history and I learned of some of the firsts of the many firsts that Celtic can boast – not least hosting the first ever official British Speedway meeting! The book fittingly followed in to a chapter full of supporter’s entries, where fans from across the globe gave their opinions on what the club means to them and what they think it stands for. Our identities, our values and our passions were explored in a gripping manner with anecdotes aplenty to back up people’s thoughts. It was a heart-warming section that fed nicely in to my favourite chapter in the book: Special moments. The moments chosen relived some fabulous and forgotten memories. I was taken back to the Football Special to Leeds in 1970 and the author zoned in on the rendition of ‘The Coronation Cup Song’ as the journey neared its end: I remember that moment as if it were yesterday, it was my first away match with my father and it brought a tear to my eye as I recreated the scene and relived the atmosphere in my mind. The tears continued throughout the chapter when I read from the first selected moment in 1902, right up until the support’s treatment of ‘Wee Jay’ and everything in between. This chapter is written in a majestic way, a way that enthuses, informs and sparkles through the decades. I would say without question that thechapteris the most unique piece in any Celtic book. The piece solelyfocuses on moments created by the fans as opposed anything on the pitch. Supporter’s stories were next and this is where the real humour came in. Frombroken marriage in Seville tobeing left on the train at Dundee, it was laugh,admiration and astonishment galore. Every Celtic supporter has a story to tell. It’s the fabric of our lives and something we pass to the next generation so to see something like this and such a wonderful collection of stories, was just superb.We see stories of buskers in the 40’s, characters throughout the years and blunders in the Jungle. An incisive and tremendous history is told in a wonderfulstyle, about each supporter’s group and our friendships with four fellow supports are also explored.It’s a pair of chapters that taught me things I never knew. From learning theterrific tale of Belfast Celtic’s founding to their dreadful demise, to being taken on a journey of the connection between the clubs and just how crucial their impact was on politicising our supportat a time the Troubles were almost upon us. I was intrigued by the way that Brake Clubs worked and the kind of culture/songbook and activities that have occurred in each group right up to the Green Brigade today. Within the content, there are interviews with Jay Beatty, Darren O’Dea, Jeanette Findlay, Martin Smyth (Lennymobile owner), Sonke Goldbeck (Supervisory board member of St. Pauli) and Damien Quinn. As with the rest of the book, these interviews are informative and endearing. To my shame I have not named the author in this piece yet- Liam Kelly is his name and it’s a name you should remember because I think that he is destined for great things. This debut book at such a tender age, perhaps the youngest ever Celtic author (?), shows maturity beyond his years. The book iswritten superbly well. It combineshistory, often little known and intriguing, withhumour and itreally gives us a great insight to what makes our fans sospecial.It showshow we function – what our culture is, whatit means to be a fan etc. I’m nota writer, far from it, but I felt I had to write a review for this young man because I have never enjoyed a book so much in my life. He really did keep me gripped and as I said earlier in this piece, the fact that all proceeds go to Down’s & Proud isa remarkable gesture befitting of a fine Celtic supporter. A certain Paul Mcstay once said: “The fans make the club, without them there is no club.” Liam captures that and more. I am so glad that he has written a book aboutour faithful, somethingwhich has scarcely been put in print before yet really deserves to be. A book about you and me, a book for charity. I urge you to make a purchase. P.Duffy
Product Details
- Paperback: 238 pages
- Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (13 Aug. 2015)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1516892909
- ISBN-13: 978-1516892907
- Product Dimensions: 14 x 1.5 x 21.6 cm
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