The first Celtic history conference was held yesterday (Saturday 6th June) at Celtic Park. As one of the conference organisers we believe this is first conference of its kind of any single football club, so it was a day of making history.
The conference itself went incredibly well, kicked off by former Celtic player Tosh McKinlay and our chair David Watt. There was a one-minute’s applause for historians Tom Campbell, David Potter and Pat Woods who are sadly no longer with us.
The keynote speaker was Dr Joe Bradley who spoke poignantly and brilliantly on the role of An Gorta Mór in the formation of Celtic Football Club, and Celtic’s distinctive status of having been born of an Irish Catholic community. Dr Michael Connolly spoke about Brother Walfrid, and his role in establishing the club for the Irish community in Glasgow. I spoke about the gendered nature of Celtic’s published historiography, drawing on research I had undertaken with Celtic women supporters on why they think so few books are written by women. I spoke about our existence as fans in a liminal space, as well as drawing on my own autoethnography as a female fan of Celtic.
Matthew Marr spoke enthusiastically, informatively and with humour, about the many historical sites throughout Glasgow connected to Celtic’s history. Stephen Murray talked about the incredible work that goes into creating and maintaining the Celtic Wiki, and ended by showing some brilliant photographs that have captured Celtic’s history from a fans’ perspective.
The audience in attendance was 300 plus and their enthusiasm, support and contribution to questions to the panel was incredible.
There was one overwhelming takeaway from the conference, and that is that Celtic should have a museum befitting of its wonderful status. It is shameful that it doesn’t and this has been a drum I have been beating since we lost the original purpose built museum space (that I created and curated) back in 1997.
And so we, as a committee, have work to do ahead of next year’s conference!
Thanks so much to everyone who attended, and to Celtic Football Club for providing the facilities, tech, teas and coffees and staff on the day. It is very much appreciated from all the conference committee.
And a special thanks to my personal cheerleaders!
And here’s a wee video summary of the day!
Margot McCuaig 