Paradise Lost and Found

I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit that – despite the fact I saw my first Celtic match in the same year that Caesar made his debut ( 100 Years BC? – Ed J) – until last week,  I’d never actually “done the tour” of Celtic Park. Neither – for that matter – had my ST holder nephew (28), or my bhoy (19), who both accompanied me.

Now, I have to admit that – thanks to Celtic Supporters Liaison Officer John Paul Taylor, who kindly offered to take us round (I’d been buttering him up for months with offers of drugs & wummin’) – my experience of the tour was more privileged & private than most, in that we were on our own, rather than part of a larger, official tour group. However, as all the elements were essentially the same, I can certainly recommend that – IF a tour of Paradise is still on your “bucket list” – just do it FFS!  – For the Celtic daft, the magic of the place just can’t help but resonate!

CarlJungleBhoy’s Fergus bunnet stares at the safe standing area in the distance

Here’s a few highlights simply not to be missed….

. Sit in the visitor’s dressing room, close your eyes for a minute, and picture all the great names in football that have been in this very place, or sat on this very bench, before going out to face the thunder of YNWA blasting around the stadium. .. Messi, Ronaldo, Rooney, Xavi … you name them  … the list goes on.  Surely no true football fan can avoid feeling just a wee tingle down the spine at that thought?

With Anthony McVeigh –  Nephew and  Fundraiser at SCIAF-  and Celtic SLO John Paul Taylor

. Sit in the home dressing room and – as I’m sure many of you have done countless times before – imagine yourself about to make your debut in the hoops, passing this quote from Jock Stein on the way to the tunnel :  “Celtic jerseys are not for second best, they don’t shrink to fit inferior players”  – It’s enough to make your heart go Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh…  Think about the fact that this is where Henke Larsson sat in tears after saying his farewell to Celtic Park against Seville.  Or, where Nakamura received the plaudits of his teammates after his late free kick against Man Utd put Celtic through to the last 16 in the Champions League.  Or –  in my case –  think about those family members looking down who passed their love for Celtic onto you, but never got round to doing what you’re doing now.

 Bhoy Junior & Senior with shirts from Armstrong, GMS & Johansen, respectively

. Take a deep breath. You’re about to make a dream reality:  You’re approaching the tunnel. Take a few moments to ponder all the plaques from/for fellow Tims lining the walls. Then.. Go on – Go for it! … Run down the tunnel like a daft wee boy and imagine the roar from the crowd and the strains of Hail Hail hitting you as you exit the darkness and take to the field. By now your shamrock–shaped heart should be swelling with pride.

Mine’s certainly was.

If allowed – Take a seat in the dug-out. This is a view only a privileged few will experience.  Savour it ,  feel it , embrace it.  Imagine you’re about to be brought on as a sub to save the game for Celtic in a Champions League match, on one of those very special nights in front of 60,000. Or – if it’s the away dug-out – imagine how intimidating it must feel to be on a losing side with Celtic Park shaking as every single fan does the huddle.

Take a seat in the director’s box.  Shoogle your ass in The Big Yins seat– I’m sure Billy wouldn’t mind – and say a wee prayer (if that way inclined) or something daft from his Last Supper sketch (as I did) and wish him a full  recovery so he can  take his place again. Or greet like a wee baby- if that way inclined -in Rod Stewart’s seat while remembering  Barcelona….

 Stop for a minute in the trophy room in front of each trophy and let those names from the past – Johnny Crum, Charlie Tully, John Bonnar – wash over you.

Check out Billy McNeil’s magnificent medal collection.

Dream of the day the current Champions League trophy will take it’s place alongside the European Cup from ’67.

You can wake up now! – You’ve found Paradise!

I started this off by mentioning I was embarrassed that I’d never done the tour before. Well, imagine finding out in the middle of that tour that there was a real life family connection from you to Celtic – lost in the mists of time –  that you’d never even known anything about before? Well, that’s exactly what happened to me – See, I told you the magic of the place resonated!

Anyway, as we were chatting about our own personal football experiences & milestones –  Hampden 1970… Seville… my nephew just happened to mention that it was a close family member who led the triumphant parade around Celtic Park in front of the Lisbon Lions with the big-eared trophy,  back on 26^thMay 1967.

I was totally flabbergasted.

“What!? You’re jokin’! How come I’ve never heard of this before!!!??”,  I stuttered. 

Well, to cut a long story short, I’ve lived away from Glasgow more than two thirds of my life and my contacts with some branches of the family have been more distant than they should have.

Anyway ….

The late Jimmy Brennan, who married my cousin Anne and was Best Man at my sister’s wedding  – In fact, my sister & brother-in-law actually met as Maid of Honour & Best Man at Jimmy’s wedding! –  was “drum major” with the Coatbridge Shamrock Accordion Band. 

He’s the big guy with the stick at the front of the band in this pic from 26^th May 1967 showing them entertaining the crowd before the arrival of the team at Celtic Park.  

Thanks to The Shamrock Glasgow for the truly fantastic quality photo above

Shortly afterwards, Jimmy led the procession around Celtic Park in front of the triumphant Lisbon Lions and  Jock Stein etc. etc. following behind on a  ..ahem .. gold-encrusted coach – ah mean coal lorry. 

 That’s  Jimmy throwing the baton in the air in sheer joy at +/- 36 mins 45 secs into this BBC Alba Jock Stein film.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b045x3s8/jock-stein

Now, only the day before my tour of Celtic Park, I was sitting at another wedding table with my glamourous blonde (second?) cousins Patricia and Louise (that’ll be 110 euros each, girls ! ) –  Jimmy’s daughters, totally unware of this iconic Celtic connection. Big Jimmy was one of those larger than life characters who liked a drink and was always up for laugh. I recall one story – Patricia & Louise look away now!! – when the local Parish priest asked Jimmy for a light  –  this was in the day when even priests smoked – and Jimmy accidently pulled out a packet of Durex from the inside pocket of his jacket.

My own recollections of Jimmy are, sadly, limited to mainly weddings & funerals. As far as I know there wasn’t any geographical connection to Coatbridge. However, I can still picture this big, loveable rogue of a guy with a great line of joke-a-minute patter which hid a heart of gold underneath.

 If my memory serves me correctly, I’m pretty sure he was one of the driving forces behind the charity efforts of the local St Vincent De Paul’s, along with my own Da and bro-in-law Tony. 

Sadly, Big Jimmy died young, when the girls were still small, so, although they’d heard a wee bit about his baton twirling days – Louise tells me he remembers coming across that white band leader’s suit at the back of a cupboard when she was little – they don’t really know as much as they’d like. Also, the one person who’d probably have been able to tell them much more – their Mum Anne– also died only last year, so that font of memories is also no longer available to them.

Perhaps it’s due to all these of these factors that – until this week – when my nephew pointed out that little bit in the Jock Stein film, and I came across that photo above, Jimmy’s daughter’s didn’t even know that photo or film even existed! Isn’t it strange how a visit to Celtic Park can spark such things back to life?

So, after telling you above about Paradise found, I’d now like to put out an appeal on behalf of Jimmy’s family to anyone out there who might be able to help recover some more pieces of Paradise lost. …

In particular, if anyone has photos or footage of the Coatbridge Shamrock Accordion band at Paradise on 26^th May 1967, or other pics or footage which might include “drum major” Jimmy Brennan, his family would be extremely grateful. 

Hail Hail.