Glasgow Celtic was founded by a religious Marist, Brother Walfrid
Glasgow’s famous Celtic football team was founded by Brother Walfrid, an Irish Marist religious who moved to Scotland and cared for the thousands of Irish Catholics who emigrated due to famine on their island.
Andrew Kerins, better known by his later religious name as Brother Walfrid, was born in Ballymote, Ireland, on May 18, 1840. He grew up during the famine and made it his main goal in life to help in any way possible to alleviate hunger . He studied teaching and in 1864 applied for entry into the Marist Order.
He moved to Scotland and in 1868 was appointed teacher at St. Mary’s Parochial School in the East End of Glasgow, the Catholic émigré quarter. In 1874 he was already its director and created The Poor Children’s Dinner Table, a charitable organization to help needy children. The help was spiritual and also material because hunger was raging at that time. He soon spent his life looking for money for his poor children and got the involvement of businessmen and some important people in the city. He was a born organizer and ahead of his time. His efforts led him to become involved in organizing exhibition football matches to raise funds for charity. After one of these matches, he decided that Glasgow should have an Irish football team of its own.
In this way, brother Walfrid called a meeting in the sacristy of the Church of Santa Maria, on November 6, 1887 and proposed the creation of a football team called Celtic. This name was chosen to reflect both Irish and Scottish identity. The first charity game was played in May 1888. Celtic subsequently joined the Scottish Football Association in August 1888. Since then, Celtic have been one of the most popular teams in the world and have one of the biggest fans. more numerous. The project grew since the equipment also served so that the children could be cared for while their parents, all workers, worked in the Glasgow factories.
From there Celtic began to spread its Catholic identity throughout the country. In this way the mythical sporting clashes with the Protestant Rangers began, as well as their first sporting successes. Currently, it is the most successful team in Scotland and even became European champion in 1967.
“A club whose reason for being is charity.” This is confirmed by Celtic Glasgow. Far from denying their origins and hiding who and why one of the teams with the most followers in the world was founded, the Celtic ranks are proud of this Catholic and charitable origin.
In 1892, Brother Walfrid was transferred to London, where he did wonderful charitable work for the poor. In 1912, on account of his illness, he was transferred to Dumfries. He died on April 17, 1915 at the age of 74 and is buried in St. Michael’s Cemetery in Dumfries, Scotland.
His legacy is still very present in the club and the Catholic essence is an indisputable sign. Brother Walfrid is not only the founder of Celtic but also a symbol and an example to follow.
In 2003, Celtic fans from around the world began calling for a memorial to be built for Brother Walfrid. Two years later, on November 5, 2005, the sculpture in his memory was unveiled in the vicinity of Celtic Park. On the other hand, in the park of his hometown, Ballymote, there is a bust also dedicated to him.
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