There was a moment during the League Cup semi-final when I actually turned to my mate in utter disbelief at the atrocious song emanating from a section of our fan-base. It was the “soon there’ll be no Protestants at all” add-on to The One Road. From there, these morons launched into a hearty rendition of The Soldiers Song.
“Not bad,” I said to him. “A sectarian add-on to a Free Stater tune, followed by the anthem of the Republic. The intellectual incoherence is hard to credit.”
Which brought me back around to something I’ve known for a long time, and which Andrew Smith highlighted again today in his Scotsman column; that there are people amongst our support who are genuine wastes of space.
It’s not even that they are bigots, they are worse than that.
Because being a bigot is a coherent, individualist choice and as deeply horrific as it is, choosing to be a bigot requires basic decision making functionality. Being a sheep, parroting idiotic ideas and opinions and singing songs which get the stink of this stuff on our club doesn’t require any.
I marvel sometimes at the lives these guys must lead that this is what they think counts them as rebels and revolutionaries. It makes them neither. It makes them sad bastards who haven’t quite twigged yet that they are throwbacks to a bygone age.
Any Celtic fan singing about the ethnic cleansing of Protestants – which, let’s cut the bullshit that add-on does – doesn’t just not understand our history but they are woefully short on their knowledge of Irish struggle, which was filled to the rafters with them.
One of my favour Republican songs is The Wolfetones Protestant Men, a sterling anthem to some of those guys, which I would dearly love to hear being lustily sung at Celtic Park one day. “Be England’s fool; divide, they’ll rule …” is a crucial segment.
And of course, Wolfe Tone himself, mentioned in the song, was a Protestant. I bet if you told some of these cretins that their jaws would hit the floor.
To me and a lot of our fans, there are some great songs which some of our fans are dementedly hearts-set on ruining forever with puerile, needless, IRA add-ons as well.
Let’s get something out of the way before I go on, although regular readers won’t be in the least bit surprised; I have no problem with Celtic fans singing Republican songs. I don’t do it at games, because I personally don’t think that’s the forum for it.
Anyone who has met me in the pub, however, will know I have an encyclopaedic knowledge of them and consider some of them absolutely wonderful. I have long dared anyone who wants the debate to tell me the Republican song, sung regularly at Celtic games, which preaches the killing of fellow human beings and no-one has ever come back with an answer and no-one ever will because there’s nary a song in the Republican canon which does that.
About four years before The Fields Of Athenry got sung first at the football I sang it on stage at a trade union event in Germany for delegates from all over the continent, who all wanted to know what the song was. I’d been singing it, and hearing it, for years; it was a family party-piece at New Year. When I first heard it at a game my jaw dropped open.
It was the same with Grace, another old favourite whose first performance at the football left me beaming with joy and surprise because it, too, had been an old family favourite and it was good to hear it getting a stirring rendition from our fans.
But I wince every time I hear Willie Maley’s chorus polluted by that “… and the IRA” dirge, because of course neither Maley nor James McGrory nor Paul McStay nor the founders of our club had the least connection to the IRA which wouldn’t even surface as an organisation in its own right until years after we were founded.
Where does it come from, this sheep-like braying of utter nonsense like that?
There are a handful of songs which pop up randomly at Parkhead and just as quickly disappear and it’s an embarrassment and a disgrace when they do.
Roamin’ In The Gloamin is another notorious piece of anti-Protestant swill which doesn’t belong at Celtic games. I am less convinced by the argument about “Dirty Orange bastards” which some people say is a coded reference to Protestants; it must be very coded indeed as I’ve heard it sung at Catholic officials and even Catholic Ibrox players.
I’ve always viewed it as a catch-all kind of phrase, in the same way the word “hun” is, a word I only use in a very specific context. Hey, at the end of the day if there are those on the periphery of Ibrox who don’t like “orange” being tossed at them, maybe they should stop playing into the stereotype with the orange strips and other paraphernalia.
Those who equate the terms “hun” and “orange” with Protestant are at it, and this is a relatively new phenomenon and I am surprised that any intelligent person accepts the claim.
Those who equate those words with their use of the word “fenian” are overlooking a clear difference; they have a song over there which is a very clear reference to being “up to their knees in fenian blood” which makes the intent and the sentiment and the use in context quite explicit; it’s an ethnic cleansing anthem, and it is once again heard everywhere they go.
But Andrew Smith has a particular issue with one of the songs of yesterday and you know what?
So do I. The songs mocking dead ex-Ibrox staff and players are the stuff of the gutter and that’s where those who sing them belong. It’s sewer-dredging Ibrox style, and the irony is that I know the very people who sing them would be amongst the first to lose their shit over songs about dead Lisbon Lions and Tommy Burns.
Andrew Smith criticised fan groups and the club for not speaking out; maybe he’s missed all the times I’ve written about this subject. Maybe he’s missed the numerous entreaties the club itself has made for fans to consider the reputation of Celtic.
And maybe he missed the fact that when that song was sung yesterday that many thousands of our own fans booed it. But that doesn’t make for sexy headlines.
Still he deserves credit. He is consistent on this issue, and on writing the same about the fans across the city. This guy, like Graham Spiers, has been, if you’ll pardon the pun, singing this song a long time.
This has to be cut out of our support at some stage, and really, the sooner the better.
The song debate deserves more nuance than it gets but I think there are things on which we can all agree, and that these chants are disgusting and have no place in our support is one of them.
sorry but I was thinking the same watching the game yesterday I don’t know but maybe they think that singing those songs creates an atmosphere at the game’s and when you do listen it does sound like a lot of youngsters singing so maybe a wee history lesson and yes James Mcgrory etc add on is probably the stupidest of the lot
I have lived all my life in Belfast and survived the Troubles. I said to my son last night while watching the Celtic game that those songs don’t belong there anymore. Celtic supporters come from all backgrounds, religions and races, the days of that type of singing/chanting should be over. Celtic fans go to watch football and be entertained by a marvellous team, very few want to listen to that. By doing so they lower themselves to the level of the fans across the city and the filth that they sing and chant. The Celtic fan base grows each day across the world and should be recognised for the marvellous club that it is. It’s time for a number of these fans to rise above this, we are better than that
Stop selling them tickets. Our club know exactly who gets each ticket. Stop selling then and sell tickets to older fans until they shut up about the Ra. It hurts us on the pitch. If I were a Ref and a teams fans were singing about Al Quaeda I wouldn’t give them a throw in
I wouldn’t even let them kick off after conceding. You make a fair point, these songs harm us… Not only on the pitch but our reputation too. My pal is an Arab and he was loathe to actually take his son into the game as he could hear it from a mile away. This guy and I have had chats about Irish republicanism before and he’s definitely not ignorant of the facts, or unsympathetic to the cause historically. And if someone like that can leave a game feeling we’re no better than Sevconians, we’re letting ourselves down badly.
Excellent piece some of the Celtic support are as bad as the Huns I actually stopped going to European away games because of these nutjobs, moronic,ill informed and embarassing.
If you told them what the English did to Scottish Catholics you would be met by utter disbelief.
Very much in agreement to this article. It’s very well writen and to the point.
As a Celtic supporter of 50 odd years, I have seen and heard it all.
How, as a support claim to have good Moral values, can they take it away with such fowl songs.
We need to move on and show what we really stand for.
Love for our fellow human beings, no matter their failings.
The club will do ZERO to help omit this songbook from our support. A recent meeting I attended more or less confirmed that. Allegedly some people like the songs. Hard to believe but true non the less.
As a protestant supporter for decades I have honestly blanked these songs. The sad bit is we are unfortunately educating the next generations and no end in sight is seen.
what kind of meeting was it…..?
was it in a pub by any chance ?
i do not, for a second, believe, at boardroom level, they would “like” the songs…
Oh well that means me a protestant, supported Celtic for 50 years and these so called fans can ,well I won’t swear ,HH to all real Celtic fans.
No one said it was boardroom level. It’s fans that like them. Meeting was with JP s.l.o maybe you are one who ?ikes them. Who knows?.
Regardless of that I stand by my statement that the club will do nothing.
Absolutely 100% correct
Semi final was embarrassing as was tannadice yesterday.
It’s crept in and now seems to be the norm for away games.
Well said , we don’t need or want that bile associated with our club. Let’s leave the poison to the uneducated, brain dead morons who congregate at the castle of greyskull ? … Come on all you Bhoys, don’t lower us to that base level !
Do you really want to be classed as the same as that mob ???
THINK ABOUT IT ? !
Totally agree on the IRA songs I,like you know the words to a thousand’rebel’ songs I will continue to sing them in house or car or private events but there’s no place at Celtic Park for that anymore but if I comment in certain Celtic blogs I get abuse! We don’t need these people at paradise anymore HH?
I’ve been an active supporter of the republican struggle for over 30 years, the way I support it has nothing to with any football club, the struggle is supported by fans of other clubs as well, but they don’t see the need to sing songs at thier games, I also like rebel songs and certain ones are okay to hear at celtic Park, I don’t think the club does enough to address the sectarian songs being sung, also songs like the sam song have no place in a football stadium, fans are scared to speak out against these songs as it usually ends up getting them abused on social media, the club sell these fans tickets to every away game so know who they are, I’d like the club to introduce a purely celtic singing section, and I know from talking to plenty of other fans, it would receive plenty of support, I like a lot of celtic fans cringe every time there’s an away game on TV, , it time for celtic fans to make thier voice heard, I’m sure our players don’t really want to hear the obscene chants either, let’s stand up to these people, we all know people who have gave up supporting celtic because of what they hear, let’s be proud of our Irish roots and build a club that really is inclusive
Time to ditch all the old IRA stuff. The term ‘Hun’ is nothing to do with Protestantism, it commonly refers to all things ‘Rangers’.
I totally agree, I was cringing yesterday listening to the bile being sung, loud and clear.
I’ve been a Celtic fan for almost 60 years, and would have thought that anybody with half a brain would understand that hatred for any group is not acceptable given the club’s origins.
Totally agree, James, but Celtic FC need to be proactive on this. Why not ensure that tickets are not supplied to singers of said songs, can’t be that hard to implement?
I’m Irish, love Celtic, love Ireland, support Sinn Fein politically, love Irish songs and ballads, particularly rebel songs, and I backed the IRA massively in bygone days – BUT – Ive never hated Protestants, in fact I’m related to some of them and some of my best pals are of that persuasion.
I love the green brigade and the atmosphere and rebel songs they sing, but please stop the poisonous shit about another religion. Leave that shite to the untermensch at the 11 year old club. Take the moral high ground and let them eejits across the city be seen for what they are.
Agree with Bob,some sort of statement should come from the board in relation to the buckie swirling cokeheads who are chanting this garbage including the f*** the Queen/ King billy etc. The Late Great Jock Stein managed with the help of the majority to cut out the crap in the sixties/seventies to great effect.
Think you have hit the nail on the head with this piece, James, so many positive comments agreeing with your position. Hope you are able to show the Board these replies to your first class article. Time to act, otherwise we are tarred with the same brush
Well said. Embarrassing to say the least. A fellow season ticket holder near me is a Protestant. I am sure there are many others at the matches too. Celtic is a club open to all , including the bampots who bring shame on us.
Don’t always agree with your views James on a number of topics but you have played a blinder on this one, quite superb!!
I totally agree
Fist of all I was raised never to lower my standards and bring myself down to anyone who was just completely ignorant on life outside of their fish bowl
I have never understood the connection of republican Ira songs either
I do know Celtic have a following of ulsterrites as do rangers
To me these fans have no right bringing there hatred to Scotland and spoiling our game with their stupid shitty political and so called religious beliefs We all no how well most of them have been educated
Stop the needless hate and enjoy the banter and debates
After all this is Scotland and the club is Scottish with some great Irish and world support
I hate the fact that these morons who celebrate the deaths of humans on either side of the days gone by conflicts think they’re supporting a cause
Believing in the unfairness of it all is good but to carry on and bring it to a football match is just being ignorant toward the players staff and other fans from many other backgrounds and beliefs Celtic is a club founded on charity and humanity for all in need It’s not a political pulpit for the goldfish who die outside of their bowl
Enough said hail hail
Well said James.
Matthew 5:43-48
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?
Do not even the tax collectors do so?
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
As the Great Jock Stein put it ‘”It’s not Religion that’s the problem – it’s the lack of religion!”
religion IS the problem….
as the great mao tse tung said…religion is the opium of the masses….
I agree 100% with this article, it shocks me that these so called Celtic fans don’t see the irony of adding these anti Protestant sectarian words to Celtic songs. It is a betrayal to lots of our Celtic playing heroes who date back to the founding of our club, including Jock Stein, Bertie Auld, Tommy Gemmell, Bertie Peacock, Bobby Evans, etc etc etc. The club should put a message up on the large screens pointing out the idiocy to this section of our support until it ceases.
As far as the IRA chants go, in my opinion a football ground isn’t the place for this. The struggle for dignity and political parity in the North of Ireland has been won. It is only a matter of time until Ireland is United. The struggle was hard and heroic and tragically many people lost their lives. In my opinion the idiots who use football grounds in a glorifying and triumphalist way are sullying the memory of the dead. Stick to the songs about Celtic or Irish songs such as the Fields of Athenry or Grace, etc without the IRA add on’s.
Great piece of writing I completely agree. I get really angry at some of the crap that pours out of some of our so called support, it is embarrassing and there has never been a place for it. I have asked people at games why they sing some of these songs and in an attempt at reasoning pointed out to some of our greatest players and manager being protestant but I am afraid they just don’t get it. Hopefully if we keep trying some form of sense will prevail.
I was at Tannadice yesterday and felt angered by the section of our support who decided to give this despicable nonsense airtime. There is a group within our fan base who behave shamefully in this manner at away games. Their complete lack of knowledge and understanding regarding the history of our Club and its connection with Irish history is embarrassing, to say the least. I know who they are. I think most people do. I could go on, but I’d better leave it there for now.