Irish Founding Heritage

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Lore & Background

Brother Walfrid established Celtic as a fundraising vehicle, inspired by the example of Hibernian, which was formed from the immigrant Irish population in Edinburgh. The name 'Celtic' was adopted at the founding meeting to reflect the club's Irish and Scottish roots. While the club has played in green and white throughout its history, it only adopted the distinctive hoops in 1903.

In Their Own Story

On 28 May 1888, Celtic played their first official match against Rangers at Provanmill Road, winning 5–2 in a friendly encounter. Neil McCallum scored the club's first goal. The original kit featured a white shirt with a green collar, black shorts, and emerald green socks; the hoops were not part of this initial design.

Reader's Guide

The founding mission was charitable: to raise funds for the Poor Children's Dinner Table in Glasgow's East End. Brother Walfrid served as the driving force behind this initiative before the club became a private limited company in 1897. The name and purpose remain tied to the Irish and Scottish roots of the community it was built to serve.

Did You Know?

• The name 'Celtic' was pronounced 'Seltik' by Brother Walfrid to reflect Irish and Scottish roots.
• The nickname 'The Bhoys' with an extra 'h' comes from a postcard reading 'The Bould Bhoys', imitating Gaelic spelling.
• Celtic's first major honour came in 1892 when they defeated Queen's Park 5–1 in the Scottish Cup final.