Willie Maley and Frank McGarvey…two very special Celts – A poignant tribute from Tommy Sheridan…
We’re delighted to announce that the latest special guest to join us at our unique Celtic event in the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park next Thursday, 19 October is a Celtic supporter who certainly knows his history, the one and only Tommy Sheridan.
I was privileged to be in the audience in that same Kerrydale around 18 months ago at a fundraising dinner held to secure the final monies required for the erection of a statue honouring Celtic’s first manager, Willie Maley, in his hometown of Newry in the north-east of Ireland. The Newry Willie Maley Memorial Committee had done an incredible job in raising tens of thousands of pounds to ensure that the great man would receive that long overdue recognition in the town of his birth, and to their eternal credit that dream became a reality in April of this year. A support like no other, indeed.
Martin O’Neill was the main guest speaker in the Kerrydale on the evening and was wonderful to listen to, as always, but my abiding memory of the night was the powerful and hugely emotional tribute to Willie Maley paid by Tommy Sheridan. Tommy had been working closely with Pat McLoughlin and the rest of the committee to ensure the success of the night and the project in general, but he brought the house down last April with his take on just how important Maley was to the success of the club to which he devoted his life. Factually perfect, delivered from the heart and spine-tingling to hear.
I made a mental note that night that if ever I had the opportunity to include Tommy’s contribution in a ‘CeltIc night’ then I would do my level best to do so. We are delighted to announce that he will do just that next Thursday evening, back in the Kerrydale Suite, in a nod to our second Celtic Star Book Walfrid and The Bould Boys and the follow-up Glory To Their Name, released earlier this year.
Many of you will also be familiar with that excellent Celtic podcast I’m Frank and He’s Tommy, where Tommy and former Hoops icon Frank McGarvey chewed the fat on all things Parkhead-related. Sadly, the incredible striker was another Celtic Star taken from us far too soon, losing his battle with illness in January of this year. We’ll ask Tommy to remember his dear friend and share a few memories of their time together.
With laughter, music and tears, this will be Celtic theatre at its very best, and is shaping up to be one very special evening, the perfect antidote to ‘International break’ for those of us who like our football green and white.
So, don’t miss out. Tickets are selling fast and it’s going to be an incredible night with guests including Big John Hartson and our superstar from Cowdenbeath, Tommy Callaghan and many more. We’ll also have numerous trophies on display and you can get the chance to get your photo taken and you copy of Majic, Stan and the King of Japan signed by the Celtic stars and guests of honour.
You can order your table for 10 at £180 or individual ticket priced just £20 now at our Celtic Star Books website.
International break meaning you’re missing your Celtic fix? This is the solution! We’d love to see you at the Kerrydale next Thursday 19 October, the anniversary of Hampden in the Sun, as we launch Majic, Stan and the King of Japan…
