New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook

Subject: NEW CELTIC/IRISH HISTORICAL SONGBOOK
From: GUEST,Raymond Daly
Date: 06 Jan 08 - 08:46 AM

Hi there,

I would greatly appreciate your support with the following.

I have just set up the following website www.celticsongbook.com to promote Celtic & Ireland in Song and Story, a new historical songbook which i have compiled with Derek Warfield (formerly of The Wolfe Tones). To date i have received a very positive response regarding our book, which has taken me almost ten years to complete. My initial concept was to compile a simple songbook of Celtic & Irish songs and ballads. This soon changed when i began researching the background to each song and ballad with the end result of 472 pages of detailed background introductions surrounding key events in Irish history and the story of CFC. I found through my research of the songs and ballads that i was brought on a journey through Irish history and also through the history of CFC. This intrigued me greatly and hopefully all readers likewise.

Please visit my site to learn more about our book and read our first book review below by Celtic historian David W. Potter.

Once again i would be very grateful for your support and also your help in promoting Celtic & Ireland in Song and Story.

Kind regards,

Raymond Daly.


FIRST BOOK REVIEW


Celtic And Ireland in Song and Story by Raymond Daly and Derek Warfield

This is a truly excellent publication, very informative, interesting and accurate with a wealth of detail about both Celtic and Ireland in its 472 pages. It claims to cover both and does so admirably well, including the lyrics of Irish rebel and Celtic songs which are, as the back cover says "far reaching, educational, and of course, provide a great source of pleasure".

For people like myself who (for background reasons of being a Scottish Protestant) do not know as much about Irish republicanism as he should, this book is an absolute godsend with much detail and photographs about the incidents much commemorated in song. Sean South, (from Garryowen) for example, is a studious earnest looking man whose funeral cortege passed along O'Connell Street, Dublin a few days after that memorable New Year's Day. It attrected thousands of mourners before it made its way to Limerick. Kevin Barry played rugby and other sports and was indeed offered his life in return for the "names of his brave comrades and the things they wished to know", but Kevin Barry answered no. The founder of the Argentine Navy was a man from Mayo called William Brown, and Tom Barry of Barry's Flying Column had served with the British Army in Mesopotamia in the Great War.(So indeed did my grandfather and the grandfather of Gordon Smith, the SFA Chief Executive - the famous Matta Smith who played for Kilmarnock in the 1920s.)

There is a brief potted history of the club with the songs that the supporters would have sung at the time. "Hello, Hello" is a song much associated with Rangers, but in fact Celtic supporters had it first and immortalised it after their 5-0 win in the 1925 Scottish Cup semi final against Rangers. The late 1960s were the time of "The Merry Ploughboy" and as the book says "Lisbon" for a spell, took the place of "Dublin". There was also as I recall, three add-on words about Her Majesty! And the early 1990s that dreadful time in our history saw the birth of the "Fields of Athenry", a song sung by its writer Peter St.John at half time at a game between Celtic and Falkirk in April 1996.

The book is awash with detail and is clearly written by two enthusiasts. One of the writers Derek Warfield is associated with the Wolfe Tones group, and the other is a man called Raymond Daly who travels on the Mid Leinster Celtic Supporters Club from Tullamore. This book is indispensable to anyone who wishes to know what Celtic is all about. It is well illustrated, although I have doubts about the photograph on page 424 which purports to be Celtic in 1935. The players are none too familiar. It is possibly a reserve team, or it may even be Kilmarnock, Morton, Hamilton Accies or some other hooped team. But that is a small blemish. In other respects, it is a very fine book. No Celtic supporter should be without it.

David Potter (Celtic Historian)

Subject: RE: NEW CELTIC/IRISH HISTORICAL SONGBOOK
From: MartinRyan
Date: 06 Jan 08 - 10:21 AM

Oh! That Celtic! You had me puzzled for a moment!

Regards

Subject: RE: NEW CELTIC/IRISH HISTORICAL SONGBOOK
From: Jack Campin
Date: 06 Jan 08 - 10:45 AM

Has it got much of the really unofficial stuff, like what you get in "Two Andy Gorams"?

Subject: RE: NEW CELTIC/IRISH HISTORICAL SONGBOOK
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 06 Jan 08 - 06:59 PM

Raymond, I'd be interested, but the info the website gives on the contents of your book is on the meagre side. Couldn't you perhaps add extracts from a chapter, to give us an idea of what it's like? Also, I'd appreciate a price, and whether the book is available from bookshops. (I dislike shopping via the internet.)

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: Anglo
Date: 06 Jan 08 - 09:07 PM

I put it in the shopping cart to see, it was $30. (Didn't get as far as shipping). You'd probably need to be a football fan (soccer, that is, in the US) to appreciate it. Celtic did do a short pre=season tour here in the US a couple or so years ago.

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: GUEST,pattyClink
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 09:26 AM

What "Celtic"? I didn't know that was a noun. What are we talking about, a sports history splashed with music or what?

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: Cats
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 12:35 PM

Can someone please put up a blue clicky. Thanks

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: GUEST,Neil D
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 01:16 PM

From: GUEST,pattyClink
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 09:26 AM

What "Celtic"? I didn't know that was a noun. What are we talking about, a sports history splashed with music or what?


   The Celtic Football Club of Glasgow plays in the Scottish Premier League. Founded in 1887 by Brother Walfrid an Irish Marist Brother as a means of fundraising for The Poor Children's Dinner Table and associated with Glasgow's Irish immigrant population, they are along with The Rangers Football Club they form the Old Firm one of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in all of sports. In 1967 they became the first British club to win The European Cup and remain the only side to ever win it with an entirely home-grown lineup.
   There have always been numerous songs associated with the club which would explain the musical connection of the book. There is a band called Charlie and the Bhoys with several songs on You-Tube, every one of which is about The Celtic, so I assume they are an official or unofficial club band. "Bhoys" is also a popular nickname for the club.

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: GUEST,pattyClink
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 02:04 PM

Thanks.

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: Fiolar
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 07:55 AM

Just in passing the name for the football club mentioned above is pronounced "Seltic" rather than "Keltic". Apparently when it was first launched reporters kept calling it "Seltic" and that name has stuck.

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: Shaneo
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 08:07 AM

here is the link to Raymond's site

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: Davie_
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 12:57 PM

Kevin Barry and Sean South shot and tried to blow up british soldiers...why on this site is this allowed..

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: GUEST,Kiss Me Slow Slap Me Quick
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 01:28 PM

A KELT is a diseased salmon.

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: GUEST,Agast , astonished and dismayed
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 01:37 PM

Opertunist sectarianism. Surely we have moved on from this. Some people just love to roll in the dirt.

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: Big Mick
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 01:38 PM

For the same reason we allow songs of any struggle. But we don't allow xenophobes. Remember that.

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: Shaneo
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 01:55 PM

Kevin Barry and Sean South shot and tried to blow up British soldiers,,,,,,,,,

Well what were the British soldiers doing in Ireland in the first place, every man has a right to defend his country from aggression and tyranny. Kevin Barry and Sean South are regarded as heroes in Ireland.

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: GUEST,40 shades
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 02:43 PM

Watch where in Ireland you voice that opinion.

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: GUEST,BigDrum
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 02:45 PM

For a reflective review contact Billy King on Larkhall 1690. The future is orange.

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: GUEST,Auldtimer
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 03:30 PM

Celtic Football Club have tried to distance themselves from sectarian activity in the past, hopefuly, they will continue in this vein by having nothing to do with this book or Raymond Daly and Derek Warfield. Scotland has for too long been scared by Protestant and Catholic rivalry and hatered, perpetuated mostly by thugs and bully boys (on both sides) who would have you belive they are part of a noble cause. It is time the final whistle was blown and a red card shown to any and all who would bring sectarianism to any sport.

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: Jack Campin
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 04:37 PM

Auldtimer (or anybody here), have you actually managed to see the book?

Is it on sale at CFC's shops? If so I'll drop into one and have a flip-through at least.

I would be a *lot* more interested if it covered real football chants, though. Since the authors aren't even from Scotland I can't see how they could easily cover those, and the lack of response to my question suggests it doesn't.

Seems utterly pointless to go over Irish republican ballads again when we've got Georges Denis Zimmermann's "Songs of Irish Rebellion". I don't have any particular problem with the fossilized sectarian stuff like "Kevin Barry" - it's no worse than Jacobite songs - but the creativity of the terraces is surely more worth a folklorist's or football historian's time.

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: GUEST,Auldtimer
Date: 08 Jan 08 - 06:19 PM

Unfortunatly I am only one one of many, who no longer see football matches as a family day out. Indeed, many towns become virtual no go areas when a BIG club, and their supporters, come to play and blockade the streets. A carnaval atmosephere is one thing BUT when dubious historic heroes, of all shades, have to be lauded and denounced so violently, aggressivly and dare I say, religiously, and this becomes the main focus of attention. The game's a bogie and the ba' is on the slates.

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: Cats
Date: 09 Jan 08 - 01:50 PM

I'd still like a blue clicky to the website. I have tried googling but nothing comes up.

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: GUEST,Stranger in paradise
Date: 09 Jan 08 - 03:13 PM

Shaneo posted a link to this website. Perhaps it should be a green clicky?

Subject: RE: New Celtic/Irish Historical Songbook
From: Cats
Date: 09 Jan 08 - 05:33 PM

Apologies ~ missed it. Thanks for putting it up.