GAELSCOIL na bhFál has launched a fascinating new book on the history of the legendary Belfast Celtic Football Club.
Researched and written by Seán Fennell and designed by fellow schoolteacher, Fionntán Ó Mealláin, this colourful history charts the trajectory of the Grand Old Team from its foundation in 1891 until it was brutally forced out of the game in 1949.
The book – which will be utilised as an educational resource for the Irish medium sector – tells of the club's rapturous successes on the field, the stories of some of its star players, and the links between the club and Belfast's wider history.
Before folding, the West Belfast club was one of the most successful in Irish football.
A sectarian riot during a match against rivals Linfield on St Stephen’s Day 1948 signalled the end for Belfast Celtic, who played their home games on the site of what is now the Park Centre on the Donegall Road.
Linfield fans invaded the pitch at Windsor Park during the game and attacked Celtic players, forcing the club to withdraw from domestic football at the end of that season.
The Park Centre is just a stone's throw from Gaelscoil na bhFál and is also home to the Belfast Celtic Museum, where the school launched its new history book this week.
Commenting on the initiative author Seán Fennell said: "Our schoolyard would more or less have been where the Willowbank Stand (Celtic Park) would have been.
"I always had an interest in the club when I was growing up, I remember listening to my father and grandfather talk about the team. I'm a soccer man – love soccer and I love Gaelic football too – but I was always interested in soccer. I had it in the back of my head that it would be nice to write something.
"One year we did a short drama scene about the club and the kids were very interested too, without knowing that the stadium was round the corner. That inspired me and I started reading and researching, and out of that came the idea for the book."
Helping to launch the book was museum curator, Charlie Tully junior, son of the legendary Belfast Celtic player Charlie Tully.
Seán thanked the museum and Charlie for supporting the school.
"I knew the museum was here, so we visited and met with Charlie Óg Tully and he was delighted because they pass the story on to the next generation," he said.
"He gave us a lot of support and weclomed the children to come to the museum. Every pupil from Primary 4 upwards got a small memento of the day and got to look round the place.
"As a teacher, the kids have to be learning something. The history of Belfast, the history of Ireland, the history of the world – the two World Wars – are all in the story of Belfast Celtic. I felt that it was important to tell the story."
Charlie Tully Jnr of the Belfast Celtic Society described Gaelscoil na bhFál's new history book as "incredibly inspiring".
"As far as the Society is concerned this has got to be the way ahead – we're bringing the Belfast Celtic story to a completely new generation of kids," he said.
"We've enjoyed having them in. We've had them in on a number of occasions now, and each time they've had new questions of interest regarding the history, the legacy, the players, the personalities. From our point of view it really is very exciting."
