CELTIC supporters didn’t walk alone at the weekend as they raised more than £11,000 for charities in a sponsored walk on the Mournes – and were greeted on their return by some of Celtic's most famous heroes.
Club legends John Hartson, Tom Boyd, Jackie McNamara, Simon Donnelly and Alan Thompson were only too glad to back the Éire go Brách event – but the walkers had no idea the former players would be there to meet them at the finishing line.
Belfast club Éire go Brách organised the 12-mile walk up the Drinns in Tollymore Forest on Saturday and more than 70 people completed it. Members of Tír Eoghain No1 CSC, Willie Maley Newry CSC and Tanzy Burns CSC also took part.
At the social event afterwards in a marquee organised by Éire go Brách’s Collie McAlinden and his family at their home in Newry, the Celtic greats were on hand to raise the walkers’ spirits.
Collie had discreetly organised their visit and the walkers had no idea they would be there.
The Celtic fans who took part in the fundraising walk
Businessman Collie is heavily involved in raising money for charity – in 2022 he raised an incredible £45,000 for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, again with the help of Celtic greats who took part in charity challenge match and dinner.
On Saturday the former Celtic stars signed autographs for the tired fans and their families before watching the Champions League final in a Newry bar.
Joe McGrattan of Éire go Brách said many of the Belfast-based club’s 120 members come from Newry as the buses that take fans to matches start their journey near the County Down city.
“Collie has been a member of the club for decades and it was great to be able to go back to Newry after the walk," he said.
“The weather couldn’t have been better for the walk, it was about 17-18 degrees and there was just enough cloud to stop any sunburn.”
Enjoying the craic back in the marquee with the Celtic legends
Last year the club’s raised £4,700 in their Mournes walk, so they’re delighted to make more than double that amount.
Last year's money was used to buy £50 supermarket food vouchers and £50 meat vouchers from Shearer’s Butchers on the Andersonstown Road. The vouchers were then given to Foodstock foodbank in West Belfast as well as Footprints Women’s Centre in Poleglass to be distributed to families at Christmas.
Éire go Brách’s Aidso Digney said the charities were best placed to know who needed the vouchers most.
“We hope to do the same this year,” he said. “It’s just one the many things the club does for charities throughout the year. Just like Celtic itself, our charity work is very important to us.”
The club would also like thank Taggart Driver Training at Twin Spires for the loan of their buses for the day to take walkers from Belfast.
