Newry- Glasgow Celtic Links

Visit Parkhead at any Celtic home game and you are bound to come across a good few "Newry heads" who have made the pilgrimage to Glasgow whether by air or by sea.

Call into any Newry pub for an Old Firm match and you’ll come across scores if not hundreds of Hoops fans.

The affinity, indeed love, for Glasgow Celtic is very strong and shown in many ways. A number of Celtic supporters clubs, including St Mary’s, St Brigid’s, AOH (sadly no longer with us), South Down Number 1 and Ballyholland are based in the Newry area and make regular trips to Celtic Park.

Some of the local football teams such as Newry Celtic, Cleary Celtic and Killowen Celtic proudly wear the Hoops colours every Saturday in the Carnbane league.

Perhaps the best and longest link between the two is Willie Maley who both played for the club and was their longest ever manager who gave 52 years of unbroken service to the club.

Willie was born in Newry in April 1868 and was brought up in the Linenhall Square (Mourneview Park) area of the town.

It has long been a hope of Newry fans that a fitting memorial should be erected in the city which would not only honour Willie Maley, but also recognise the links between the people of this city and the Glasgow Celtic Football Club.