Meant to post this sooner:
SLIGO will feature prominently at the unveiling in Glasgow next Saturday of a statue honouring the founder of Celtic football club.
The statue is of the Ballymote born Marist brother, Brother Walfrid, who is acknowledged as the driving force behind the establishment of what was to become one of the world’s most famous soccer clubs.
Andrew Kerins, as he was before entering the religious life, saw the founding of the club as a means of regular funds for his work in trying to alleviate the dreadful poverty in Galsgow at the time.
The Sligoman has of course already been similarly honoured in his native county.
In October last an eight months long fundraising campaign, promoted by the Sligo Weekender, culminated in the erection of a bronze bust of the Celtic founder in the public park in Ballymote.
That unveiling was performed by the Celtic chairman Brian Quinn and Sligo’s other claim to fame at Celtic, Sean Fallon.
Both will again be involved in Saturday’s unveiling but they will be joined by Brother Walfrid’s descendents Mary Healy and Andrew Kerins from Ballymote, who a great grandneice and great grandnephew.
The Sligo Brother Walfrid Committee have also been formally invited by Celtic to attend the unveiling ceremony in Celtic Park at 2pm.
Committee chairman Paddy Doherty, who spearheaded the Ballymote memorial campaign, said this was indeed a great honour for the Sligo committee.
"It reflects the very close co-operation between both appeals as well as the increased links between Sligo and Glasgow Celtic."
An invitation was also extended to former Garda Chief Superintendent in Sligo Jim Sheridan and Grange-based Garda Eugene McHale who undertook a gruelling sponsored walk from Ballymote to Glasgow in support of the Ballymote appeal.
Jim will be present but Eugene McHale cannot make it due to presently being on a sponsored walk in Cuba for the Irish Heart Foundation. Also in attendance will be the Mayor of Sligo Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady and Ballymote councillor Pat McGrath, representing Sligo County Council.
Local film production company, Omedia, will be filming the event for a planned TG4 programme on Brother Walfrid being screened later in the year.
The Glasgow Brother Walfrid memorial committee are extending an invitation to Celtic supporters everywhere to attend the unveiling of the sculpture outside of the main entrance to Celtic Park.
The new statue, by Glasgow sculptor Kate Robinson, has been financed entirely by donations from Celtic fans around the world.
Emphasising the importance of the Sligoman in the Celtic story, a committee spokesperson said: "Andrew Kerins, the Marist Brother Walfrid from County Sligo Ireland, is the critical figure in the history of the Club."
http://www.sligoweekender.ie/news/story.asp?j=25309
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