They come from Bonnie Scotland, they come from County Cork

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·7 Juli 2025

They come from Bonnie Scotland, they come from County Cork

The fascinating story of Celtic and Cork…

Launch of the Inaugural Cork Super Cup, SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork 3 3 2025 Cork hurler Rob Downey and Celtic FC player Adam Idah. Photo INPHO Morgan Treacy

Celtic will this week made an Irish pilgrimage, heading to Ireland’s ‘Rebel County’. As part of pre-season preparations, the Bhoys will play Cork City in the Cork Super Cup…

Like so many places in Ireland, Cork is a place with various Celtic connections, whether based on fans, games, songs and players, including some of the Celts’ most renowned names.

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The most obvious Celtic and Cork link relates to the men that have pulled on the green-and-white hoops. Numerous Celts have hailed from County Cork, or had local footballing associations.

Launch of the Inaugural Cork Super Cup, SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork 3 3 2025 Celtic FC player Adam Idah Photo INPHO Morgan Treacy

In recent times, the most notable of these has been Adam Idah. The Irish internationalist initially came to Celtic in 2024 and had an immediate impact. His goals did not just help the Bhoys win the title, he also scored a last-minute winner in that season’s Scottish Cup Final.

Roy Keane of Celtic runs onto the pitch for the Scottish Premier league soccer match against Kilmarnock at Celtic Park January 14, 2006. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Cork’s most famous footballing son also briefly played for the Celts. Roy Keane is rightly regarded as one of the finest Irish players of all time, and one of the top midfielders to have played in England’s top flight.

Although most celebrated as a Manchester United player, Keane spent the first six months of 2006 at Celtic Park. Despite a disastrous debut when Celtic lost to Clyde in the Scottish Cup, Keane added a Scottish League title and Scottish League Cup win to his extensive trophy collection.

Johan Mjallby and Colin Healy of Celtic tackle Eirik Bakke of Leeds United during the Gary Kelly Testimonial match played at Elland Road, in Leeds, England on May 7, 2002. Celtic won the match 4-1. . (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Various other Celts have been Cork-born. Midfielder Colin Healy spent five years at Celtic in the late-1990s and early-2000s, before going to various other clubs across England, Scotland and Ireland. He ended up playing for and managing Cork City.

Photo – imago/Colorsport Eric Cantona & Liam Miller compete for the ball

Another notable example was Liam Miller. A talented midfielder, he was part of Martin O’Neill’s squad across various seasons. He had some outstanding moments, especially versus Lyon in the Champions League. Miller left Celtic for Manchester United and tragically died in 2018 when aged only 36.

Following his death, a tribute game was held to raise money for his family. A joint Celtic and Ireland team – managed by Martin O’Neill, who was by then the Irish manager – played Manchester United at a GAA ground in Cork.

Martin O’Neill manager of the Republic of Ireland looks on prior to the EURO 2016 Group D Qualifier match between Scotland and Republic of Ireland at Celtic Park on November 14, 2014 (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Other Celts were not born in Cork – or even Ireland – but came to have links with Ireland’s most southern county.

One of Celtic’s greatest pre-World War Two players was Jimmy Delaney. A skilful forward, Lanarkshire-born Delaney was involved in many Celtic successes, including the 1938 Empire Exhibition Cup win. He later found further fame at Manchester United.

Jimmy Delaney in action. Photo The Celtic Wiki

After leaving Old Trafford, Delaney played for other Scottish clubs before going across the Irish Sea. He first turned out for Derry City but then signed for Cork Athletic. His side came close to winning the Irish Cup in 1956, but lost out in extra-time to Shamrock Rovers.

In later times, Delaney continued to have Celtic connections. His grandson, John Kennedy, played for the club and later became assistant manager under different 21st century bosses.

Many less well-known Celts have also played for Cork clubs. John Kelly was at Parkhead in the early 1960s and later went to Cork Hibs, whilst multiple youth players have done similar.

Just like Colin Healy, some other Celts have ended up as managers in Cork.

Charlie Tully, Celtic FC. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Of these, Charlie Tully is the most significant. A man with genuinely legendary status at Celtic, the Belfast-born player was celebrated for his on-field skills in the 1940s and 50s. He is maybe best remembered for a cup game at Falkirk where he twice scored from a corner kick, after the first was disallowed.

After leaving Celtic in 1959, Tully moved to Cork Hibernian, where he became player-manager, before working elsewhere in Ireland as a manager.

Interestingly, during this spell in Ireland, he once scored a hat-trick against Celtic. In 1960, the Bhoys played Limerick in a friendly. Tully guested for the Irish side and it ended in a 3-3 draw, with Charlie scoring all three of his team’s goals.

Press cutting on Celtic’s midfielder Mike Conroy, courtesy of The Celtic Wiki

Another managerial example was Mike Conroy. A defender in the 1970s and 1980s, his most notable moment was as part of the ‘Ten men won the league’ team in 1979.

After leaving Celtic, he had a nomadic life, eventually ending his career playing for Cork City; he was later appointed as assistant manager of the club. After leaving, he set up a football school and was involved in scouting, pointing out Liam Miller and Colin Healy to the Celts.

Celtic’s opponents this week are Cork City, although they are not the first club to have this name.

Celtic once signed a player from earlier version of Cork City. James Foley was a goalkeeper who came to Celtic in the 1930s. He played only a small number of games but his shutouts helped the Hoops win the 1936 title.

Celtic have also had different links with the modern day Cork City. Various Celts have gone on loan to the Leeside, including Barry Coffey, Eoghan O’Connell and Tobi Oluwayemi.

At various times, the Celts have played against this Cork City, first doing so in 1991. The Bhoys lost 2-0, and the local newspaper the Cork Examiner described this being “City’s finest hour.”

Celtic returned the following season to officially open City’s new Bishopstown stadium. The game almost didn’t happen as the full ground had only just been completed and was not given a safety certificate to be fully used.

This forced the Celtic team to change in a portakabin and also queue up to use public toilets, however this did not put off the Bhoys who this time won 2-0. And despite these problems, Celtic have since returned to face Cork City on various occasions.

It is not only Cork City that Glasgow’s green-and-white men have faced.

The first time the Celts played any Cork team was in 1936 during an Irish tour. In this case, Glasgow Celtic played Cork Celtic, with the home team enjoying a 5-2 win in a benefit match for one their players.

Despite Celtic being a club with enormous European pedigree, Cork Celtic did on one occasion have a more successful experience. In the 1974-75 European Cup, Celtic were knocked out in the first round by Greek team Olympiakos.

Cork Celtic had been due to play in the same competition against Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus but a military coup meant that their opponents withdrew. This led to the Irishmen facing Soviet side Arararat Yerevan in the second round. Although the Cork Celts lost 7-1 on aggregate, they could claim for that season that they had bettered the Glasgow Celts!

In addition to Cork City and Celtic, the Hoops have played a Cork Select team in 1963 as well as facing Cork Hibernians on a few occasions, with the Bhoys winning all of these encounters.

In the wider Cork area, Celtic have also played County Cork team Cobh Ramblers. In 1986, Celtic’s pre-season preparations included a tour of Ireland. This featured a 4-1 win for the Hoops when playing the Ramblers at St Colman’s Park in Cobh.

Celtic’s Cork connections are not limited simply to players and games – the club enjoys significant backing from local fans. There are different supporters clubs in the area, including the Cork No 1 CSC, Liam Miller Cork CSC and Pat Glavin Cork No1 CSC 1988.

And as a further example of this, the song ‘Celtic! Celtic!’ includes the line “They come from Bonnie Scotland, they come from County Cork.” This was first sang in the 1960s and recorded as a single by the Celtic first team. Today, it can occasionally still be heard at Celtic Park and elsewhere.

l-r: volunteers Naomi Barr and Elaine Maher with a selection of foods in the Feed Cork food bank. Photo: Ellie O’Byrne

The historical origins of Celtic, particularly their Irish heritage, is another issue which connects the club with Cork. Obviously, the flood of emigrants from Ireland to Scotland in the mid-1800s was primarily driven by the need to escape famine, poverty and destitution.

In 2009, the first official National Famine Commemoration was held in Ireland, taking place at Skibbereen in County Cork. That weekend, Celtic contributed to this by wearing a special Celtic cross on their shirts during a match with Hibernian, another side with Irish heritage.

Launch of the Inaugural Cork Super Cup, SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork 3/3/2025 A view of the Cork Super Cup A view of the Cork Super Cup 3/3/2025 Photo INPHO/Morgan Treacy

The need for Celtic to remember their roots will always ensure Irish connections, including with the Cork area. This week’s game will be yet another reminder of this, and a chance for Irish fans who cannot always get over to Scotland to see the Bhoys in action.

C’mon you Bhoys in green!

Matthew Marr

Cork Super Cup

If you want to learn more about Celtic history, follow Hail Hail History on Twitter/X. You can also take part in a FREE Celtic history walking tour. Visit celticwalkingtours.wordpress.com for more information.

Click on cover to order a hardback copy

Matthew’s debut Celtic book titled ‘The Bould Bhoys – Glory to their name’ was published by Celtic Star Books last year and is available to order HERE. This brilliant book is also available on Amazon Kindle for just £3.49 and includes all photo sections that appear in the hardback edition.

Matthew Marr with his debut Celtic book, Glory to their name, which tells the story of Celtic’s first ever title win. Photo The Celtic Star

Celtic in the Thirties by Celtic Historian Matt Corr is published in two volumes by Celtic Star Books.