Castlebar Celtic
Encyclopedia
Castlebar Celtic is an amateur Irish football club based in Castlebar
, Co. Mayo, Republic Of Ireland. The club was founded in 1924 and currently competes in the Newstalk A Championship, the third tier of football in Ireland. Their second team competes in the Mayo Super League while the Under 20s take part in the League of Ireland Under 20 League. Their home ground is Celtic Park
. The clubs colours are green and white.
The clubs current manager is Declan Kilkelly a former goalkeeper of the club. Kilkelly recently led the club's under 18 team to All Ireland success.
Competition though, was very limited. There was no Mayo League as such in those days and Dooniver Swifts (of Achill), Westport United
and Quay Hearts (of Westport
) were the only other soccer clubs in the county.
It took until 1938 for Celtic to win their first trophy, the Alfie Byrne Cup, when they beat Westport 6-1. 1947 saw the first of a record 9 Connaught Cup victories, when they defeated Galway Bohs at Maryland Park, their home since the early forties. The winner that day came from Michael Guthrie in a 1-0 victory.
Hughie McGartland was club secretary for almost 40 years and was a key figure of the committee that purchased Flannelly’s Field, now known as Celtic Park, still the home of Celtic. They purchased Flannelly’s Field in 1954 for £1,879. A sum of £123 was spent on drainage and a further sum of £400 was spent on renovating a premise in Market Square as a clubhouse. Two old C.I.E. buses were bought for dressing rooms, to bring the total expenditure to £3,000. Running a series of carnivals and dances raised the money
The first match played in Celtic Park was on 4 May 1958. This was a challenge game between Castlebar Celtic and Castlebar A. The first competitive game in the ground was between Castlebar Celtic and Westport United the following Sunday in the Mayo Area Final of the Connaught Cup. Celtic won the game 1-nil, with Frank Roache scoring the winning goal. Celtic had finally cemented a permanent home and this would see huge success to the present day. 15 Mayo League titles and 8 Connaught Cups were added to their tally during their time at Celtic Park as well as the F.A.I. Youth Cup in 2007.
at Milebush Park in October 2007. Celtic hold the record for Connacht Cup victories with a total of 9, the first win coming in 1947. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Celtic won the competition 3 times in the space of 6 years. The 1980s were Celtic's golden years with 6 Mayo League titles and 3 Connaught Cups. The most recent success in the Connaught Cup came in 2003 with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Galway's Moyne Villa at Milebush Park, with goals in either half from Kevin Ryan and Declan Reilly. Kevin & Stephen Ryan made history that day when they became the first father & son to play together in a Connaught Cup final. Celtic almost made it title number 10 in 2006, but fell at the final hurdle, losing the final to Sligo based side Abbey United on penalties.
A full roll of honour for underage and senior sides is available here http://www.castlebarceltic.com/default.asp?nc=7820&id=2.
Castlebar
Castlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town by population. The town's population exploded in the late 1990s, increasing by one-third in just six years, though this massive growth has slowed down greatly in recent years...
, Co. Mayo, Republic Of Ireland. The club was founded in 1924 and currently competes in the Newstalk A Championship, the third tier of football in Ireland. Their second team competes in the Mayo Super League while the Under 20s take part in the League of Ireland Under 20 League. Their home ground is Celtic Park
Celtic Park (Castlebar)
Celtic Park is the home of Castlebar Celtic who play in the Newstalk A Championship, the third tier of Irish football. The total capacity is 1,500.-History:Celtic Park is the home of Irish amateur football club Castlebar Celtic...
. The clubs colours are green and white.
The clubs current manager is Declan Kilkelly a former goalkeeper of the club. Kilkelly recently led the club's under 18 team to All Ireland success.
History
Castlebar’s first soccer team was established in 1924 and this is reflected on the club's crest. The first committee consisted of Tommy Leonard, Tommy Connolly, Tommy McDonald, Mattie Ketterick and Charlie Hanley. However, this setup was disbanded soon after until it was restarted once again in 1928. This version consisted of Tom Ketterick, Mattie's younger brother, Hughie McGartland and John Burke. The club was finally formed in Hack Welshe's on Castle Street and in 1932 the name Casltebar Celtic was chosen. The first game was against Galway Rovers in which Tom Ketterick said "we got hammered".Competition though, was very limited. There was no Mayo League as such in those days and Dooniver Swifts (of Achill), Westport United
Westport United
Westport United Football Club is an amateur football club in Westport, County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1911, it is the oldest football club in County Mayo and its players wear red and black stripes. Home games are played at Westport Sports Park. The club has two men's teams, one...
and Quay Hearts (of Westport
Westport
-Canada:*Westport, Nova Scotia*Westport, Ontario**Westport Rideaus, local junior "B" ice hockey team**Westport/Rideau Lakes Airport*Westport, Newfoundland and Labrador-Republic of Ireland:*Westport, County Mayo**Westport House**Westport railway station...
) were the only other soccer clubs in the county.
It took until 1938 for Celtic to win their first trophy, the Alfie Byrne Cup, when they beat Westport 6-1. 1947 saw the first of a record 9 Connaught Cup victories, when they defeated Galway Bohs at Maryland Park, their home since the early forties. The winner that day came from Michael Guthrie in a 1-0 victory.
Hughie McGartland was club secretary for almost 40 years and was a key figure of the committee that purchased Flannelly’s Field, now known as Celtic Park, still the home of Celtic. They purchased Flannelly’s Field in 1954 for £1,879. A sum of £123 was spent on drainage and a further sum of £400 was spent on renovating a premise in Market Square as a clubhouse. Two old C.I.E. buses were bought for dressing rooms, to bring the total expenditure to £3,000. Running a series of carnivals and dances raised the money
The first match played in Celtic Park was on 4 May 1958. This was a challenge game between Castlebar Celtic and Castlebar A. The first competitive game in the ground was between Castlebar Celtic and Westport United the following Sunday in the Mayo Area Final of the Connaught Cup. Celtic won the game 1-nil, with Frank Roache scoring the winning goal. Celtic had finally cemented a permanent home and this would see huge success to the present day. 15 Mayo League titles and 8 Connaught Cups were added to their tally during their time at Celtic Park as well as the F.A.I. Youth Cup in 2007.
Current squad
Start of 2010 SeasonCompetitions
Castlebar Celtic are the most successful side in the history of Mayo football having won more Mayo Leagues, Mayo Cups and Connacht Cups than any other club. Celtic have won an impressive 16 league titles, the first coming in 1954 and the latest in 2006. The Club has won the Mayo FA Cup 6 times and are current holders of the trophy, following a penalty shootout victory over Westport UnitedWestport United
Westport United Football Club is an amateur football club in Westport, County Mayo, Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1911, it is the oldest football club in County Mayo and its players wear red and black stripes. Home games are played at Westport Sports Park. The club has two men's teams, one...
at Milebush Park in October 2007. Celtic hold the record for Connacht Cup victories with a total of 9, the first win coming in 1947. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Celtic won the competition 3 times in the space of 6 years. The 1980s were Celtic's golden years with 6 Mayo League titles and 3 Connaught Cups. The most recent success in the Connaught Cup came in 2003 with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Galway's Moyne Villa at Milebush Park, with goals in either half from Kevin Ryan and Declan Reilly. Kevin & Stephen Ryan made history that day when they became the first father & son to play together in a Connaught Cup final. Celtic almost made it title number 10 in 2006, but fell at the final hurdle, losing the final to Sligo based side Abbey United on penalties.
Honours
- Mayo League Champions: 15
- 1957/58, 1958/59, 1959/60, 1960/61, 1961/62, 1967/68, 1978/79,1980/81, 1982/83, 1983/84, 1984/85, 1985/86, 1986/87, 2001, 2006
- Connaught Cup WinnersConnaught CupSporting competitions named Connaught Cup, typically named after Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, Governor General of Canada from 1911 to 1916, include:*Connaught Cup, a Canadian horse-racing competition...
: 9- 1947, 1955, 1959, 1960, 1964, 1980, 1982, 1986, 2003
- Connaught Senior League Champions: 1
- 1988 / 89
A full roll of honour for underage and senior sides is available here http://www.castlebarceltic.com/default.asp?nc=7820&id=2.