Dewsbury Celtic
Encyclopedia
Dewsbury Celtic is a rugby league
club in the town of Dewsbury
, West Yorkshire
. They play in the National Division
of the Rugby League Conference
and have a thriving junior section. Their second team, known as the Shamrocks, competed in the Pennine League
in 2005/2006 but had to withdraw after British Amateur Rugby League Association
rule changes meant that players could not overlap summer and winter seasons.
The origins of Dewsbury Celtic can be directly linked to Ireland’s Great Famine
of 1845. Official records show that in 1845 200 Irish immigrants were living in Daw Green Westtown. By 1851 the number had risen to 1,000 working mainly as labourers and mill workers.
Having started as Dewsbury Shamrocks in 1879 they switched in the late 1890s to Association football, returning to rugby league in 1910. At this point they joined what was then the Northern Union and changed their name to Dewsbury Celtic. They became one of the best local teams and won the Yorkshire County Amateur Cup in 1912-1913. This team was torn apart by the First World War, losing 15 players. They reformed in 1919 and then disbanded again in 1939 at the start of the Second World War.
In the post war period the club reformed and became one of the most famous names in amateur rugby league, and their name was feared by professional clubs drawn against them in the Rugby League Challenge Cup
. Celtic continued to win trophies on a regular basis, these included the Yorkshire Cup, Leeds League titles and George Oldroyd Trophy 13 times between 1953 and 1969.
In recent times other local teams have overtaken Celtic in the league structure and in an effort to revitalise the club they switched to summer rugby in 2005, taking over the fixtures of the defunct Manchester Knights in the Central Premier. In 2006 they applied for National League Three
, finishing in 5th place and qualifying for the play-offs, where they lost to St Albans Centurions
.
In 2007 National League Three was rebranded as the Rugby League Conference National Division
and Celtic were one of six Yorkshire teams in the ten team league. They achieved their highest place to-date with a very good 4th place. They also competed in the Northern Rail Cup, finishing behind Bramley Buffaloes
, who qualified for the knock-out stages.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
club in the town of Dewsbury
Dewsbury
Dewsbury is a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Huddersfield and south of Leeds...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
. They play in the National Division
Rugby League Conference National Division
The Rugby League Conference National Division is the highest division in the Rugby League Conference. Between 2003 and 2006, it was known as National League Three.-National League Three:...
of the Rugby League Conference
Rugby League Conference
The Rugby League Conference , was a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales.The RLC was founded as the 10-team Southern Conference League in 1997, with teams from the southern midlands and the...
and have a thriving junior section. Their second team, known as the Shamrocks, competed in the Pennine League
Pennine League
The Pennine Amateur Rugby League, or Pennine League is a rugby league competition for amateur open-age clubs that runs from September to April. The clubs are drawn from West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and the east of Lancashire....
in 2005/2006 but had to withdraw after British Amateur Rugby League Association
British Amateur Rugby League Association
The British Amateur Rugby League Association is the governing body for social and recreational rugby league in the United Kingdom...
rule changes meant that players could not overlap summer and winter seasons.
History
Dewsbury Celtic is one of the oldest Irish sports club in Yorkshire and possibly Britain.The origins of Dewsbury Celtic can be directly linked to Ireland’s Great Famine
Irish Potato Famine (1845–1849)
In Ireland, the Great Famine was a period of mass starvation, disease and emigration between 1845 and 1852. It is also known, mostly outside Ireland, as the Irish Potato Famine...
of 1845. Official records show that in 1845 200 Irish immigrants were living in Daw Green Westtown. By 1851 the number had risen to 1,000 working mainly as labourers and mill workers.
Having started as Dewsbury Shamrocks in 1879 they switched in the late 1890s to Association football, returning to rugby league in 1910. At this point they joined what was then the Northern Union and changed their name to Dewsbury Celtic. They became one of the best local teams and won the Yorkshire County Amateur Cup in 1912-1913. This team was torn apart by the First World War, losing 15 players. They reformed in 1919 and then disbanded again in 1939 at the start of the Second World War.
In the post war period the club reformed and became one of the most famous names in amateur rugby league, and their name was feared by professional clubs drawn against them in the Rugby League Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
. Celtic continued to win trophies on a regular basis, these included the Yorkshire Cup, Leeds League titles and George Oldroyd Trophy 13 times between 1953 and 1969.
In recent times other local teams have overtaken Celtic in the league structure and in an effort to revitalise the club they switched to summer rugby in 2005, taking over the fixtures of the defunct Manchester Knights in the Central Premier. In 2006 they applied for National League Three
Rugby League Conference National Division
The Rugby League Conference National Division is the highest division in the Rugby League Conference. Between 2003 and 2006, it was known as National League Three.-National League Three:...
, finishing in 5th place and qualifying for the play-offs, where they lost to St Albans Centurions
St Albans Centurions
St Albans Centurions is a rugby league club based in St Albans, Hertfordshire.Founded in 1996, they first played in various local leagues and the Rugby League Conference, and then, from 2003 to 2006, in National League 3. From 2007 to date, they play in the Rugby League Conference South Premier...
.
In 2007 National League Three was rebranded as the Rugby League Conference National Division
Rugby League Conference National Division
The Rugby League Conference National Division is the highest division in the Rugby League Conference. Between 2003 and 2006, it was known as National League Three.-National League Three:...
and Celtic were one of six Yorkshire teams in the ten team league. They achieved their highest place to-date with a very good 4th place. They also competed in the Northern Rail Cup, finishing behind Bramley Buffaloes
Bramley Buffaloes
Bramley Buffaloes is a rugby league club from the Bramley area of West Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. Previously known simply as Bramley RLFC, the club is a famous name in rugby league, having existed prior to the formation of the Northern Union in 1895...
, who qualified for the knock-out stages.
Honours
- Yorkshire U18's Youth Cup Winners: V Milford 2010
- Yorkshire U18's Youth Cup Winners: V Upton 2008
- Yorkshire Cup Winners: 1914/15, 1964/65, 1971/72, 1973/74
- Yorkshire Cup Runners: Up 1958/59
- BARLA Yorkshire Cup Winners: 1974/75, 1976/77
- BARLA Yorkshire Cup Runners Up: 1975/76, 1999/2000
- BARLA National Cup Runners Up: 1980
- National Conference League Div 2 Runners Up: 1991/92
- Rugby Leaguer Cup Winners: V Pilkingtons 1972
- Leeds League Div 1 Champions: 1962, 1965, 1974
- Leeds League Div 2 Champions: 1967
- George Oldroyd Trophy Winners: 1953,1955,1956,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965, 1966,1967,1969,1971,1973
- Donald Green Memorial Cup Winners: 1972, 1974
- Rose Bowl winners: 1952
- Huddersfield Examiner Trophy Winners: 1972, 1974
- Bernard Lee Memorial Trophy Winners: 1974
- Bill Norfolk Cup Winners: 1977
- West Yorkshire Challenge Cup/Championship Cup/League Cup Treble: 1977
- Yorkshire League Premier Div Champions: 1988/89
- Yorkshire League Senior Div Champions: 1998/99, 2003/2004
- Yorkshire League Senior Div Top Four playoff Winners: 1998/99
- Yorkshire League Senior Cup Winners: 1998/99
- Yorkshire League Senior Cup Runners Up: 2000/01
- Heavy Woollen Jim Brown Cup Winners 32 times since 1954/55