Memorialising the Great Hunger with Celtic FC

In the years of the potato blight, 1845-52, mass starvation forced millions of people to flee Ireland. Most of these people went to America - so many dying in the journey across the Atlantic that the vessels carrying them were described as “coffin ships” - but a significant number set sail for the British mainland.

Of all the Scottish cities, the one to receive the highest number of emigrants was Glasgow. Hardship followed them and nearly half a century later, in 1888, a Marist priest by the name of Brother Walfrid (christened Eindreas Ó Céirín), who could recall the Great Hunger from his years growing up in the forties and fifties in the County Sligo village of Ballymote, founded Celtic Football Club in order to combat the problems of poverty, unemployment, and homelessness that were afflicting the Irish Catholic community in Glasgow’s East End.

Today, Celtic enjoy easily the largest Irish fanbase of any football club outside of Ireland. Every year, in the final month of the season, it has become customary for them to play a match in shirts featuring a special badge for National Famine Memorial Day. We’re incredibly proud to be working with Celtic to make all of their worn & signed shirts from this year’s match available to fans around the world, with much of the proceeds going to their foundation for supporting Ireland’s disadvantaged children and young people.

This match will be the first that Celtic have played since their dramatic 5-0 victory against Kilmarnock on Wednesday night, a result that won them the title for the 2023-24 Scottish Premiership. When Brendan Rodgers’ team emerges from the tunnel and onto the pitch of Celtic Park tomorrow, they will be greeted as homecoming heroes by their supporters in the stands.

You can check out our exclusive live auction here for these limited edition Celtic shirts!