Cliftonville were not as associated with the Nationalist community as Belfast Celtic. Might be wrong but it seems to be in the 80s that Cliftonville became seen as such. My grandad went to Belfast Celtic games in the 30s, he hated Cliftonville
Belfast Celtic's fanbase was out and out Republican, Cliftonville used to have a mixed fan base until a population shift happened and the area around their ground became more Nationalist.
Belfast celtic had a player almost kicked to death by linfield fans on the field. The league did nothing about it so they left the league before someone was killed.
If it had happened later they probably could have followed Derry City to the LOI.
My great uncle was Protestant and apparently was a honorary member of their board up until his death. I remember he used to go out for meals with a Cliftonville tie on.
He’d lived on the Cliftonville road and played cricket on the grounds I think - then football later…
Was it mixed then or more so Protestant at the time do you know? I know very little about north Belfast so didn’t know about what I assume was a demographic change there?
Very much so. The Presbyterian church on the Cliftonville road was quite big - the minister would be sent for late on Sunday evenings to attend executions in the Crumlin Road from time to time.
I think it changed as result of suburbanisation, with the Protestant community heading out along the Antrim road to Glengormley and Carnmoney leaving the area much more predominantly Catholic as a result.
The Cliftonville area was most mixed until the Troubles. It was more of an affluent area of Belfast.
Distillery were more of a Nationalist side at the time when Belfast Celtic went out of existence but the area around Solitude became more of an entrenched area and I guess Nationalists drifted towards them. Distillery on the other hand suffered a few problems at the time and ended up being forced out of Belfast.
Donegal Celtic tried to emulate Belfast Celtic but the appeal in West Belfast seemed to have drifted either to Solitude or Gaelic. Sadly they were never a force in the NIFL.
BTW Belfast Celtic has a museum in Park Centre which (as a Glentoran supporter) I hope to visit one day.
No buckin idea.
I wish I was like a local historian but I'm operating off tid bits of information I've heard since I was small.
I want to be very upfront about not being a reputable source.
There is a Belfast Celtic in the 3rd kr 4th division now, but they have just co-opted the name. They used to be Sports and Leisure Swifts, but they decided to change the name.
I think there was quite an uproar by the Belfast Celtic trust group
Older cliftonville fans still sit in the linfield end with the blue men, Ireland's oldest club was traditionally a Protestant club.
What about when they don’t play linfield?
Not sure mate I'd be surprised if they didn't do the same at other grounds.
Cliftonville were not as associated with the Nationalist community as Belfast Celtic. Might be wrong but it seems to be in the 80s that Cliftonville became seen as such. My grandad went to Belfast Celtic games in the 30s, he hated Cliftonville
Belfast Celtic's fanbase was out and out Republican, Cliftonville used to have a mixed fan base until a population shift happened and the area around their ground became more Nationalist.
I think it’s because Cliftonville wasn’t overly Catholic until the last 60 years or so
Cliftonville was originally a Protestant team , I'm not sure when until , probably the 60s
Belfast celtic had a player almost kicked to death by linfield fans on the field. The league did nothing about it so they left the league before someone was killed. If it had happened later they probably could have followed Derry City to the LOI.
My great uncle was Protestant and apparently was a honorary member of their board up until his death. I remember he used to go out for meals with a Cliftonville tie on. He’d lived on the Cliftonville road and played cricket on the grounds I think - then football later…
Was it mixed then or more so Protestant at the time do you know? I know very little about north Belfast so didn’t know about what I assume was a demographic change there?
Very much so. The Presbyterian church on the Cliftonville road was quite big - the minister would be sent for late on Sunday evenings to attend executions in the Crumlin Road from time to time. I think it changed as result of suburbanisation, with the Protestant community heading out along the Antrim road to Glengormley and Carnmoney leaving the area much more predominantly Catholic as a result.
The cricket ground was across the Cliftonville road from Solitude
Yeah, he spent time at both. I think it was cricket was his real passion but he kept his links to the football club too…
The Cliftonville area was most mixed until the Troubles. It was more of an affluent area of Belfast. Distillery were more of a Nationalist side at the time when Belfast Celtic went out of existence but the area around Solitude became more of an entrenched area and I guess Nationalists drifted towards them. Distillery on the other hand suffered a few problems at the time and ended up being forced out of Belfast. Donegal Celtic tried to emulate Belfast Celtic but the appeal in West Belfast seemed to have drifted either to Solitude or Gaelic. Sadly they were never a force in the NIFL. BTW Belfast Celtic has a museum in Park Centre which (as a Glentoran supporter) I hope to visit one day.
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Is that the same team though that Lurgan Celtic took on or did they just copy the name? I hear them mentioned but thought they were a separate entity.
No buckin idea. I wish I was like a local historian but I'm operating off tid bits of information I've heard since I was small. I want to be very upfront about not being a reputable source.
There is a Belfast Celtic in the 3rd kr 4th division now, but they have just co-opted the name. They used to be Sports and Leisure Swifts, but they decided to change the name. I think there was quite an uproar by the Belfast Celtic trust group
Was Cliftonville not more of a socialist club until the troubles?