Irish goalkeeping legend has a Ball at Celtic's centenary gala event

It was a magical night in the TF Royal Hotel & Theatre last Saturday as Castlebar Celtic celebrated their 100th anniversary with a special Gala Ball event.

Around 400 people gathered in the TF’s main concert hall, which was draped and transformed in the famous green and white colours of the county town club. The event was hosted by Western People sports reporter Stuart Tynan.

The special guest on the night was former Glasgow Celtic and Republic of Ireland goalkeeping legend Packie Bonner, who was in tremendous form, recalling with fond nostalgia his playing days with Celtic and the national team.

“Celtic was special, I went there when I was 18. It was a wonderful place to go. The great Sean Fallon was the chief scout at the time and he brought me into the dressing room on my first day.

“He got me to go around and shake the hand of these great players, the Tommy Burns, the Roy Aikens and here was Packie Bonner from Donegal going around shaking these wonderful players hands. Jock Stein signed me and he was sacked six weeks later. I probably got him the sack. 

“The great Billy McNeil took over, a magnificent manager. He gave me my debut and stuck with me. A couple of years before he died, he had Alzheimers and he couldn’t speak.

“We had kind of a love-hate relationship as any manager and player had. We used to take him out for a cup of coffee to get him out of the house and he couldn’t really speak but he’d listen to all the stories.” 

One day I couldn’t make it and Andy Walker said to Billy at the end of the day, ‘Big Packie was supposed to be here’ and Billy said – ‘Big Packie. Hopeless.’ He didn’t say another word all day!” 

He also spoke about playing on the big occasions for his country. “We played Italy in the big stadium in Rome and Schillaci scored the winning goal. We were in the dressing room afterwards and Big Jack is in there having a cigarette. I went past Jack and into the showers and out of the corner of his mouth he says ‘the Pope would have saved that one’.

Packie’s advice to the current cohort of Castlebar Celtic footballers was to ‘enjoy it’ while they were in their playing days. “When I played junior football, we only started when I was about 16 years old. Enjoy it, it runs very quickly. I retired when I was 35 – and I missed out on the big money by the way!” he joked.

Interim FAI Chief Executive and Castlebar native David Courell told attendees the organisation is involved in negotiations with Mayo County Council to acquire the old swimming pool building adjacent to Celtic Park for the club to expand its current facilities.

Mr Courell said the FAI has also given support for a Council application for a sports capital grant to develop a site at Knockphunta, Westport Road as a sports hub to facilitate a wide range of sporting activities.

"It has been my honour to lend the FAI's support to Celtic's proposal for the acquisition of the old swimming pool site as well as the club's collaborative approach to the Mayo Sports Hub project earmarked for Knockaphunta.

"These project represent a genuine opportunity for Mayo County Council and the Department of Sport not only to celebrate the last 100 years of Castlebar Celtic but to ensure the next 100 years are equally as promising.

"I appeal to all decision makers in Castlebar to fully back these proposals to honour the legacy of this centenary by supporting the club's further growth and sustainability,” he said.

Mr Courell paid tribute to the late former FAI President Pat Quigley and his wife Eleanor for what they did for Irish football.

"Pat helped to lay the foundations of football in Castlebar and Mayo. He is a genuine loss to football."