Celtic controversy over links between its fans and the IRA

by Paul Drury, Mail on Sunday Article from January 2006

Celtic football club was yesterday facing fresh controversy over alleged links between its fans and the IRA. The club was recently forced to condemn sectarianism after two players were filmed at a supporters event in Ireland, during which chants of sin (sic) Fein and IRA could be heard.

Now the club itself is at the centre of the storm after agreeing to allow a football trophy named after an IRA intelligence chief to be paraded around Celtic park despite the clubs insistence that it `condemns` support for paramilitary organisations.

All-Ireland champions Tyrone have been allowed to take the Sam Maguire cup on a lap of honour of the ground before the sold outmatch with Dundee utd on Jan 28.

However, Sam Maguire was head of IRA operations in London around the time of the Easter rising in 1916. It has been suggested he ordered the IRA murder of conservative mp sir Henry Wilson in June 1922.

Maguire is a revered figure in Republican circles, having sworn in Michael Collins to the Irish Republican Brotherhood in 1909.

The disclosure will come as a major embarrassment for Celtic who outlined they`re stance on the IRA only last Wednesday.