Gaoth Dobhair woman Máire Rua Ní Ghallchóir, a dedicated Celtic fan for 67 years, this week presented her sizeable collection of Celtic memorabilia to students in Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair.
The presentation was broadcast on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta’s Donegal magazine programme Barrscéalta today.
Speaking on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, Máire explained that she wanted to ensure that her collection of scarves, hats, cups, towels, books, jerseys and more, accumulated over a lifetime of supporting the team, would go to a good home.
She feared that, in the event of her death, the collection might be thrown out and so decided recently that the best course of action was to give it to some young supporters to enjoy.
Today on Barrscéalta, listeners heard Máire Rua, a well-known character, describe some of her many experiences as a Celtic Fan.
Máire spoke about how she attended her first match at the age of 16, while she was working as a tattie hoaker in Scotland.
It was in Ibrox, and she recalled that all she cared about was Charlie Tully, and once she found out his number she just watched him for the whole match and wasn’t a bit bothered that Celtic lost 4-0 to Rangers.
She reminisced about meeting Tully, and him asking her if she was the little girl who used to write to him from the farms, something that made her day.
At the presentation on Wednesday, Máire regaled the students in Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair with amusing stories of her life as a Celtic supporter, including making the front pages of the papers in Scotland when she got a fish supper thrown at her by a Rangers supporter while working as a conductor on the buses in Glasgow! But all was forgiven, and they became firm friends afterwards!
Máire Rua was speaking today on Barrscéalta on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.
