Hall to be built in memory of Tommy Burns on Celtic site
A new community hall is to be built in memory of Celtic legend Tommy Burns on the site where the Glasgow club was founded.
The building in the Calton area of the city will replace St Mary's Parish Hall, where hundreds of people gathered for Burns' funeral a decade ago. Brother Walfrid founded Celtic Football Club in the original hall and a website - celticdayone.com - has been created to explore the relationship between the Church and the football club, and raise public support for the construction of the new hall.
Thousands of fans and famous faces from the world of football gathered at St Mary's Church for Burns' funeral in 2008 following his death at the age of 51 after a long-running battle with cancer.
Parish priest of St Mary's, Canon Tom White said: Tommy's funeral took place in St Mary's 10 years ago, and never have I seen the church and its surroundings busier.
It was so fitting that Tommy's Requiem Mass was held in St Mary's, not simply because of the church's capacity, nor its ties with Celtic Football Club as its spiritual home and place of birth, but also because Tommy was a Calton boy.
I have been amazed by the number of calls and enquiries recently asking 'are you doing anything for Tommy?' I am sure people will agree that what we plan to do is very fitting.
It is not often easy for those who are successful in the football world to be hailed as abounding in Gospel values, but Tommy Burns in that regard was exceptional: he displayed a great love of faith, family and football.
I think that the building of the new hall, on Tommy's name, on the site where the club of his heart was founded, is the perfect way to remember a great footballer and a great human being.''