Being aware of the history of Celtic by having been involved with the Celtic Wiki for some years I had the great pleasure of attending my first Celtic Graves event on Saturday 16th August, 2014 at Kilsyth.
Then the Celtic Graves paid tribute to the late great Jimmy Quinn tribute with Fergus McCann also being present and honoured by the Kilsyth CSC.
Having transcribed and posted the report of the 1904 Scottish Cup Final (known as the Jimmy Quinn final) I felt that I was honouring a close friend and not someone I had never even seen; the Mighty Quinn!
The Celtic Graves Society deserve great credit for the work they do and their commemoration of the life of Jimmy Quinn at his newly reconditioned grave struck a perfect balance between a brief blessing of the grave as part of a dignified tribute and factual, often humourous anecdote, with the highlight for me being a “radio commentary” of the 1904 final by author David Potter.
The words football legend are often misused; too freely given to journeymen footballers, but it Quinn’s case they fit the man. My own favourite remark about him was made by Peter O’Rourke a fellow Celt of some note who wrote of Quinn’s “Medals” thus: “Is he really rough, Jimmy?” said I to Jimmy McMenemy, who was near by. “Rough? Quinn show the gentleman your medals!” Without a word Quinn pulled up his trouser-legs and showed me the bruises which covered his legs through which showed white scars of old battles. “I took them all,” he said “and I gave nothing in return. It’s a’ in the game.”
History may judge Fergus McCann in the same way as it does Quinn: a giant in the Scottish game. The Bunnet had a twinkle in his eye and was in good form telling the large crowd that he was honoured not least because folk from Kilsyth didn’t normally speak to those from Croy!
My pleasure in attending this ceremony was topped-off by being able to do something I have wanted to do for two-score years, quickly shake Fergus’s hand and say just two, heartfelt, words.
Some fine-looking men & women in this pic! 