Why not walk in Brother Walfrid's footsteps?

THIS September, people in Glasgow will have the chance to walk in the footsteps of Brother Walfrid, and learn the full story of this legendary Irishman.

The life of Celtic Football Club’s founder will be the subject of a walking tour which takes place in Glasgow on Sunday September 7. Best of all, there is no charge to attend the event, although anyone doing so is encouraged to remember Walfrid’s charitable aims and make a donation to different causes.

The Walfrid Walk

This will be the second year that the Brother Walfrid Walk has been held. The 2024 event marked the 160th anniversary of Walfrid’s ‘clothing’ when he became a Marist Brother. The plan is that this will become an annual event, allowing more people to learn about Walfrid’s experiences and better keep alive his memory.

There are various different locations included in this tour. It begins in at the Broomielaw in Glasgow city centre, the place that Andrew Kerins first landed in 1855 after moving from Sligo. He left his Irish home to escape the effects of hunger and extreme poverty. Kerins lived in the city for many years before going to France to train as a Marist Brother.

Other key locations in Scotland’s largest city that were part of Walfrid’s story include his homes as well as St Mary’s Church in the Calton and Sacred Heart School in Bridgeton. Both of these were central to Walfrid’s calling of educating young people, as well as ensuring they were fed too.

As would be expected in a tour about Brother Walfrid’s life, many sites connected to Celtic Football Club also feature, including the original ground, before the walk finishes at Celtic Park. In total, it takes around three hours to examine Walfrid’s Glasgow life, as well as other places that he lived too.

Celtic Walking Tours

September’s tour is one of a series of Celtic Walking Tours which take place around Glasgow. These have now been running for more than two years and are organised by Matthew Marr, a Celtic researcher who writes for various publications. They first began as part of a promotion for a book written about the first time Celtic won the Scottish League, which happened back in May 1893.

This publication entitled The Bould Bhoys! Glory to their name, details Celtic’s entire 1892-93 season, a tale that includes riots, stand collapses and kidnapping, as well as lots of football. This was on sale on the Celtic FC Shop and copies can still be bought from the Celtic Star Books website.

The walks tell numerous stories in the southside, city centre, west end and there is even a matchday pub tour as well! This involves visiting various sites that are directly or indirectly connected to the Celtic story. In the case of the pub walk, this features stops at some well-known hostelries, which has proved to be a very popular option. On average, around 15-20 people take part in each walk.

Free of charge

One key feature of the walks is that there is no charge to attend any of them. Speaking to The Irish Voice, organiser Matthew Marr explained why this was: “It’s an old idea that Celtic fans know the history, well I hope they can walk the history too. However, I would hate anyone to miss out because of money issues, so it is entirely free to attend.”

“Although there is no charge, many participants want to pay something and so charity donations are gratefully received,” Matthew added. “The most obvious recipient of these is the Celtic FC Foundation, given the work that Brother Walfrid himself supported, but there are also other options too.”

There has been a hugely positive response to these Celtic Walking Tours. As well as holding a five-star rating on Trip Advisor, participant praise has included comments such as ‘fantastic,’ ‘outstanding’ and ‘expertly conducted.’

Attendance

In addition to raising charity money, Matthew added that: “There’s so many benefits to people who want to come along on any of the walks. Obviously it’s a chance to learn more about Celtic heritage, but also a lot more about Glasgow and Scotland’s general history too. And of course, it’s great to do this when meeting fellow fans, so there is also a social benefit to coming along as well.”

The 2025 Brother Walfrid Walk on Sunday September 7 begins at 12 noon in Glasgow city centre and takes around three hours, concluding at Celtic Park. It is a mainly flat walk on pavements—around four miles in total—so people will need a basic level of fitness to take part.

To attend any of the walks—including September’s event—visit the Celtic Walking Tours website at: https://celticwalkingtours.wordpress.com or go to their Facebook page too. Alternatively, you can follow @hailhailhistory on Twitter/X and Bluesky for regular updates