Where the hell am I now?

Failte everyone.

For anyone that's interested I've made it to Winnipeg where at 06.30 this morning (12.30 UK time) I dragged myself from bed and headed to the Irish centre to watch the ICT game in the company of the Winnipeg CSC (and two ICT supporters)!

What a miserable game and outcome. Still faithful through and through.

Meanwhile, some of you may already know that I visited the Bramalea CSC on the outskirts of Toronto. It is a magnificent club with magnificent people who are a credit to Celtic, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, and England.

Here are a couple of pictures of two Murals.

This one is the Huddle painted during big Rab and Bobo's era. (spot Bobo's legs)

This one show a magnificent hand painted collage of Brother Walfrid and many a Celtic legend mounted on the wall within a context of other Celtic heroes.

This is the main mural blown up into greater detail. It really is superb.


What a welcome I received at the Bramalea and I will forever be in awe of people like Martin Guthrie (pictured in the huddle mural), his absolutely crackin wife Pat, Tom Donnelly, Colin Phillips, Tom McCardle, Michael Wooley, Tom McGougan, and everyone else who extended a true hand of welcome.

Pat in paricular stands out from her response to my enquiring if she was Canadian.

Fair affronted she was as she replied 'Get away with yourself, I'm seventh generation Irish'!

You'll do for me!

So to Winnipeg and the attraction of my hotel was the promised outdoor heated swimming pool which in this weather conjured up images of the hot springs and spas of Iceland.

Not quite!

The Winnipeg CSC is only a small unit of about 15 people, but no bigger Celtic hearts will be found anywhere and my thanks and admiration go to them all and in particular Archie Kane, Lawrence Malone, Jim Stewart and those who suffered this morning. It is the first time I think I have watched the full game while drinking a cup of tea - and fine tea it was.

Finally on a stroll earlier I passed the Winnipeg Goldeyes (baseball) stadium.

Just outside it's precincts I stumbled upon what I regard as one of the most well thought out combination of colours, outlandish dress and descriptive words.

It reminds me somehow of a group of peepul never far from my pen's aim and was put togethjer with all the skill of a master cobbler fashioning a hand made-to-measure brogue.

Anyway, It's Edmonton next, followed by Calgary and finally Vancouver before I start the return journey when I hope to visit other CSCs and thriving little outposts of Paradise that personal imperatives made impossible on the outward part of the trip.

So for now

Hail hail

And guess what - It's snowing again.

Matt (Estadio)