Melbourne Celtic Club
Encyclopedia
The Melbourne Celtic Club is a social organisation for Melburnians of Celt
ic (Scots
, Welsh
or Irish
) ancestry or descent.
amongst Melbourne's sizeable Irish population; and championing the rights of Irish Australians in an establishment otherwise dominated by the Anglo-Saxon
, (largely Protestant) traditions of Great Britain
and its colonies. Reflecting this political background, the original name of the club was the 'Celtic Home Rule Club'.
Though politicised, the club nevertheless sought to avoid domination by the clergy, both to avoid offending Protestant Irish members, as well as to preserve the institution as a celebrator of the secular life and culture of Melbourne.
Formally opened in the new year of 1888, meetings of the club were originally held at the Imperial Hotel, before the first club rooms were opened at 82 Collins Street
. This makes the club the second-oldest Irish organisation in Australia, after the Sydney-based Hibernian Society (founded 1880); and the popularity of such an association is evident from the membership increasing from only 70 to 400 within its first year. The dominant figure of the club from its foundation to the early twentieth century, was Morgan Jaguers, who also headed Melbourne's Irish Land League, Irish National League, United Irish League and Melbourne Irish Pipers' Club.
Disagreements within the club over political crises back in Ireland
almost destroyed it as a viable entity. The Parnell
divorce scandal (1890-1891) caused a split in the club between continued supporters of Parnell and his detractors. Such was the turmoil wrought by the Parnell case, the club was refounded at the corner of Collins Street and Swanston Street
, in 1891.
Enduring such divisions (and threatened bankruptcy in 1900), the club remained the Australian centre for fundraising aimed at establishing a free Ireland, and a peak was reached in 1912 with the profitable departure dinner of Irish envoys W. A. Redmond and J. T. Donovan. The pair, feted by notaries from all over the country, left Australia after eighteen months with £30,000 to devote to the cause.
Despite being a focal point for often overt sectarianism, the "Triumphant Years" of the club (and its associated St. Patrick's Day events) were between 1908-1913, during which attendances at marches rose to 100,000, and successive Governors-General
also put in appearances at the club and festivities, before the First World War
brought renewed tensions.
With civil war threatening in Ireland in 1914, Club president Major T. M. McInerney took the remarkable step of cabling British Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith with an offer of assistance from the club. The actual outbreak of war led to the club slowly losing touch with mainstream events, its chief members clinging to outmoded ideas about an autonomous Ireland within the United Kingdom
, long after the rank and file had turned to republicanism. The Easter Rising
(1916) and Anglo-Irish War (1919-1921) reignited the divide between British loyalism and Irish nationalist feeling in Melbourne
, resulting in the increased politicisation of St. Patrick's Day marches and events with which the club was associated. Archbishop Daniel Mannix
's championing of the 'No Conscription' case caused tension within the Celtic Club; but the Irish Civil War
(1922-192]) was most divisive, as politicised Irish Melburninans were forced to choose between the government of the new Irish Free State
and the Irish Republican Army
(headed by Éamon de Valera
). The club practically split again in 1920 as a result of this, as well as the city council's attempts to ban the St. Patrick's Day celebrations.
Thankfully, the politics of the old world soon receded from importance, particularly as the effects of bitter division and infighting on Melbourne's Irish community became apparent. The Celtic Club was one of the few survivors from the plethora of Irish-Australian political and social organisations which existed before the turmoil of the First World War. As the twentieth century progressed, the club began to assume its current form, as a purely social gathering place for "respectable gentlemen". Irish politicians visiting the club (de Valera on 12 May 1948; Gerry Adams
in the 1980s) have been treated more as celebrities than the leaders of a particular cause (though some club members are reputedly still ardent supporters of the Irish nationalist
cause).
Since 21 December 1959, the club's headquarters have been at 316-320 Queen Street
, near the corner of Lonsdale Street
in Melbourne's Central Business District. This purchase - of Monahan's New Union Club Hotel - thus provided the club with a stable headquarters, ending the uncertainty which had plagued it since foundation. The club is open to both members and non-members for meals and beverages, provided visitors reside outside a 5 kilometre radius of the HQ. Visitors residing within 5 km must apply for membership before enjoying the facilities.
Live sports events (including Gaelic football
and Hurling
) are broadcast in the bar area of the club, and live music is also performed, in keeping with the club's heritage as a champion of Irish culture.
Histories of the club include: Hugh Buggy, The Celtic Club – A Brief History, 1947 & D. J. O'Hearn, Erin go bragh - advance Australia fair: a hundred years of growing, Melbourne: Celtic Club, 1990. Both record the key events in the club's history, and the role it played in helping Irish Melburnians to become accepted into mainstream Australian culture. Various histories of the Irish element in Victoria (and Australia more generally) make frequent reference to the importance of the club for maintaining a sense of 'Irishness' in Melbourne, as well as helping to foster a new identity. The club was also of sufficient cultural and historical significance for the city of Melbourne to be included in Andrew Brown-May and Shurlee Swain's groundbreaking Encyclopedia of Melbourne in 2005.
; Labor
leader Arthur Augustus Calwell
; Justice Redmond Barry
and former North Melbourne Football Club
chairman and media personality Ron Casey.
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic (Scots
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
, Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
or Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
) ancestry or descent.
Overview
Founded on 26 September 1887, the Club was originally a semi-political association, supportive of Irish Home RuleHome rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
amongst Melbourne's sizeable Irish population; and championing the rights of Irish Australians in an establishment otherwise dominated by the Anglo-Saxon
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, (largely Protestant) traditions of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and its colonies. Reflecting this political background, the original name of the club was the 'Celtic Home Rule Club'.
Though politicised, the club nevertheless sought to avoid domination by the clergy, both to avoid offending Protestant Irish members, as well as to preserve the institution as a celebrator of the secular life and culture of Melbourne.
Formally opened in the new year of 1888, meetings of the club were originally held at the Imperial Hotel, before the first club rooms were opened at 82 Collins Street
Collins Street, Melbourne
Collins Street is a major street in the Melbourne central business district and runs approximately east to west.It is notable as Melbourne's traditional main street and best known street, is often regarded as Australia's premier street, with some of the country's finest Victorian era buildings.The...
. This makes the club the second-oldest Irish organisation in Australia, after the Sydney-based Hibernian Society (founded 1880); and the popularity of such an association is evident from the membership increasing from only 70 to 400 within its first year. The dominant figure of the club from its foundation to the early twentieth century, was Morgan Jaguers, who also headed Melbourne's Irish Land League, Irish National League, United Irish League and Melbourne Irish Pipers' Club.
Disagreements within the club over political crises back in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
almost destroyed it as a viable entity. The Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
divorce scandal (1890-1891) caused a split in the club between continued supporters of Parnell and his detractors. Such was the turmoil wrought by the Parnell case, the club was refounded at the corner of Collins Street and Swanston Street
Swanston Street, Melbourne
Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. It is historically one of the main streets of central Melbourne, laid out in 1837 as part of the Hoddle Grid, the layout of major streets that makes up the central business district...
, in 1891.
Enduring such divisions (and threatened bankruptcy in 1900), the club remained the Australian centre for fundraising aimed at establishing a free Ireland, and a peak was reached in 1912 with the profitable departure dinner of Irish envoys W. A. Redmond and J. T. Donovan. The pair, feted by notaries from all over the country, left Australia after eighteen months with £30,000 to devote to the cause.
Despite being a focal point for often overt sectarianism, the "Triumphant Years" of the club (and its associated St. Patrick's Day events) were between 1908-1913, during which attendances at marches rose to 100,000, and successive Governors-General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
also put in appearances at the club and festivities, before the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
brought renewed tensions.
With civil war threatening in Ireland in 1914, Club president Major T. M. McInerney took the remarkable step of cabling British Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith with an offer of assistance from the club. The actual outbreak of war led to the club slowly losing touch with mainstream events, its chief members clinging to outmoded ideas about an autonomous Ireland within the United Kingdom
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
, long after the rank and file had turned to republicanism. The Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
(1916) and Anglo-Irish War (1919-1921) reignited the divide between British loyalism and Irish nationalist feeling in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, resulting in the increased politicisation of St. Patrick's Day marches and events with which the club was associated. Archbishop Daniel Mannix
Daniel Mannix
Daniel Mannix was an Irish-born Australian Catholic bishop. Mannix was the Archbishop of Melbourne for 46 years and one of the most influential public figures in 20th century Australia....
's championing of the 'No Conscription' case caused tension within the Celtic Club; but the Irish Civil War
Irish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
(1922-192]) was most divisive, as politicised Irish Melburninans were forced to choose between the government of the new Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
and the Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
(headed by Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
). The club practically split again in 1920 as a result of this, as well as the city council's attempts to ban the St. Patrick's Day celebrations.
Thankfully, the politics of the old world soon receded from importance, particularly as the effects of bitter division and infighting on Melbourne's Irish community became apparent. The Celtic Club was one of the few survivors from the plethora of Irish-Australian political and social organisations which existed before the turmoil of the First World War. As the twentieth century progressed, the club began to assume its current form, as a purely social gathering place for "respectable gentlemen". Irish politicians visiting the club (de Valera on 12 May 1948; Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
in the 1980s) have been treated more as celebrities than the leaders of a particular cause (though some club members are reputedly still ardent supporters of the Irish nationalist
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
cause).
Headquarters
Queen Street, Melbourne
Queen Street is a street in the Melbourne central business district, forming part of the famous Hoddle Grid. It runs roughly from north to south. The northern end of Queen Street intersects with Victoria Street, while its southern end intersects with Flinders Street...
, near the corner of Lonsdale Street
Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Lonsdale Street is located in the centre of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid, it runs roughly east-west. Lonsdale Street's eastern end intersects with Spring Street while its western end intersects with Spencer Street. It is home to multiple office buildings, courts,...
in Melbourne's Central Business District. This purchase - of Monahan's New Union Club Hotel - thus provided the club with a stable headquarters, ending the uncertainty which had plagued it since foundation. The club is open to both members and non-members for meals and beverages, provided visitors reside outside a 5 kilometre radius of the HQ. Visitors residing within 5 km must apply for membership before enjoying the facilities.
Live sports events (including Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
and Hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
) are broadcast in the bar area of the club, and live music is also performed, in keeping with the club's heritage as a champion of Irish culture.
Histories of the club include: Hugh Buggy, The Celtic Club – A Brief History, 1947 & D. J. O'Hearn, Erin go bragh - advance Australia fair: a hundred years of growing, Melbourne: Celtic Club, 1990. Both record the key events in the club's history, and the role it played in helping Irish Melburnians to become accepted into mainstream Australian culture. Various histories of the Irish element in Victoria (and Australia more generally) make frequent reference to the importance of the club for maintaining a sense of 'Irishness' in Melbourne, as well as helping to foster a new identity. The club was also of sufficient cultural and historical significance for the city of Melbourne to be included in Andrew Brown-May and Shurlee Swain's groundbreaking Encyclopedia of Melbourne in 2005.
Members
Famous members of the Celtic Club include Victorian Premier Charles Gavan DuffyCharles Gavan Duffy
Additional Reading*, Allen & Unwin, 1973.*John Mitchel, A Cause Too Many, Aidan Hegarty, Camlane Press.*Thomas Davis, The Thinker and Teacher, Arthur Griffith, M.H. Gill & Son 1922....
; Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
leader Arthur Augustus Calwell
Arthur Calwell
Arthur Augustus Calwell Australian politician, was a member of the Australian House of Representatives for 32 years from 1940 to 1972, Immigration Minister in the government of Ben Chifley from 1945 to 1949 and Leader of the Australian Labor Party from 1960 to 1967.-Early life:Calwell was born in...
; Justice Redmond Barry
Redmond Barry
Sir Redmond Barry KCMG was an Irish colonial judge in Victoria, Australia.-Early life:Barry was the son of Major-General Henry Green Barry, of Ballyclough, County Cork and his wife Phoebe Drought, daughter of John Armstrong Drought and Letita Head...
and former North Melbourne Football Club
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
chairman and media personality Ron Casey.