Why do Glasgow Celtic fans wave Irish flags when their team is Scottish?
The competition between the two clubs has roots in more than just a simple sporting rivalry. It is infused with a series of complex disputes, sometimes centred on religion (Catholic and Protestant) and Northern Ireland-related politics (Loyalist and Republican). The result has been an enduring enmity between fans that has extended beyond the kind of intra-city footballing rivalry that might be expected in situations where two clubs dominate a country’s footballing scene. This has been manifested in a history laden with sectarian violence, sometimes leading to deaths. Rangers’ traditional support has largely come from the Protestant community, while Celtic’s has often, but by no means exclusively, come from those of Irish extraction. The rivalry between the two clubs has often been characterised along sectarian lines. Celtic have had a historic association with the Catholic peoples of Ireland, and some Celtic fans sing Irish Republican songs. Rangers fans are traditionally loyalists, an
