Nenagh Celtic are returning to the NT&DL

By Gary Culbert

Not too long ago Nenagh Celtic were the kings of the North Tipperary & District League, making it to the last 32 of the FAI Junior Cup in 2018, and winning back-to back Premier Division titles in the summer seasons of 2019 and 2020.

However, when their home pitch at Nenagh College was no longer available to them following conclusion of their double winning 2020 season, they were forced to play an entire season of away games.

This would disrupt any team, but it especially hurt Celtic because their home ground was such an asset down through the years; nobody looked forward to playing Celtic away due to the hostile atmosphere created by the home fans.

Despite this, they persevered in the 2021 season - the last of the three experimental summer-seasons in the NT&DL – mounting a significant title challenge against Killavilla United despite playing every game away from home, but ultimately it was a bridge too far and they ended their most recent season trophy-less.

With the uncertainty and delays that came from both homelessness and the Covid pandemic, the men's team was unable to get off the ground in 2022/23, leaving a huge void at the top of the NT&DL Premier Division.

But the loss of Nenagh Celtic was not only felt in a footballing aspect, because with Nenagh AFC operating in the Limerick League, the North Tipp League, all of a sudden, had no team from the regions’ flagship town.

Indeed, it was one of the sticks used to beat the NT&DL, and detractors were given even more ammunition when Killavilla United left for the Combined Counties Football League last season, meaning there were no teams from both Roscrea and Nenagh in the league.

STALWARTS RETURNING

Nenagh Celtic have a thriving underage set up, which is packed full of sons and daughters of former club legends, so it was only ever going to be a matter of time before the sleeping giants awoke from their slumber. However, it still came as a surprise when it was confirmed that this would be the year the Celts would come roaring back to life.

What was less of a surprise though, was how quickly some of the former players answered the call. The sleeping giant was not long awake when her most loyal servants: Paul Walsh, Davy Walsh, Mark Walsh, Brian Mitchell, Martin Mitchell, Christopher Ryan, Dylan Armstong, and Gary Kevin had all signed up.

Davy Walsh has left struggling Sallypark Odhrans to join Nenagh Celtic as manager. While his brother, Nenagh Celtic's most famous son, Mark Walsh, will lend a hand with coaching whenever his frantic Treaty United schedule allows. Indeed, that schedule will ease in October at the conclusion of the 2026 League of Ireland campaign.

Completing the trilogy of Walsh returnees is the youngest brother, Paul, who is one of the most decorated players in NT&DL history, thanks to his spells at Nenagh Celtic and Sallypark. A beast in the air both defensively and in attacking situations, his return to the club automatically puts Celtic in the title conversation of whatever division they end up in.

His prestige was noticed from a young age, captaining Celtic to back-to-back Tipperary Cups at just 21 years old, even when legends like Stevie Ryan, Jimmy Hynes, and Michael Hynes - who had won it all - were still in the team. His leadership qualities were so high that he was chosen for the armband despite his older brother, Mark, also being in the side.

It is hard to believe that the physically dominant centre half is still only 29-years-old; it feels like he has been around for so long, lifting every trophy possible in the NT&DL. All of that experience will be needed throughout the next few years as Celtic begin to introduce their highly talented under 16 team to the junior leagues of North Tipp.

Throughout the history of the NT&DL, very few teams in the lower division will have ever boasted a player who had recently won anything in the top division of North Tipp soccer, yet alone a Premier Division quadruple.

The transfers of Brian Mitchell and Christopher 'Niddy' Ryan from BT Harps to Nenagh Celtic mean that the Celts will have not one, but two quadruple winners in their ranks.

Ryan is now one of the old wise heads on the Celtic pitch, which is a new role for the central midfielder. His composure and experience will be crucial for Celtic during their maiden season back in the NT&DL.

Indeed, Ryan epitomises everything that we came to love about Celtic down through the years from players like Sean Healy and Stevie Ryan: not the quickest, not the strongest, but so much footballing intelligence that it didn’t matter.

Brian Mitchell will also be a cheat code in the lower divisions. The 25-year-old was arguably the best player in the NT&DL during his previous Celtic days. He might not have the explosive pace anymore, but what he has lost in that department has been gained two-fold in movement and work rate. Mitchell will no-doubt be setting himself a target of at least 20 goals this season.

Dylan Armstrong was only beginning his Celtic career when the plug was pulled, and like Mitchell he returns from a Premier Division side, Ardcroney.

The defender spent the entirety of the 2024/25 season ruled out with a serious injury, only making his return late last season. At 26 years old, the versatile defender-come-midfielder will likely be deployed higher up the field for Celtic than his centre-half position at Ardcroney.

Nenagh Celtic have also been able to lure top players from other clubs including playmaker Liam Hannon from Cloughjordan whilst there are also talks of a number of Nenagh AFC ‘B’ players taking the rarely-trodden path across town.

Rumours of one of Nenagh’s most famous footballers, James McGrath, lining out for Celtic were given extra legs when he scored a fine goal in a friendly with Ardcroney on Sunday.

It is understood that Nenagh Celtic will play their home games out of a mixture of two different grounds: their rented grounds in Lisbunny opposite the cemetery, and the idle pitch of Silvermines FC in Ballinaclough.

Whilst Celtic have grabbed the headlines this week, there are also a number of other new entrants to the league making a splash.

Knigh United will be entering a second team this season, which will mostly consist of their youths team from last season, but will also contain some of the players that their new signings – Bryan McGee, Lee Mitchell, Daniel Butler, John Butler and Stephen Flynn – force out of the first team. Similarly, Ardcroney ‘B’ will enter a very young team this season.