Celtic Club Inc
Club in Melbourne

The natural deposit to gather, encourage and rejoice pride in Irish Heritage. Dedicated to creating the best possible venue for members and guests to enjoy the warmth of Irish hospitality and for this to occur in an environment that promotes the vital role that Irish Australians play in building the richness of Melbourne’s community. Dedicated to maintaining and developing its premises and direct its resources to the prudent and sustainable development of the Club’s hospitality, cultural, heritage and recreational facilities principally for its members, as healthy as the broader Irish and Celtic groups within Victoria and the public. A dynamic and influential leader in Melbourne’s and Victoria’s Australian Irish community through its support of extraordinary individual and community initiatives that enhance and maintain the Irish heritage and culture and that of other Celtic nations in Melbourne. Become a member of The Celtic Club and appreciate many exceptional benefits while supporting the diversity and culture of the Club. In 1993 the Celtic Club expanded their premises with the buy of the Bird Cameron building following door from the Gas and Fuel Company for 950,00. The craic’ and appropriate times flowed into the after immense period of social change as the final quarter of the twentieth century brought the empowerment of youth, the feminist movement, the technology and education revolution and finally the disintegration of the post WW2 social conservatism. Nevertheless as fashions changed and fresh attractions and venues emerged membership to the Celtic Club gradually fell. Consequently questions were asked concerning the tomorrow of the Club and how to restore and offer the Club. In 2001 a fresh era emerged within Melbourne’s Celtic Club when a Cultural and Heritage Committee was established to support, donate and rejoice not only our Celtic culture and traditions across the broad spectrum of all Gaelic groups but also to recognize and rejoice the huge and continuing Australian Irish contribution to the heritage and culture of our country since early settlement. Whilst the customary Irish craic continues, a greater variety of cultural heritage programs and performance are now presented throughout maximum weeks of the year. These include: language, music, literature, art, drama and theatrical performances, cultural tours, reading circle and film groups, history and genealogy groups, sports and our Irish radio program. The library is an crucial resource for active groups within the Club as healthy as for general members. The Cultural Heritage Committee is also responsible for the custody and display of historical items, artifacts and paintings held by the Celtic Club. Their winning essays are based on our Irish or Australian Irish history. Apart from presenting such a range of functions and activities at the Celtic Club, the Cultural Heritage Committee has also instigated joint programs with popular and prestigious bodies outer of the Club. Such initiative enables us to share with these partners, the presentation of our Australian Irish and Celtic heritage and culture to the broader community and to promote the ideals of the Celtic Club. The Committee also supports the establishment, growth and activities of like minded clubs and associations throughout the State and liaises with and has reciprocal membership with Celtic Irish Clubs in other States of Australia. Organizations and Eminent Figures associated with the Club Over the end scanty decades, Club membership has averaged over 1,00 member as healthy as being the meeting headquarters for some 20 associated cultural, heritage and sporting groups. These groups also donate classes, training programs, performances and other activities at the Club. O’Donnell became one of Australia's outstanding Gaelic scholars, writing extensively on the Irish language and politics in both Gaelic and English. His collection of Irish language books is now held at Newman College, University of Melbourne. Both record the key events in the Club's history and the role it played in helping Irish and Australian Irish Melbournians to become accepted into mainstream Australian culture.