Joey managed to walk through the tunnel at Celtic Park with the support of his daughter

Irishman who suffered stroke returns to Celtic Park after 40 years for 70th birthday

Joey McCrory, who hails from Lurgan, made a poignant return to Celtic Park for his 70th birthday.

13 Oct 2024, 19:37 by Chiara Pollock & Steven Crawford, Oisin Doherty · Irish Mirror

A lifelong Celtic supporter who suffered a debilitating stroke 20 years ago made a return to Celtic Park after nearly 40 years for his 70th birthday.

Lurgan native Joey McCrory has become a social media superstar after a video of him returning to Parkhead after four decades went viral online.

Joey's devotion to Celtic has been unwavering since birth, but he suffered a stroke at the age of 50, which robbed him of speech and left him paralysed on one side, necessitating the use of a wheelchair. However, on October 6, Joey made a poignant journey back to the home of his beloved team.'

In what was an incredibly touching scene, he stood up from his wheelchair and walked through the players' tunnel with his daughter's help as his family looked on with tearful pride, reports the Daily Record.

His daughter, Annie McCrory, shared with Glasgow Live the swift trip they took to Glasgow for her dad's milestone birthday. She recounted: "My dad has lived and breathed Celtic since he was born and as something special for his 70th we thought we'd ask him if he'd like a tour of Celtic Park, but with him being in a wheelchair we were unsure if he'd be up for it."

Overwhelmed with happiness, she added: "He said yes, we couldn't believe it! We flew over in the morning and our flight home was at 2.35pm, it was a really quick visit but well worth it - getting him there was like winning the lotto."

The McCrory family's trip to Celtic Park saw grandfather Joey accompanied by his three daughters, son-in-law, and grandchildren. During the visit, granddaughter Chloe captured a heartwarming video of Joey walking through the players' tunnel, leaning on his daughter for support.

The video has since gone viral, with over 193,000 views and nearly a thousand comments from Glaswegians, Celtic supporters, and touched TikTok users. Joey's daughter, Annie, expressed her surprise at the overwhelming response, saying: "We were all taken aback. We never expected the video to reach so many people. It's been so heartwarming to read the comments; we've had tears going through them. Even Rangers fans have left kind messages, which is incredibly touching."

The family was also touched by a generous offer from a Glasgow man, John O'Byrne, who offered to help get Joey to a match, even offering his own disabled season ticket for a game.

One comment on the video read: "Omg, I'm sobbing...Celtic Park would be so proud to have him...bless him."

Another, from a Rangers fan, said: "Rangers fan here, this is beautiful. No matter what side, it's great to see someone's love for their club."

A third added: "So incredibly touching to watch compassion coming before competition - truly affectionate and bless you for making a memory he will treasure for the rest of his precious life - a Gers supporter touched."

Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.