TicV"Establishment"
Alert Team
This is without a doubt the hardest post I've ever had to make on Vital Celtic.
I never thought I would have to report the sad passing of one of our members, but it is with a heavy heart and many tears that I let you all know that Jimmy has very sadly passed away.
Due to various log-in problems Jimmy had a few usernames over the years; Wee Barra being his original nom de plume, and Jimmy Jimmy G being his last.
Jimmy was one of those irrepressible forces of nature that made you eternally glad he had chosen you to share some of his time with.
His love and passion for Celtic were unquenchable and stretched back to the late 1950's. He hailed from Dumfries and told me often of how, as a schoolboy, he would sit beside Brother Walfrid's graveside and eat his lunch. Anybody lucky enough to have been regaled with his 'true tale's' of 'going to see the Tic', or who had read those tales on here, were blessed with unforgettable comedy, and also, at times, an utterly unique social commentary and an astute poignancy of the times.
All of Jimmy's Tales can be found in this thread (6 pages but you'll find them easily enough) http://www.celtic.vitalfootball.co.uk/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=3137&posts=141
Jimmy led a rich and interesting life, he wrote lyrics and sang in a band when younger, and writing poetry was a lifelong passion of his. Rabbie Burns was another of his passions, as was Bob Dylan - who he loved.
Jimmy was a highly educated man and taught and lectured in various universities over the years. He described himself as a Revolutionary Socialist and, once you read this tribute to oor Jimmy from Stuart Christie over at Bella Caledonia, you'll quickly realise that he put his money and social values where his mouth was:
http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2012/11/29/the-diverting-history-of-jimmy-gilpin-and-a-famous-hullaballoo-in-hornsey-twas-a-famous-victory/#comment-18759
I know other political and revolutionary things about Jimmy but these were private conversations. Rest assured, however - Jimmy was the real deal and fought against social injustice, wherever he found it, all his days.
He was the kind of humanist who gave you a sense of hope in the wider human race, and made you realise that some things are worth fighting for.
Our forum and our lives will be sadder places after losing our friend.
I'll leave you with one of Dylan's songs as an appropriate farewell to our friend. Always in our hearts, Jimmy. xxx
[youtube=EUKUMmM89IQ]
I never thought I would have to report the sad passing of one of our members, but it is with a heavy heart and many tears that I let you all know that Jimmy has very sadly passed away.
Due to various log-in problems Jimmy had a few usernames over the years; Wee Barra being his original nom de plume, and Jimmy Jimmy G being his last.
Jimmy was one of those irrepressible forces of nature that made you eternally glad he had chosen you to share some of his time with.
His love and passion for Celtic were unquenchable and stretched back to the late 1950's. He hailed from Dumfries and told me often of how, as a schoolboy, he would sit beside Brother Walfrid's graveside and eat his lunch. Anybody lucky enough to have been regaled with his 'true tale's' of 'going to see the Tic', or who had read those tales on here, were blessed with unforgettable comedy, and also, at times, an utterly unique social commentary and an astute poignancy of the times.
All of Jimmy's Tales can be found in this thread (6 pages but you'll find them easily enough) http://www.celtic.vitalfootball.co.uk/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=3137&posts=141
Jimmy led a rich and interesting life, he wrote lyrics and sang in a band when younger, and writing poetry was a lifelong passion of his. Rabbie Burns was another of his passions, as was Bob Dylan - who he loved.
Jimmy was a highly educated man and taught and lectured in various universities over the years. He described himself as a Revolutionary Socialist and, once you read this tribute to oor Jimmy from Stuart Christie over at Bella Caledonia, you'll quickly realise that he put his money and social values where his mouth was:
http://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2012/11/29/the-diverting-history-of-jimmy-gilpin-and-a-famous-hullaballoo-in-hornsey-twas-a-famous-victory/#comment-18759
I know other political and revolutionary things about Jimmy but these were private conversations. Rest assured, however - Jimmy was the real deal and fought against social injustice, wherever he found it, all his days.
He was the kind of humanist who gave you a sense of hope in the wider human race, and made you realise that some things are worth fighting for.
Our forum and our lives will be sadder places after losing our friend.
I'll leave you with one of Dylan's songs as an appropriate farewell to our friend. Always in our hearts, Jimmy. xxx
[youtube=EUKUMmM89IQ]