A grey cloud fell heavily over the Celtic team on 22nd January, when we learned of the passing of our much-loved founder and Chairman, John Whyte.

For more than 30 years, John was at the heart of Celtic. His vision, determination and belief in people helped shape the company into what it is today, and his influence continues to be felt across the business and by the many people who had the privilege of knowing him.

Having emigrated from Drangan, Co. Tipperary to London in the 1970s, John carried Ireland with him throughout his life. He was a proud and active member of the Irish community in London and had a particular love for the GAA, proudly playing with Acton Gaels and maintaining strong connections to community, sport and friendship wherever he went.

His commitment to the Irish community continued throughout his life. John served as Chairperson of the London Tipperary Association, organising dinner dances and fundraising events, and proudly supported a number of London GAA clubs, including Sean Treacys Hurling Club and Croydon and London Camogie.

John was also a lifelong lover of horse racing and took great pride and happiness in owning horses.

John’s working life in London began a long way from the business Celtic would eventually become. Having initially worked laying gas pipes, he began moving into drylining in 1987, taking on labour-only work and steadily building his reputation within the industry.

Those early days were very different to the Celtic of today. John supplied the labour for projects, with his small van serving not only as transport for the tools, but quite often as his office too.

As the work grew, so did the scale of the projects. John went on to complete a number of major drylining projects, including the Olympic Hotel in Barcelona ahead of the 1992 Olympic Games. Another project he always remembered fondly was the Limehouse Link Tunnel in London.

The business continued to grow from those early labour-only days and, in 1995, Celtic Contractors was formally established. This marked the next stage of John’s journey, with Celtic beginning to provide both labour and materials and taking on greater responsibility for the delivery of its projects.

From a small van, a set of tools and a huge amount of determination, John built a business that would continue to grow for the next three decades.

But John’s legacy was about much more than building a successful business. He believed that Celtic should always feel like a family. He valued hard work and high standards, but equally valued the relationships built along the way. He understood that reputation was everything and took great pride in the long-standing relationships he developed with clients, colleagues and friends across the industry.

In 2019, John stepped down as Managing Director and became Chairman, handing the reins to his son, Jon. He continued to support and guide the leadership team, sharing his experience, advice and steady influence.

John also loved the social side of Celtic life. He was happiest when people were together, having a laugh and enjoying each other’s company.

Many of us will smile remembering how some Celtic careers began with an “interview” in the pub. For John, it was always about character, trust and finding people who would become part of the Celtic family.

“If I can’t enjoy a drink with you, then how can I enjoy working with you?”

John leaves behind far more than a successful business. He leaves a culture, a standard and a way of doing things that remain at the heart of Celtic today.

His values, work ethic, ambition, integrity and belief in the importance of relationships remain woven into the company he created. Jon now leads Celtic carrying that same vision forward, protecting the culture his father built and ensuring the Celtic family spirit stays at the heart of everything we do.

We will honour John’s memory by continuing to build on what he started: maintaining the high standards he believed in, looking after the relationships he worked so hard to build and staying true to the Celtic family spirit he instilled in all of us.

John will never be forgotten and will remain forever in our hearts as an important part of the Celtic story.

A true Celtic legend.