Do you know our National Anthem?

JustCoz

I think we must be one of the only countries in the world with so many citizens who don't know their own national anthem. I know it's taught in a lot of schools but I personally was never taught it so i just taught it to myself. I think it's really disgraceful when the Irish football team are singing the anthem and don't seem to know any of the words! It's pretty embarrassing. Does anyone have any views on this?

The Dump

i know of it.

JustCoz

Woops that was meant to be a poll, I'm not so good with computers :rolleyes:

The Dump

can't you make the poll know, go to thread tools.

county

i dont know it but i dont need to, i`m not irish

The Dump

nice addition to the thread thank you.

rugbug86

i know them both - amhran na bhfiann (in irish and english) and irelands call (all verses).

JustCoz

You are a genius the Dump!

TomTom

I know it and i think all my friends from home know it also.

RefulgentGnomon

I know every word.

rugbug86 or something wrote:

i know them both - amhran na bhfiann (in irish and english) and irelands call (all verses).

The OP said 'the national anthem'

mikemac

I know the Irsh version word for word. I'm fluent Irsh so its no so hard. Was drilled into me at school so I've no excuse for not knowing it.

Heard Eamonn Dunphy sing the English version some day this week and it's much better in Irish

Brian017

Word for word and darn proud of it.

mikemac

JustCoz wrote:

I think it's really disgraceful when the Irish football team are singing the anthem and don't seem to know any of the words! It's pretty embarrassing. Doers anyone have any views on this?

Clinton Morrison, we're referring to you. He's a good player but watch him at the next international. Not a clue of the national anthem

A Dub in Glasgo

rugbug86 wrote:

i know them both - amhran na bhfiann (in irish and english) and irelands call (all verses).

Since when has the latter been the National Anthem?

monkeyfudge

It's a pretty blood thirsty song, like most national anthems.

I have no interest in them.

Dave!

Kinda... Learned it in primary school, but nowadays I'm one of those people that sings the first few lines loudly, and then gets progressively quieter as I go on...

I didn't try to sing it at all at the commemoration today.

Skyuser

Word for word in Irish and bits of English. Was drilled into me at school.

Penisbreath

that's all we need, another pointless piece of information drilled into us from an early age. what a horrible song and a horrible language. i'm sure it's very relevant in today's society, after all we are all soldiers fighting for something or other.

A Dub in Glasgo

Penisbreath wrote:

that's all we need, another pointless piece of information drilled into us from an early age. what a horrible song and a horrible language. i'm sure it's very relevant in today's society, after all we are all soldiers fighting for something or other.

If ever a username was apt

mikemac

Penisbreath wrote:

that's all we need, another pointless piece of information drilled into us from an early age. what a horrible song and a horrible language. i'm sure it's very relevant in today's society, after all we are all soldiers fighting for something or other.

Why are you disrepecting the national anthem? If you've no time for this country, why not leave

JustCoz

A Dub in Glasgow wrote:

If ever a username was apt

micmclo wrote:

Why are you disrepecting the national anthem? If you've no time for this country, why not leave

Seconded

monkeyfudge

Only thing he was really wrong on was the Irish language. That's an important part of our culture and heritage. The song isn't!

CuLT

I know the Irish and English versions of the anthem, even though I couldn't string together a line of Irish to save my life

Penisbreath

disrespect the national anthem? i have no problem with anyone that wants to sing it. what i can't stand is this 'should be drilled into everyone in school' nonsense. believe it or not, not everyone is as in love with the song and its sentiments as you.

Davei141

I agree completely.

Skyuser

Irish MUST be taught to pupils attending goverment funded schools. It has to be drilled into us.

muffler

CuLT wrote:

I know the Irish and English versions of the anthem, even though I couldn't string together a line of Irish to save my life

Same as that except I couldnt put 2 notes together

MrSinn

Ray D'arcy spent two days asking this same questionon his radio show,i think most people said no

Esel

The odds are that nobody who has posted so far knows all the words - they may know the words of the chorus, in Irish and/or English. Don't bother quoting the verse here - we have to hear you singing it to believe you know it! I admit I don't know the words of the verse.

The song was written in English, then translated into Irish. Some people have a problem with the 'Fianna Fail' bit - they prefer to sing 'laochra Gael', which is probably a more neutral, non-party political translation. Unless that tranlation was done by a Fine Gael follower! The Christian Brothers did a good job drilling the Irish chorus into countless thousands of impressionable minds.

blu_sonic

it wasn't taught at drimnagh castle, i had to learn it myself. PS Irelands call is not the national anthem nor will it ever be!

arbeitsscheuer

I know the whole of Amhran na Fiann, but only as Gaeilge.

And I see myself as Anglo-Irish, so I dunno why the rest of you lot are so lazy!:D

D

Yes.

Pythia

I learned in it choir in 5th year in school. We were going to Canada for St Patrick's Day and we were expected to sing it for them. Learned the Irish version.
Forgotten most of it now.

WhiteWashMan

i know all of it

Mossy Monk

Skyuser wrote:

Irish MUST be taught to pupils attending goverment funded schools. It has to be drilled into us.

sadly it wasnt drilled into us at primary school or secondary school

padi89

rugbug86 wrote:

i know them both - amhran na bhfiann (in irish and english) and irelands call (all verses).

Jesus please dont put Irelands Call in the same catagory as Amhran na Bhfiann,the lyrics make me cringe.

pork99

I'm afraid our anthem is just about adaquate - a bit of a mournful dirge (a bit like God Save the Queen).

I wish we could steal the Welsh one, "The Land Of My Fathers", which is beautiful, dignified and stirring - always brings alump to my throat when I hear it even though I don't know a word of Welsh (and am not Welsh)

http://www.wngga.org/HenWlad.html

Civilian_Target

I was never taught Amhrán na bhFiann, I learnt it when one night some Lithuanians and some French people sang their national anthem at a party while drunk. None of the three Irish people there (one of which was me) knew our anthem. But since I was going abroad a few months afterwards, I made the effort to learn it, and I'm well glad I did because I had to use it.

I think it should be compulsory learning at schools, simply because the song is an expression of our culture and anyone who goes abroad should be able to show that through the national anthem if needs be.

smashey

I know it 'as Gaeilge' and would never contemplate singing it in English. A few years ago in a bar in Singapore, a few Aussies and Kiwis wanted to hear it so I got up and sang it. (I had a few beers at this stage). As they couldn't understand a word of it, they refused to believe that I was singing the National Anthem. A few well chosen words from me soon made them change their minds.

Bixmoo

first few lines are as far as I go!

Fast_Mover

smashey wrote:

I know it 'as Gaeilge' and would never contemplate singing it in English.

Same!

..I know it as i was taught it in school..and i also play GAA, go to club/intercounty matches so singing it before matches is a given..

Lump

Yes, I know them.

luckat

Amhrán na bhFiann

Seo dhibh a cháirde duan óglaigh,
Cathréimeach briomhar ceolmhar,
ár dtinte cnámh go buacach táid,
'S an spéir go min réaltogach
Is fonnmhar faobhrach sinn chun gleo
'S go tiúnmhar glé roimh thíocht do'n ló
Fé chiúnas chaomh na hoiche ar seol:
Seo libh canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann

Curfá:
Sinne Firnna Fáil
A tá fé gheall ag éirinn,
buion dár slua
Thar toinn do ráinig chugainn,
Fé mhóid bheith saor.
Sean tír ár sinsir feasta
Ní fhagfar fé'n tiorán ná fén tráil
Anocht a théam sa bhearna bhaoil,
Le gean ar Ghaeil chun báis nó saoil
Le guna screach fé lámhach na bpiléar
Seo libh canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann.

Cois bánta réidhe, ar árdaibh sléibhe,
Ba bhuachach ár sinsir romhainn,
Ag lámhach go tréan fé'n sár-bhrat séin
Tá thuas sa ghaoith go seolta
Ba dhúchas riamh d'ár gcine cháidh
Gan iompáil siar ó imirt áir,
'S ag siúl mar iad i gcoinne námhad
Seo libh, canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann

Curfá

English

We'll sing a song, a soldier's song,
With cheering rousing chorus,
As round our blazing fires we throng,
The starry heavens o'er us;
Impatient for the coming fight,
And as we wait the morning's light,
Here in the silence of the night,
We'll chant a soldier's song.

Chorus:
Soldiers are we
whose lives are pledged to Ireland;
Some have come
from a land beyond the wave.
Sworn to be free,
No more our ancient sire land
Shall shelter the despot or the slave.
Tonight we man the gap of danger
In Erin's cause, come woe or weal
"Mid cannons" roar and rifles peal,
We'll chant a soldier's song.

In valley green, on towering crag,
Our fathers fought before us,
And conquered 'neath the same old flag
That's proudly floating o'er us.
We're children of a fighting race,
That never yet has known disgrace,
And as we march, the foe to face,
We'll chant a soldier's song.

Chorus

blu_sonic

typing it prooves nothing

luckat

Wasn't trying to prove anything, blu, just copy-and-pasting the words in for the convenience of those who don't know the lot. And yes, I only know the chorus in both English and Irish, used to know the lot in English but I don't now; must relearn it in both.

I find it an inspiring anthem - the idea that we'll defend our country "le gean ar Gael chun bás nó saol" - for the same reason I like the best anthem of all, the Marsellaise.

_Kaiser_

Know the first two or three lines in Irish (and thats from watching Internationals) but thats it. Never was taught it in school (though I think it was mentioned in a Civics book) and in fact I never did Irish either (my mam - imo rightly - considered it a waste of time and when we came back after 3 years abroad, I got a official department exemption).

There's a lot of these Irish language/religious "heritage" type threads here lately, so I'll say it again.. Irish (and religion) has no place anymore in schools. Let any parents who want to teach either to their kids certainly do so, but there's no justification to still have it drilled into kids at school.

Side note: When I went to primary school abroad, most of the kids could speak at least 2 languages (oftentimes more). I think we'd be better off introducing European languages at that level rather than wasting time on a for-all-intents-and-purposes dead language that is of no practical use to anyone at this stage.

Mr_Roger_Bongos

I never learnt Irish in School, but i know the anthem and picked up the pronunciation through Gaelic and Soccer matches. (Maybe less so from the soccer matches!!)

EDIT - Luckat answered my question. I didn't know what the words of the anthem meant in English.

I know the chorus bit everyone sings. I think there is another verse too that noone sings, but I've forgotten the lyrics.

RefulgentGnomon

The song was written in English, then translated into Irish. Some people have a problem with the 'Fianna Fail' bit - they prefer to sing 'laochra Gael', which is probably a more neutral, non-party political translation. Unless that tranlation was done by a Fine Gael follower! The Christian Brothers did a good job drilling the Irish chorus into countless thousands of impressionable minds.

"Sinne Fianna Fáil" = Soldiers are we.

Wow! If anything was party-political, that was.

blu_sonic

luckat wrote:

Wasn't trying to prove anything, blu, just copy-and-pasting the words in for the convenience of those who don't know the lot. And yes, I only know the chorus in both English and Irish, used to know the lot in English but I don't now; must relearn it in both.

I find it an inspiring anthem - the idea that we'll defend our country "le gean ar Gael chun bás nó saol" - for the same reason I like the best anthem of all, the Marsellaise.

lol sorry i was just messing with you, i was gonna jokingly say can't cut and paste at croker tho, lol,

luckat

As for the "use" of Irish, seems to me that it's no major effort to learn conversational Irish, unless you're a bit wanting, and it gives us access to stories, proverbs, history, ways of thinking, that are ours, that shouldn't be lost, and that frankly have more to say to us than EastEnders and Scrubs. Not that I've anything against English and American culture, but I think it's good also to have our own.

Though I don't want to hijack the thread about the anthem; if you want to reply to this point, do it off-thread to me, if you'd be so kind.