National Anthem.

SillyMcCarthy

Is it time for us to abandon the national anthym for all games
with the exception of the finals! Is it just an Irish thing that
we feel that the anthym must be played prior to every game
regional or provisional or in the pub before we go home.

I feel that it is treated with such disrespect that it should
not be played any longer.

InchicoreDude

It is not treated with disrespect. Everybody stands up for it and a lot of people face the flag for it.
I would not consider the shouting towards the end disrespect. I would actually consider it tradition.

No I think its a nice tradition to play it before games, the shouting at the end is not disrespectful and has been done for many many years.

premierstone

SillyMcCarthy wrote: »

Is it time for us to abandon the national anthym for all games
with the exception of the finals! Is it just an Irish thing that
we feel that the anthym must be played prior to every game
regional or provisional or in the pub before we go home.

I feel that it is treated with such disrespect that it should
not be played any longer.

So you dont like the shouting at the end and think it is disrespecdfull and think the answer is to give in to this and not play it at all The National anthem is one of the few uniquely Irish things we have left and every effort should be made to keep it as part of our games imo.

Joekers

No the National Anthem should of course be played before every match, even on Hill 16 which some speak so poorly of it is treated with the most respect. Just a pity us dubs dont get to sing along to it after August

Trenchman

Personally I think the anthem has been neglected by GAA people for years. Really,when was the last time you heard the anthem being sung wholeheartedly by a full attendance at a GAA game? You go to a Six Nations rugby game and it's absolutely belted out. It's almost as if people are ashamed to sing it. Whether it's the fact that people don't know the words or are just embarrassed to sing in public, all I know is that it's always a distinctly underwhelming part of the buildup to games.

Go to France,Italy,the States,Canada,virtually any other country you can think of in Europe, and the anthems are generally sung by the crowd in full voice and with a degree of pride. Not so here I'm afraid. It's a pity.

DoctaDee

Personally I think the shouting towards the end of the NA was more to do with the fact 80% of the crowd didn't know the last 2 lines .. wonders of technology now we get a lyric sheet on the big screen .. lol

Kojak

Trenchman wrote: »

You go to a Six Nations rugby game and it's absolutely belted out.

I wouldn't say that - it wouldn't come close to that other "anthem" Ireland's call. The sad fact of the matter is that a lot of suppporters don't know the word to it. You'd know about the first 3 lines, and then the last one where everyone is shouting like a mad eejit.

I do think what the GAA do with regard getting someone to sing it is a good idea, at least it gives it a bit more structure, instead of some lads being half way through it while others are just starting to sing.

crebel81

Trenchman wrote: »

Personally I think the anthem has been neglected by GAA people for years. Really,when was the last time you heard the anthem being sung wholeheartedly by a full attendance at a GAA game? You go to a Six Nations rugby game and it's absolutely belted out. It's almost as if people are ashamed to sing it. Whether it's the fact that people don't know the words or are just embarrassed to sing in public, all I know is that it's always a distinctly underwhelming part of the buildup to games.

Go to France,Italy,the States,Canada,virtually any other country you can think of in Europe, and the anthems are generally sung by the crowd in full voice and with a degree of pride. Not so here I'm afraid. It's a pity.

If they abandoned the anthem before games the GAA would not be what it is. Its a tradition which we have had for years and I would be a big supporter of it. Its a part of the big day and I for one do in fact know the words.

Regarding the six nations, that is not our national anthem. Its a song to accommodate, well I wont go into the politics

newballsplease

DoctaDee wrote: »

Personally I think the shouting towards the end of the NA was more to do with the fact 80% of the crowd didn't know the last 2 lines .. wonders of technology now we get a lyric sheet on the big screen .. lol

Heres me thinking the last 2 lines are the only part that most people knew?!

dcr22B

newballsplease wrote: »

Heres me thinking the last 2 lines are the only part that most people knew?!

Sure isn't the last line "Shoving Connie around the field"??? :P

They should never consider getting rid of it, I know myself I feel shivers down my spine when standing in a full Croker and it being belted out by 82k fervent GAA supporters.

You can keep your fecking "Ireland's Call"!

DoctaDee

Strangely enough I always thought the parade was the real nerve jitterer, just the wall of noise as the crowd rose to their feet with the teams approach .. has been known to bring a tear to the eye ..

big toenails

I've been attending I C gaa matches for many years. In the last 10 years this cheering going on about three quarters of the way through it is embarrassing and annoying.

Why in the name of Jesus is there not a short announcment made before all I C games to ask people to wait until to end of the anthem before they start to cheer? Just a little announcment would do. The solution is so simple yet those on the p a just don't bother. Shockingly poor and irresponsible silence from relevant GAA authorities at these venues.

DH2K9

DoctaDee wrote: »

Strangely enough I always thought the parade was the real nerve jitterer, just the wall of noise as the crowd rose to their feet with the teams approach .. has been known to bring a tear to the eye ..

Completly agree with this. Dublin Cork parade last year was just amazing and the noise from that to the national anthem to the start was perfect.

Why would u want to get rid of one of the things that makes us stand out from other sports. I don't hear God Save the Queen at Arsenal v Manchester United.

DoctaDee

DH2K9 wrote: »

Completly agree with this. Dublin Cork parade last year was just amazing and the noise from that to the national anthem to the start was perfect.
.

You have me welling up again !! ... hands down that was the best atmosphere in recent memory for me .. never stopped for the whole game

premierstone

big toenails wrote: »

I've been attending I C gaa matches for many years. In the last 10 years this cheering going on about three quarters of the way through it is embarrassing and annoying.

Why in the name of Jesus is there not a short announcment made before all I C games to ask people to wait until to end of the anthem before they start to cheer? Just a little announcment would do. The solution is so simple yet those on the p a just don't bother. Shockingly poor and irresponsible silence from relevant GAA authorities at these venues.

LOL yes its the authorithies fault and Im sure if they asked nice people would wait, :rolleyes: ffs if you did this you'd be lucky to get the first two lines in.

DoctaDee

premierstone wrote: »

LOL yes its the authorithies fault and Im sure if they asked nice people would wait, :rolleyes: ffs if you did this you'd be lucky to get the first two lines in.

Sure there's announcements for kids that are missing that aren't collected until after the game

wow sierra

I agree that the National Anthem should def be kept. But I don't like the way it is sung really slowly by a trained singer so high that it is impossible to sing along with. If it was played more like a march by the band the crowd would be more likely to sing along. When you have a sweet high teenage voice - like we tend to have in Connaught anyway - you feel you should be listening.

But keep it, beyond a shadow of a doubt - as regards shouting over the last few words, I thought Cmon Ross was the last two words;);)

big toenails

big toenails wrote: »

I've been attending I C gaa matches for many years. In the last 10 years this cheering going on about three quarters of the way through it is embarrassing and annoying.

Why in the name of Jesus is there not a short announcment made before all I C games to ask people to wait until to end of the anthem before they start to cheer? Just a little announcment would do. The solution is so simple yet those on the p a just don't bother. Shockingly poor and irresponsible silence from relevant GAA authorities at these venues.

It would be completely ignored that's why. The roaring during the last line or two really gets the atmosphere going its tradition now and in no way disrespectful.

Its not like there are any consequence's of ignoring an announcement over the pa system.

big toenails

Sarai Warm Copperhead wrote: »

It would be completely ignored that's why. The roaring during the last line or two really gets the atmosphere going its tradition now and in no way disrespectful.

Its not like there are any consequence's of ignoring an announcement over the pa system.

If you read my post you'd get it. Up until 10 or so years ago it was only the last line in the anthem that was cheered over. I've been to matches since the 70's and i'm well qualified to know the difference.These days the anthem has barely gone halfway through and you've got morons yelping like cider has been banned in Ireland. It just seems disrespectful. Smartarses like that lad above you aren't able to appreciate these things.

AbsentPonderer

I'll never forget the roar that followed the end of the anthem in the 07 Hurling Final, twas some moment to experience!!!

Clareman

Folks,

If you want to bicker, use PM, if you want to bicker on a thread, go somewhere else, attack the post not the poster if you must.

Also, this is the GAA forum, if you want to discuss how other other sports deal with things, go to their forums.

ArmaniJeanss

I don't see a problem with the anthem continuing to be played before each game.
But I don't quite understand why it has to be televised though - RTE, TV3 and TG4 seem to time their pre-game commerials so as to ensure they are 'live' for the anthem, whereas surely it would be the best time to have a commercial break.

Clareman

It's all part of the build up to the main event, I'll never forget my first time playing a match where I had to stand for Amhran na bhFiann on the pitch, it really builds up the tension.

Diabhal Beag

Nobody sings the anthem anymore. Every match I've gone to this year I've heard very few people sing it. That's embarrassing.

lovelypoint

Personally, I feel the national anthem is an integral part of the pre-match ceremony, and a core part of the values of the GAA. I don't sing it myself, but rather respectfully observe the playing of it, so the argument that not as many people sing it anymore, does not indicate the anthem has no place.

My personal irritation though, is when fans break into cheers for their team, before it is finished playing, as I have no problem roaring on my team, but always wait until the anthem is finished before doing so.

Actually, my other pet peeve is the desperate pa systems in place in most grounds, which often brutalise the whole playing of the anthem and any other announcements, as it would seem many of these pa systems were designed to generate an echo :rolleyes:

lovelypoint

DoctaDee wrote: »

Strangely enough I always thought the parade was the real nerve jitterer, just the wall of noise as the crowd rose to their feet with the teams approach .. has been known to bring a tear to the eye ..

Oh, this gets me going everytime, and cannot see how any non-neutral present can't feel a wave of jittery nervous tension pass through them, when the parade kicks off.

Nothing like it when they do almost a full lap of the pitch, allowing both stands, and both terraces to roar and cheer their lungs out. It's almost like tribes ready to go to war, and hate when it is cut short on match days due to poor scheduling, or when they decide to neuter the march by only going as far as the two 45's.

Simply nothing will replace the impact and depth of passion the pre-match parade generates!

NeirBot

I feel that there would be much more of an impact if all the roaring and cheering kicked off in unison after the national anthem, imagine the players feeling that down on the pitch!
The way it's going now lads are competing as to who can call out for their county first, they'll be at it by the second line soon..

wolfpawnat

I would be gutted if the anthem was abandoned, I love it. And though I myself do not do the roar at the last line. I love the way it surges up through the crowd. It is part of the day.

harpsman

wow sierra wrote: »

I agree that the National Anthem should def be kept. But I don't like the way it is sung really slowly by a trained singer so high that it is impossible to sing along with. If it was played more like a march by the band the crowd would be more likely to sing along. When you have a sweet high teenage voice - like we tend to have in Connaught anyway - you feel you should be listening.

But keep it, beyond a shadow of a doubt - as regards shouting over the last few words, I thought Cmon Ross was the last two words;);)

+1.
Im fed up with the warbling ballad version being sung before games. Very uninspirational.Think Brian Kennedy started all this crap.Let the band belt it out with a bit of tempo or failing that slap on a rcording

crebel81

DoctaDee wrote: »

You have me welling up again !! ... hands down that was the best atmosphere in recent memory for me .. never stopped for the whole game

Ha totally agree...never experienced anything like that before. Unbelievable atmosphere. I reckon the players thought they were superstars