Do you know the Irish national anthem? Why/Why not?

Simple question (OK, two simple questions).
Can you sing, recite, or at least write down the words to our national anthem in either English or Irish? If you can't then why not? If you can, then where did you learn it?

I can't. The reason being no one ever deemed it necessary to teach it to me in school. Like most people I spent 13 years in primary and secondary education. None of my teachers in any class or lesson, not Irish, not history, not civics, not anything, ever once made any attempt to teach it. On finding out I didn't know it, no one expressed any interest that I should.

It was never a requirement for any exam or curriculum. Therefore by age 17 and leaving secondary school I therefore saw no reason why I should try and do it myself when nobody else was ever bothered.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

No. They did try and teach me, but they tired to teach me in Irish so at that point it became an Irish lesson.

Plus I don't particulalry care for nationalism anyway, so have no interest in it.

misterbizmuth

misterbizmuth wrote: »

Simple question (OK, two simple questions).
Can you sing, recite, or at least write down the words to our national anthem in either English or Irish? If you can't then why not? If you can, then where did you learn it?

I can't. The reason being no one ever deemed it necessary to teach it to me in school. Like most people I spent 13 years in primary and secondary education. None of my teachers in any class or lesson, not Irish, not history, not civics, not anything, ever once made any attempt to teach it. On finding out I didn't know it, no one expressed any interest that I should.

It was never a requirement for any exam or curriculum. Therefore by age 17 and leaving secondary school I therefore saw no reason why I should try and do it myself when nobody else was ever bothered.

Have you ever learned anything for yourself?
Have you learned anything since you left school?

I don't know it, cos I don't care. Don't need to sing it. I can play it on kettle drums though.
If I cared, I'd just learn it now

holy guacamole

Can sing it, but my singing might be interrupted by the occasional spell of mumbling at certain points.

Learned it in primary school, can vividly recall having to sing it as a class every day while in 6th class.

alchemist33

I learned it when I went to the Gaeltacht and its stuck ever since. Unfortunately due to repeated singing without reading the words, the words themselves have become a bit of a blur!

Jimmy Bottlehead

I know the basic humming and grunting noises to get through it.

Speedwell

I'm an immigrant and a musician, and it bugged me that I didn't know the national anthem. All I know is the tune, though. Nobody around here is interested in teaching a middle-aged American woman Irish, for love or for money.

Peregrine

Yes, I can sing it in both Irish and English.

I was taught the Irish version in school and I looked up the English version later. I can't say that I've ever had to sing it in English but it's good to know what the words mean.

Barry Badrinath

Yes, work.

eviltwin

We learnt it in school, Irish and English versions. I don't think many schools do that anymore.

mansize

Yes. Sing it with pride

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

McGruber wrote: »

Yes, work.

What do you work as? Primary school teacher?

Speedwell

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Plus I don't particulalry care for nationalism anyway, so have no interest in it.

See, that bugs me a bit, too. Jingoism is a terrible thing, but it's perfectly OK for a nation to have the equivalent of a self-esteem. Isn't it?

Cee-Jay-Cee

Know the first line sort of but that's it. Never learned and don't want to learn it ever as I simply don't like it as a piece of music or song.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Speedwell wrote: »

See, that bugs me a bit, too. Jingoism is a terrible thing, but it's perfectly OK for a nation to have the equivalent of a self-esteem. Isn't it?

Eh... I'm not a nation? Or did you reply to the wrong post..?

Samaris

Yiiiis and nooo. I can sing it, but it's a bit phonetic. It was drilled in at some stage, but I never really associated the sounds with the meanings of the words, so a native speaker might wonder what the hell I was singing about.

Also, the line that ends in "bearna baoil" tends to get replaced with "This is the line that no-one knows" because it scans and I can never recall the first half of it.

failinis

Peregrine wrote: »

Yes, I can sing it in both Irish and English.

I was taught the Irish version in school and I looked up the English version later. I can't say that I've ever had to sing it in English but it's good to know what the words mean.

Same as. Was taught in school as a excuse to teach some Irish to be fair.

corner of hells

I can sing it and I know the dance

PARlance

misterbizmuth wrote: »

It was never a requirement for any exam or curriculum. Therefore by age 17 and leaving secondary school I therefore saw no reason why I should try and do it myself when nobody else was ever bothered.

That's the spirit, soldier.

SEPT 23 1989

It's a terrible dirge

It needs a good remix to blow the cobwebs off it

Speedwell

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

Eh... I'm not a nation? Or did you reply to the wrong post..?

I was pretty sure I was talking about a nation, so since you are not a nation, I am pretty sure I was really not talking about the jingoism that you do not have or the self-esteem that I am sure is perfectly adequate in your individual case.

Speedwell

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

It's a terrible dirge

It needs a good remix to blow the cobwebs off it

It would gain a lot if it was played gently and freely on the guitar or violins, I think. Maybe even a symphonic sort of treatment. A brass band is exactly what's wrong with the thing.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Speedwell wrote: »

I was pretty sure I was talking about a nation, so since you are not a nation, I am pretty sure I was really not talking about the jingoism that you do not have or the self-esteem that I am sure is perfectly adequate in your individual case.

Ok. Wrong post, so.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

Speedwell wrote: »

I'm an immigrant and a musician, and it bugged me that I didn't know the national anthem. All I know is the tune, though. Nobody around here is interested in teaching a middle-aged American woman Irish, for love or for money.

Says who? I'd probably do it for love. Conas atá tú?

lawlolawl

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

It's a terrible dirge

It needs a good remix to blow the cobwebs off it

Needs a few Pitbull-style airhorns in the middle of it along with numerous bass drops.

Also, guest vocals by Fetty Wap.

Lyaiera

I don't know it. I was never taught it (or maybe I ignored a teacher teaching it.) I have no particular interest in learning it. If I was somehow picked for a sporting event where singing anthems was traditional I'd probably learn it. However given my age and rotundity that's unlikely.

I do know the lyrics to Flower of Scotland. And I've sung it with many pissed Scots (I was generally pissed too.)

runnerholic

Shovin' connie around the field

Avatar MIA

Of course,

'Ireland, Ireland. Come the day and come the hour...'















Nah, Amhrán na bhFiann is dreadful. Know a few lines phonetically, but it doesn't have the stirring effect of the French or Welsh anthems.

But, at least we have an anthem. Unlike Britain, who have an ode to a person.

Malari

Avatar MIA wrote: »

Of course,

'Ireland, Ireland. Come the day and come the hour...'

That's the one I know too! I know the tune of the other one though.

cdeb

I know the whole thing (well, chorus anyway) in Irish, but I don't really know what the second half in particular actually translates as. And I'm quite happy with that balance, seeing as most anthems seem to just be about killing your enemy anyway.

riffmongous

Speedwell wrote: »

I'm an immigrant and a musician, and it bugged me that I didn't know the national anthem. All I know is the tune, though. Nobody around here is interested in teaching a middle-aged American woman Irish, for love or for money.

Is the problem pronouncing the words? If you know the tune it's a pretty good start

It starts with 'shin-ne fee-ana faw-l, a-taw fwee gyal egg air-er-inn'

Do I? No.

Why not? Because it's in another language. And because the concept of a national anthem is very silly in 2016.

Speedwell

riffmongous wrote: »

Is the problem pronouncing the words? If you know the tune it's a pretty good start

It starts with 'shin-ne fee-ana faw-l, a-taw fwee gyal egg air-er-inn'

OK, then. I'm the sort of chorister who chose to take Latin in high school, when it was very much optional in the US, because we sang in Latin in choir class and in church (to confuse all of you worthy Irish people, I was brought up Presbyterian). I worked hard to perfect my pronunciation and understanding of Hindu mantras for meditation. I guess I inwardly cringe at the idea of sounding like I learned a bunch of nonsense syllables by rote. But when you come down to brass tacks it's better than standing there with a silly smile while everyone else is doing their best.

riffmongous

Speedwell wrote: »

OK, then. I'm the sort of chorister who chose to take Latin in high school, when it was very much optional in the US, because we sang in Latin in choir class and in church (to confuse all of you worthy Irish people, I was brought up Presbyterian). I worked hard to perfect my pronunciation and understanding of Hindu mantras for meditation. I guess I inwardly cringe at the idea of sounding like I learned a bunch of nonsense syllables by rote. But when you come down to brass tacks it's better than standing there with a silly smile while everyone else is doing their best.

Well, consider it a start until you have time to take an irish class

Barry Badrinath

Deleted User wrote: »

And because the concept of a national anthem is very silly in 2016.

And why is that?

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

KERSPLAT!

I asked in secondary school to be taught it, music teacher had no interest. Unfortunately I don't know it, to my shame. Something I will have to rectify

Lady is a tramp

Yup. I went to the Gaelteacht a few times, and every morning and evening we had to stand in a big circle out in the yard and sing the whole thing.

It's a pity really that it's not taught in primary or secondary school, or at least it wasn't in the schools I went to.

mickoneill31

misterbizmuth wrote: »

I can't. The reason being no one ever deemed it necessary to teach it to me in school.

Well that bits not right. I'd hope you're capable of learning plenty of stuff and don't need somebody to teach you everything.

indioblack

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

I know the basic humming and grunting noises to get through it.

"You hum it son 'an I'll play it".

Dravokivich

Nope, it's a song I never had much interest in and then again I don't generally remember the words to songs I do have interest in.

Conall Cernach

Peregrine wrote: »

Yes, I can sing it in both Irish and English.

I was taught the Irish version in school and I looked up the English version later. I can't say that I've ever had to sing it in English but it's good to know what the words mean.

There is no English version of the National Anthem of Ireland. It is never sung in English at official engagements or anything like that. The words of the Soldeirs Song are also slightly different to a direct translation to Amhran na bhFiann.

LightsStillOn

This is the real national anthem in my eyes

Shenshen

No, I've only ever heard it maybe 3 times altogether since I came here.

I was taught the German one in school, though. And the English one, and the French one.

Agricola

Sine Fine Fail, ata fwee yowl egg Eireann
Laa daa da daa la daaa daaaaa, da da daaa daaaaaaaaa....

Stasi 2.0

Shenshen wrote: »

I was taught the German one in school, though..

Risen from the Ruins or the other one ?

Samaris

Speedwell wrote: »

I'm an immigrant and a musician, and it bugged me that I didn't know the national anthem. All I know is the tune, though. Nobody around here is interested in teaching a middle-aged American woman Irish, for love or for money.

Sinne Fianna Fáil,
atá faoi gheall ag Éirinn,
Buíon dár slua
thar toinn do ráinig chughainn,
Faoi mhóid bheith saor
Seantír ár sinsear feasta,
Ní fhágfar faoin tíorán ná faoin tráill.
Anocht a théam sa bhearna baoil,
Le gean ar Ghaeil, chun báis nó saoil,
Le gunna scréach faoi lámhach na bpiléar,
Seo libh canaig amhrán na bhfiann

"Sheena Feena Fall,
ataw fwee yalla Air-en
Bween dor slue
Har theen do rawnig coom
Fwee boid beh sare
Shan-teer or sheenshar fast-ah
Nee fhawg-for fween teerawn naw fween trall
Anokt a (t)hame sa bearna bail
Le ge-ann ar Gail, cun baws no sale
Le ganna skreak fwee lawvach na bil-air
Shoh live kyanna av-rawn na veen."

In more or less phonetic Irish. Munster phonetic Irish, before any Leinster or Connacht people squash me It's as well to listen to it on Youtube or sometihng with the lyrics to get a better idea of it. Some words just don't work well when written phonetically- like "ann" which in English is pronounced in a flat way, as in the name, and in Irish is ..more like awn, but it isn't because that's also an English word with its own specific pronunciation. Own? Dammit, no, still doesn't work. Ow-en..? Only if the Ow is pronounced as it would be in the exclamation and not like in the name Owen.

Stupid language.

Speedwell

Samaris wrote: »

In more or less phonetic Irish. Munster phonetic Irish, before any Leinster or Connacht people squash me

I'm sure any people here in Connacht wouldn't recognize it when I get done with it anyway, lol. (Would "aun" do for the phoneme you describe?)

I once raised a laugh from a few Irish people by describing Irish spelling as "throw out half the alphabet and spell at random with the remainder". I am gradually getting a better sense of it from street signs and dual-language documentation from the government and public utilities, and I know just enough linguistics to realise that there is actually a correct approach, but I don't quite know what it is yet. I am undoubtedly making it more complicated than it is (if that's possible).

Samaris

Speedwell wrote: »

I'm sure any people here in Connacht wouldn't recognize it when I get done with it anyway, lol. (Would "aun" do for the phoneme you describe?)

I once raised a laugh from a few Irish people by describing Irish spelling as "throw out half the alphabet and spell at random with the remainder". I am gradually getting a better sense of it from street signs and dual-language documentation from the government and public utilities, and I know just enough linguistics to realise that there is actually a correct approach, but I don't quite know what it is yet.

Aun works! I was sitting here saying it over and over trying to get a good collection of letters for it.

And hee, yeah, several foreign friends (primarily Scandinavians) have much the same opinion! Especially of some of the odder Irish names like Meabh, Aoibhe, Saidhbh, Caoimhe and the likes.

Lyaiera

Samaris wrote: »

Aun works! I was sitting here saying it over and over trying to get a good collection of letters for it.

And hee, yeah, several foreign friends (primarily Scandinavians) have much the same opinion! Especially of some of the odder Irish names like Meabh, Aoibhe, Saidhbh, Caoimhe and the likes.

I think the youtube video I've linked most to people is the one that tells you how to pronounce my Irish name. My online American friends are fascinated, and sometimes appalled at the abuse of the alphabet.

riffmongous

Shenshen wrote: »

No, I've only ever heard it maybe 3 times altogether since I came here.

I was taught the German one in school, though. And the English one, and the French one.

You need to start watching more sports