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

[Deleted User]

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.

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[Deleted User]

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.

[Deleted User]

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.

[Deleted User]

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

The_Mac

Deleted User wrote: »

Do I? No.

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

Ah yes, because we're not allowed to have any national pride, are we?

Stasi 2.0

riffmongous wrote: »

You need to start watching more sports

Thousands of people singing the same tune in a sports stadium is never going to sound anything more than two minutes of incoherent mumbling with a big cheer at the end

Shenshen

Stasi 2.0 wrote: »

Risen from the Ruins
or the other one ?

Both, at the time, now that you mention it

I just had completely forgotten about "Auferstanden aus Ruinen" - I'm a bad Wessi.

Dr Crayfish

I think it's an awful song. I think they tried to teach it to us As Gaeilge in primary school but I never knew past the first Se na Fianna Fail or whatever. Imagine being a Scottish/English player playing for Ireland and attempting to sing that sh*t!

The Rape of Lucretia

I dont know it. I can say its title but couldnt write its title in gaelic without looking up the spelling. I recognise the tune and could hum it. Last line does go something like : "Nollaig hona, our own, baked beans", but thats the best I got.

Good fortune I guess, enabled me to avoid learning it in either language. Leaves you free of nationalist jingoism and the nonsense of an irrational allegiance to a geographic region. Dont plan to make the mistake of learning it at this stage.

[Deleted User]

Samaris wrote: »

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.

That's only the chorus. Any chance of the rest?

Shenshen

riffmongous wrote: »

You need to start watching more sports

That's the three times I heard it so far - I missed Ireland's 2nd match

[Deleted User]

The_Mac wrote: »

Ah yes, because we're not allowed to have any national pride, are we?

You'll have to draw a line there for me toots. Any route from my statement to yours was taken by you under zero direction from me.

FortySeven

I remember being in a pub in Mayo. I was about to kiss a beautiful Polish girl for the first time when an old woman smacked me across the shins with her walking stick shouting at me to stand up. Had no idea what was going on. Some awful music was playing and everyone was standing. I kissed the Polish girl and went home with her.

Always remembered that tune fondly since. Had no idea it was the anthem at the time.

sunny2004

Deleted User wrote: »

You'll have to draw a line there for me toots. Any route from my statement to yours was taken by you under zero direction from me.

I like your style