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

Stasi 2.0 · 02-07-2016 07:39PM

FortySeven wrote: »

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.

Why were they playing "Poland is not yet lost" in a pub in Mayo ?

FortySeven · 02-07-2016 07:51PM

Stasi 2.0 wrote: »

Why were they playing "Poland is not yet lost" in a pub in Mayo ?

That is a truly awful tune too. Luckily I'm Scottish so can claim the anthem high ground here.

To be fair, there we were, a Pole and a Scot in a pub with no idea. It says everything about national anthems. Pointless. I don't stand for the Scottish one and to be honest I no longer really think of myself as Scottish having spent large portions of my life in England, Ireland and Poland. I am European.

I just hope they never let those buffoons that run the place come up with an anthem for us all.

Stasi 2.0 · 02-07-2016 07:56PM

Do TV/radio stations still play national anthems at the end of the night or has that died out with 24 hour broadcasting ?

Its theoretically possible for someone under 30 who doesnt follow major sporting events to never have heard their countries national anthem ?

Shenshen · 02-07-2016 08:03PM

FortySeven wrote: »

That is a truly awful tune too. Luckily I'm Scottish so can claim the anthem high ground here.

To be fair, there we were, a Pole and a Scot in a pub with no idea. It says everything about national anthems. Pointless. I don't stand for the Scottish one and to be honest I no longer really think of myself as Scottish having spent large portions of my life in England, Ireland and Poland. I am European.

I just hope they never let those buffoons that run the place come up with an anthem for us all.

I thought they already had - didn't they pick the "Ode to Joy"? I always liked that tune.

RobertKK · 02-07-2016 08:09PM

Yes, learned it school and can play it on the tin whistle, keyboard and the accordion - the musical instruments I own.

FortySeven · 02-07-2016 08:13PM

Shenshen wrote: »

I thought they already had - didn't they pick the "Ode to Joy"? I always liked that tune.

I stand corrected. I also like that tune.

bazza1 · 02-07-2016 08:14PM

Learned it in school! Printed on the back of school copybooks in the Christian Brother schools!

Lyaiera · 02-07-2016 08:15PM

Edit: Didn't see the rest of the thread.

02-07-2016 08:22PM

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.

I'll sell ya my 3rd class Irish reader, "Bun go Barr" and let Rónán and Síle do the rest.

Easca Peasca · 02-07-2016 08:29PM

Yep, I can write it out or sing it badly :P learned it in school and have remembered it since.

HiJacques · 02-07-2016 08:31PM

I read the Soldier's Song lyrics in English before the learning the Gaelic words, which was easy from having heard it so often apart from the last line.

I know another 5 national anthems but Amhrain Na Fhiann is not something you can learn from a brief visit to Ireland so it's a tangible proof of residence.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 02-07-2016 08:42PM

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

It's a terrible dirge

It needs a good remix to blow the cobwebs off it

Jimmy Hendrix-style electric guitar?

Maireadio · 02-07-2016 08:58PM

I've always found it dreary and have an aversion to the Irish language so have never felt bothered learning it. And no teacher ever pushed us to learn, bless their socks.

CrabRevolution · 02-07-2016 09:48PM

Threads like this tend to get very skewed since most people won't bother answering yes since its the standard, usual, unnoteworthy answer. This results mostly in a thread of people saying no, which is fairly unrepresentative of the population in general (from my experience).

It's similar to a thread a few months ago asking if anyone had a foreign partner. The poll results showed 50% of posters were an Irish/foreign relationship. Most people in an Irish/Irish relationship wasn't going to bother contributing since that isn't noteworthy and they reckon nobody wants to know.

muddypaws · 02-07-2016 10:52PM

Grew up and went to school in the UK, so was never taught it. Learnt The Soldiers Song myself, and know parts of Amhran na bhFiann.

I need to learn it all properly before October, as am going to the Czech Republic to represent Ireland, carried the tricolour in the start parade at the European Championships last year, but couldn't sing the anthem properly, want to rectify it this year. I don't care how jaded other people are, I was immensely proud to carry my national flag at a sporting event, and was equally proud when our national anthem was played with a team mate won gold.

03-07-2016 12:27AM

FortySeven wrote: »

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.

Werent on achill by any chance?

FortySeven · 03-07-2016 12:28AM

Deleted User wrote: »

Werent on achill by any chance?

No, Swinford.

Junkyard Tom · 03-07-2016 01:07AM

Shenshen wrote: »

I thought they already had - didn't they pick the "Ode to Joy"? I always liked that tune.

FortySeven wrote: »

I also like that tune.

Well worth a watch this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM9erS90gTE

Uboat · 03-07-2016 01:22AM

Irish anthem in English?!?! WTF?!?! Never heard that! It should be always in Irish.

Grayson · 03-07-2016 02:15AM

I was never taught it in primary or secondary school. I do have awful memories of it being played in pubs and nightclubs at the end of a night.

I remember once getting a bollocking from a young lad of about 18 because I didn't stand. I was in the corner seat with friends on either side and a table in front. He then proceeded to tell me that people died in 1916 for that song. To which I replied that it was written in the 20's.
I was lucky I had friends with me.

Stasi 2.0 · 03-07-2016 02:22AM

Uboat wrote: »

Irish anthem in English?!?! WTF?!?! Never heard that! It should be always in Irish.

Wasnt it originally written in English ?

markc1184 · 03-07-2016 02:30AM

Yes I know it and can recite it. I learned it in primary school.

caff · 03-07-2016 02:30AM

Stasi 2.0 wrote: »

Wasnt it originally written in English ?

Twas ye

Rosie Rant · 03-07-2016 02:32AM

I'd love to know our national anthem. I actually feel jealous when I see football fans belting it out with passion; I only know the first and last line. I feel tremendous guilt about not knowing the Irish language well enough in general. Recently I watched a bad movie download with the OH and it had no subtitles for German-speaking parts. I was able to translate the German almost word for word for him. But if I was to turn on TG4, it would almost be absolute gobbledigook to me. I don't understand why we were made to say the Our Father every morning in primary school but we were never taught our national anthem. Becoming fluent in Irish and singing our anthem loud and proud would definitely be on my bucket list.

KungPao · 03-07-2016 03:14AM

Dont know a word of it. Maybe id know it if we still sang it in English like it was originally.

feargale · 03-07-2016 03:20AM

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

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

Thanked by some who would get out of bed and stand to attention if they heard another anthem played on the radio.

RDM_83 again · 03-07-2016 01:07PM

Only know first line or two I'm with the other posters though that its a song that was written in English originally so its stupid getting offended at people knowing that version.

I do know a lot more of this song though

cena · 03-07-2016 01:13PM

I don't know it and I don't ever plan on learning it

realdanbreen · 03-07-2016 01:17PM

eviltwin wrote: »

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

The only way todays teachers would teach it is they could do it after horus as grinds and get €60 cash in hand.

ruahead · 03-07-2016 01:26PM

Have a poster with it on in English and Irish bought in Carroll's or the likes on my old bedroom wall. Know the chorus only and may blur a word or two. Love it though

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

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