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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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_Kaiser_

Nope, don't know it.. was never taught it in school and I've never had a reason to learn it since TBH

But if you want a decent anthem I still say this one wins..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U06jlgpMtQs

Ironically I'd probably know that better than the Irish one - although that could be too many Cold War movies growing up!

OldMrBrennan83

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feargale

LordSutch wrote: »

No, because (1) its in a language I don't speak, and (2) its all about Fianna Fail which I don't support.

(2) You are quite mistaken in this. Fail is an ancient name for Ireland, and the Fianna or Fianna Fail were Finn McCool and his comrades in arms in the second century A.D.. The name as in the anthem was hijacked by the party, not vice versa.

(1) A good reason for having an anthem partly or fully in English would be that it would doubtless give rise to wider rendition. But Ireland is not unique in having an anthem which contains no word of the majority language. Other examples are Ethiopia, Fiji, Papua-NewGuinea, East Timor and Monaco, the last of which mirrors the Irish case in that the Monegasque anthem is in what was formerly the universal language of the principality but is now a minority tongue.
And we shouldn't forget the Welsh anthem, in a language known by less than twenty per cent of the people. If there has been any controversy about this I don't know about it.

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

No I don't know it because A) National anthems are silly

That statement puts you in very good company. The only country in recent times without a national anthem was Afghanistan under the Taliban.

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

I don't speak Irish.

Another good reason to remain silent when your country ( if I'm not presumptious in calling it that ) is about to commence battle in the FIFA world cup or the tiddlywinks world cup or whatever activity prompts you to show loyalty to the land of your birth.

I don't speak Chinese myself. I'm not proud of the fact.

Arcade_Tryer

feargale wrote: »

That statement puts you in very good company. The only country in recent times without a national anthem was Afghanistan under the Taliban.

A progressive move in fairness. Even a broken watch is right twice a day. Go Taliban!

Another good reason to remain silent when your country ( if I'm not presumptious in calling it that ) is about to commence battle in the FIFA world cup or the tiddlywinks world cup or whatever activity prompts you to show loyalty to the land of your birth.

I don't speak Chinese myself. I'm not proud of the fact.

Your country? Just because someone is born in or becomes a citizen of a country, it doesn't mean they belong to that country or necessairly have any affection or respect for the rituals, history or culture of that country. Many people are born in Ireland but a lot of those people do not consider themselves "Irish". We're all humans at the end of the day, born within different boundaries set out by Governments and officials. I'd refer to myself as European rather than Irish for example.

With regards the national anthem; I don't know the words, don't wish to know the words and don't really care too much for what it means. But I do stand for it when at a match or an event and others are standing as it's polite and kind of respectful.

feargale

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

Even a broken watch is right twice a day. Go Taliban!

Aye. France, Germany, UK, etc etc all out of step except yourself and the Taliban. Go broken watches!

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

Your country?

Yes, my country. You have a problem with that?

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

Just because someone is born in or becomes a citizen of a country, it doesn't mean they belong to that country or necessairly have any affection or respect for the rituals, history or culture of that country.

You're possibly thinking of the Duke of Wellington. But you can forget about acquiring citizenship in Denmark or the USA, to cite just two examples, if that's your attitude.

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

Many people are born in Ireland but a lot of those people do not consider themselves "Irish".

Alot? Some children of immigrants, maybe, especially if they are focused on eventually returning to their ancestral land. And maybe a small number of children of the minority of a minority who never reconciled themselves to the founding of the independent Irish state.

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

We're all humans at the end of the day, born within different boundaries set out by Governments and officials. I'd refer to myself as European rather than Irish for example.

Yes, I suppose "European" is more sophisticated than "Irish", even if the Brits and the IMF proved themselves more decent than our European masters when we had our great difficulties. But then you have 16 teams to support in the UEFA finals, a win win situation. So, when you're asked your nationality by, say a Chinese, do you answer European or human?

Arcade_Tryer

feargale wrote: »

Aye. France, Germany, UK, etc etc all out of step except yourself and the Taliban. Go broken watches!

Nothing necessarily wrong with national anthems. Nothing great about them either. But it's when people take them too seriously and project their own personal views concerning them onto others where the problems arise.

Yes, my country. You have a problem with that?

Yes, in general. If you feel it's your country that's fine. I find the idea of claiming to belong to a country regressive nationalistic nonsense.

You're possibly thinking of the Duke of Wellington. But you can forget about acquiring citizenship in Denmark or the USA, to cite just two examples, if that's your attitude.

Wrong. Anyone can study for a test and show respect for something without actually having any respect for it. Though I do respect many of the ideals the US was built on.

Alot? Some children of immigrants, maybe, especially if they are focused on eventually returning to their ancestral land. And maybe a small number of children of the minority of a minority who never reconciled themselves to the founding of the independent Irish state.

Try hundreds of thousands. I know many of my own family and friends from rural parts of Ireland who have no affiliation to "Ireland" or what it means to be "Irish" outside of working hard and contributing to the country's economy and culture. Not necessarily the typical "Irish culture" of speaking Irish, singing the anthem or playing silly games of GAA football that others dictate.

Yes, I suppose "European" is more sophisticated than "Irish", even if the Brits and the IMF proved themselves more decent than our European masters when we had our great difficulties. But then you have 16 teams to support in the UEFA finals, a win win situation. So, when you're asked your nationality by, say a Chinese, do you answer European or human?

Sophisticated I'm not so sure. More sensible yes. And progressive I would argue. I supported Ireland for a few games for some interest but supported France in the second half of the knockout game against Ireland as they played better football and deserved to win. I don't acknowledge the idea of nationality. I suppose I would say I was born in Ireland if they asked. Human first. European second. Born in Ireland a simple irrelevant fact in the grand scheme of things.

Arne_Saknussem

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

Nothing necessarily wrong with national anthems. Nothing great about them either. But it's when people take them too seriously and project their own personal views concerning them onto others where the problems arise.

Yes, in general. If you feel it's your country that's fine. I find the idea of claiming to belong to a country regressive nationalistic nonsense.

Wrong. Anyone can study for a test and show respect for something without actually having any respect for it. Though I do respect many of the ideals the US was built on.

Try hundreds of thousands. I know many of my own family and friends from rural parts of Ireland who have no affiliation to "Ireland" or what it means to be "Irish" outside of working hard and contributing to the country's economy and culture. Not necessarily the typical "Irish culture" of speaking Irish, singing the anthem or playing silly games of GAA football that others dictate.

Sophisticated I'm not so sure. More sensible yes. And progressive I would argue. I supported Ireland for a few games for some interest but supported France in the second half of the knockout game against Ireland as they played better football and deserved to win. I don't acknowledge the idea of nationality. I suppose I would say I was born in Ireland if they asked. Human first. European second. Born in Ireland a simple irrelevant fact in the grand scheme of things.

This is a piss take right?

Arcade_Tryer

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

This is a piss take right?

No. Just something that will hopefully become apparent to yourself and others in 50 years.

Arne_Saknussem

Excellent satire, gave me a good laugh anyway.

Arcade_Tryer

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

Excellent satire, gave me a good laugh anyway.

Thanks. The best satire has the most semblance of truth.

Arne_Saknussem

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

Thanks. The best satire has the most semblance of truth.

It does, we're all ever so impressed by you

FizzleSticks

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martingriff

FizzleSticks wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

An bhfuil cead agam go di on leitheris

feargale

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

No. Just something that will hopefully become apparent to yourself and others in 50 years.

This sounds like a reference to the Second Coming. Be sure to get your disciples to write it all down and appoint an authority to interpret it to lesser mortals.

gormdubhgorm

Yes. Learnt it at school. Sing it at sports events and if it is played at closing times in pubs...

gormdubhgorm

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

A progressive move in fairness. Even a broken watch is right twice a day. Go Taliban!

Your country? Just because someone is born in or becomes a citizen of a country, it doesn't mean they belong to that country or necessairly have any affection or respect for the rituals, history or culture of that country. Many people are born in Ireland but a lot of those people do not consider themselves "Irish". We're all humans at the end of the day, born within different boundaries set out by Governments and officials. I'd refer to myself as European rather than Irish for example.

With regards the national anthem; I don't know the words, don't wish to know the words and don't really care too much for what it means. But I do stand for it when at a match or an event and others are standing as it's polite and kind of respectful.

It is harder not to learn it then it is to learn it. It must take plenty of effort on your part to ignore it and pretend it does not exist!?

Arcade_Tryer

feargale wrote: »

This sounds like a reference to the Second Coming. Be sure to get your disciples to write it all down and appoint an authority to interpret it to lesser mortals.

No need to attempt to play the victim or whatever point you're trying to make. The fact is that Irish is a dead language and has been for decades, and a small band of people with intensely passionate patriotic and nationalistic beliefs are attempting to keep it alive. Which is fine. But they are only succeeding in doing so by forcing their personal ideals on the rest of the nation through compulsory learning in schools and relentless lobbying of the Government to waste millions in tax on translations etc. That is not right. And no rational or passionate argument can convince me or many others that is is.

Arcade_Tryer

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

It is harder not to learn it then it is to learn it.

That's simply not true. And what's more you know it's not true.

It must take plenty of effort on your part to ignore it and pretend it does not exist!?

It takes very little effort to ignore it as I rarely come across it. And I never said I pretend it does not exist.

FortySeven

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

No need to attempt to play the victim or whatever point you're trying to make. The fact is that Irish is a dead language and has been for decades, and a small band of people with intensely passionate patriotic and nationalistic beliefs are attempting to keep it alive. Which is fine. But they are only succeeding in doing so by forcing their personal ideals on the rest of the nation through compulsory learning in schools and relentless lobbying of the Government to waste millions in tax on translations etc. That is not right. And no rational or passionate argument can convince me or many others that is is.

Yes. This.

FortySeven

FortySeven wrote: »

Yes. This.

What's the Irish for car park? Broadband? Anxiety disorder? Homosexual? Microwave? Passive house? Diesel particulate filter?

It's not a dead language, its buried.

learn_more

I've just realised that national anthems are completely irrelevant.

timthumbni

Do youse still play it at the end of the night in nightclubs when everyone is pissed and eeeeing off their head?

That was truely bizarre.

johnnyryan89

Yes learnt it in sixth class. Former Irish rugby player Gerry McLoughlin was our teacher and taught us the national anthem. I think it was the only bit of Irish he taught us and apart from that can barely string two sentences together in Irish apart from simple stuff like hello, how are you and what is your name.

FortySeven

johnnyryan89 wrote: »

Yes learnt it in sixth class. Former Irish rugby player Gerry McLoughlin was our teacher and taught us the national anthem. I think it was the only bit of Irish he taught us and apart from that can barely string two sentences together in Irish apart from simple stuff like hello, how are you and what is your name.

Like most civil servants, politicians and teachers. I feel sorry for them having to pretend they can hold their own in a conversation with some nothing islander.

Arcade_Tryer

FortySeven wrote: »

Like most civil servants, politicians and teachers. I feel sorry for them having to pretend they can hold their own in a conversation with some nothing islander.

I've dealt with people on welfare and people whose wealth could buy an island, but it's rare you come across any of them with the same level as entitlement as the "Irish speaker". It's funny how the Polish, Lithuanian, Indian and hundreds of other language speakers in Ireland don't have the same superiority complex.

Caoimhgh1n

Of course I know my county's national anthem..

madmaggie

I only know it in English. It was printed in the back of the history book in national school.

gormdubhgorm

Arcade_Tryer wrote: »

That's simply not true. And what's more you know it's not true. It takes very little effort to ignore it as I rarely come across it. And I never said I pretend it does not exist.

Ah come off it it is 11 lines! 11! Some have three words max see the chorus in wkipedia.
https://eAmhrán_na_bhFiannn.wikipedia.org/wiki/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg9QekmZ-iM

It takes about 3 and half minutes to sing the national anthem as above.

You would have it learnt in an hour.

Even Mick McCarthy (former Irish soccer manager) managed to learn it phonetically and he would hardly call himself a genius!

gormdubhgorm

Caoimhgh1n wrote: »

Of course I know my county's national anthem..

As you should. What get's me is that some Irish people are proud not to know it!
The same people (no doubt) who make sure to say "t g four" when saying tg4!
:rolleyes:

Jayus....

Arcade_Tryer

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Ah come off it it is 11 lines! 11! Some have two words see the chorus in wkipedia.

It takes about 3 and half minutes to stand for the national anthem as above.

Yeah. But there are so many other songs I would rather sing and know the words to. I have absolutely no wish to learn the words to the national anthem. And it would take a while to memorise them. And I do stand for the anthem when at matches, mostly so as not to cause any problems with some of the more passionate or patriotic attendees. And because it's kind of respectful as said. Though not really.