Amhrán na bhFiann
Encyclopedia
(ˈəuɾˠaːn̪ˠ n̪ˠə ˈvʲiːən̪ˠ) ("The Soldiers' Song" in English) is the national anthem
of Ireland
. The music was composed by Peadar Kearney
and Patrick Heeney
, and the original English lyrics were authored (as "A Soldiers' Song") by Kearney. It is sung in the Irish language translation made by Liam Ó Rinn. The song has three verses, but the national anthem consists of the chorus only. The Presidential Salute, played when the President of Ireland
arrives at an official engagement, consists of the first four bars of the national anthem immediately followed by the last five.
and music by Kearney and Patrick Heeney. The first draft, handwritten on copybook paper, sold at auction in Dublin in 2006 for €760,000. The text was first published in Irish Freedom by Bulmer Hobson
in 1912. It was used as marching song by the Irish Volunteers
and was sung by rebels in the General Post Office
(GPO) during the Easter Rising
of 1916. Its popularity increased among rebels held in Frongoch internment camp
after the Rising, and the Irish Republican Army
(IRA) in the Irish War of Independence
(1919–21). After the establishment of the Irish Free State
in 1922, a large proportion of the IRA's men and apparatus became the National Army
. The "Soldiers' Song" remained popular as an Army tune, and was played at many military functions.
provoked a desire to avoid controversy. Ex-Unionists continued to regard "God Save the King
" as the national anthem, as it had been for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
, and as it was for other Commonwealth Realm
s such as Australia
and Canada
. W. T. Cosgrave, President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State
, on 28 April 1924, expressed opposition to replacing the "Soldiers' Song", which was provisionally used within the State. Sean Lester, Publicist at the Department of External Affairs
considered "The Soldiers' Song" to be "hardly suitable in words or music". and favoured the music, though not the words, of "Let Erin Remember". This was used as the anthem for the state at the 1924 Olympics
in Paris, and other events abroad for the next two years. The Dublin Evening Mail
held contests in 1924 and 1925 to find verses for a new anthem; the first produced no sufficiently good entry, and the second's winning entry was soon forgotten.
There was concern that the lack of an official anthem was giving Unionists an opportunity to persist with "God Save the King". The "Soldiers' Song" was widely if unofficially sung by nationalists, and on 12 July 1926, the Executive Council
decided to adopt its as the National Anthem, with Cosgrave the driving force in the decision. This decision was not publicised. On 20 June 1926, Osmond Esmonde asked in the Dáil
what the National Anthem was. Ceann Comhairle
Michael Hayes
stated 'If the Deputy desires to investigate any problem in regard to the National Anthem, he cannot ask a question of the President. The President cannot be asked to define what is the National Anthem. It is not part of his functions.' Esmonde then asked Minister for Defence
Peter Hughes
what 'as far as the Army is concerned' was the National Anthem; Hughes responded simply 'The "Soldiers' Song."'
In 1928, the Army band established the practice of playing only the chorus of the song as the Anthem, because the longer version was discouraging audiences from singing along. Also in 1928, Chief Justice Hugh Kennedy
, returning from an official trip to North America, reported that an official arrangement of the music was "very badly needed" for circulation abroad. This was produced in July 1929 by Colonel Fritz Brasé, director of the Army band. This consisted only of the chorus, and was published under the title "The Soldier's Song", rather than "A Soldier's Song" or the "Soldiers' Song".
The anthem was played by Radio Éireann at closedown from its inception in 1926. Cinemas and theatres did so from 1932 until 1972. Peadar Kearney, who had received royalties
from publishers of the text and music, issued legal proceedings for royalties from those now performing the anthem. He was joined by Michael Heeney, brother of Patrick Heeney, who had died in 1911. In 1934, the Department of Finance
acquired the copyright of the song for the sum of £1,200. Copyright law changed in 1959, such that the government had to reacquire copyright in 1965, for £2,500.
In the Dáil debate preceding the original acquisition of copyright, there was discussion of the song's merits or lack thereof. Frank MacDermot
said, "Leaving out sentiment, I must confess, from both a literary and a musical point of view, I would regard the “Soldier's Song” as, shall we say, a jaunty little piece of vulgarity, and I think we could have done a lot better.". Thomas F. O'Higgins
responded, "National Anthems come about, not because of the suitability of the particular words or notes, but because they are adopted generally by the nation. That is exactly how the “Soldiers' Song” became a National Anthem in this country. It happened to be the Anthem on the lips of the people when they came into their own and when the outsiders evacuated the country and left the insiders here to make the best or the worst of the country. It was adopted by the people here before ever it was adopted by the Executive Council".
The anthem is recommended, but not required, to be taught as part of the civics
syllabus in national schools.
was the King's representative and, as such, Unionists considered that the appropriate Vice Regal Salute was the Imperial Anthem "God Save the King" rather than the Free State Anthem. In 1929, Governor-General James McNeill
refused to attend a public function in Trinity College
when he learned that the university intended to play "God Save the King" rather than "The Soldiers' Song" during his visit. In 1932
, Éamon de Valera
became President of the Executive Council; as part of his campaign to abolish the office of Governor-General, he forbade the Army band to play "The Soldiers' Song" in McNeill's presence.
, who was involved in the Irish versions of both the 1922 Constitution
and the 1937 Constitution
. Although Sherry says the Irish version was first published in An tÓglach (the magazine of the Irish Defence Forces
) on 3 November 1923, an almost identical text had been printed in the Freeman's Journal
on 3 April 1923, under Ó Rinn's pen name "Coinneach". It may have been written as early as 1917. Several earlier translations had been made, which Ó Rinn criticised as unreadable. These were in literary Classical Irish, whereas Ó Rinn favoured the living vernacular
spoken in Gaeltacht
areas. Other Irish translations were made, including one sung by Claisceadal in University College Galway in December 1931. From the 1930s, the Gaelic Athletic Association
encouraged singing the anthem in Irish at its matches. The text of the Ó Rinn version was printed in the 1933 edition of An Camán. The text was printed in the programs of matches at Croke Park
, and the crowd was led via the public address
system by singers from St Patrick's College of Education and Conradh na Gaeilge
.
In recent decades, the English version has been almost totally eclipsed, and many Irish people do not realise it is the original. The English version was sung in Canada
during a state visit by President Mary McAleese
in 1998, and at the 2004 Ryder Cup
in the United States. The latter prompted objections from Fáilte Ireland
, and what Gaeltacht Minister
Éamon Ó Cuív
called "an outcry" from viewers in Ireland.
The Irish version is a free translation of the English; in particular, “Sinne Fianna Fáil” is not a literal translation
of “Soldiers are we”. Fianna Fáil, variously translated as "Soldiers of Destiny", "Warriors of Destiny" or "Soldiers of Ireland", is from the Irish Fianna
("band of warriors") of Fál
("destiny", "Ireland"). As an Irish name for the Irish Volunteers
, it was an alternative to Óglaigh na hÉireann
. The initials “FF” appeared on the Volunteer badge, and subsequently on that of the Irish Army
. On 2 April 1926, "Fianna Fáil" was chosen as the name of Éamon de Valera's new political party
. Since the Irish version of the anthem became popular in the 1930s, there has been intermittent resentment of the party name's occurring in it. Publishers Browne & Nolan printed a version in 1938 substituting "Sinne laochra fáil" for "Sinne Fianna Fáil" (laochra = "heroes", "warriors"), which is occasionally heard instead.
It is unclear whether the official anthem is the music alone, or the text also. Both the English and Irish texts appear in Facts about Ireland, published by the Department of Foreign Affairs
, and on the official website of the Department of the Taoiseach
.
However, no Irish version has been officially adopted, and Ó Rinn, unlike Kearney and Heeney's estate, never received royalties. A memorandum in the Department of the Taoiseach on 5 April 1958 discussed five distinct Irish translations, noting that Ó Rinn's was the best known; it suggested that, if it were to be officially endorsed, the spelling and grammar should be standardised and the words "Fianna Fáil" changed to "laochra Fáil" to avoid party-political associations.
as the national anthem of the whole island of Ireland
, and it is therefore sung, for example, at Gaelic Athletic Association
matches held in Northern Ireland
as well as in the Republic of Ireland. Unionists, however, reject this use of "Amhrán na bhFiann". At international games played by the all-island rugby union team
, the specially commissioned song "Ireland's Call
" is used; "Amhrán na bhFiann" is used only within the Republic. "Ireland's Call" has also been adopted by all-island teams in some other sports. There is some debate about whether the words of the anthem are inappropriate. Questions in the Dáil have been asked by John Browne
in 2000; Derek McDowell
in 1995; Trevor Sargent
in 1993; Frank MacDermot
in 1932. In a debate during the 2011 presidential election, two of the seven candidates were open to changing the anthem.
time. Different tempo
s may be used, however, and the verse and chorus are occasionally played. Radio Telefís Éireann
(RTÉ), the Irish national broadcasting company, played an orchestra
l version in a slow tempo at the close of transmission from 1962 onwards. At the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Atlanta, when Michelle Smith
won three gold medal
s in swimming
, the verse and chorus were played in a lively tempo.
foe") in Ireland ("Inisfail"). There are allusions to earlier Irish rebellions, and to support from Irishmen from the United States
("a land beyond the wave") and elsewhere (for example, Republican leaders such as Éamon de Valera
and James Connolly
were born in New York
and Scotland
respectively)
' sheet music.
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. The music was composed by Peadar Kearney
Peadar Kearney
Peadar Kearney was an Irish republican and composer of numerous rebel songs. In 1907 he wrote the lyrics to "The Soldier's Song" , now the Irish national anthem.-Background:...
and Patrick Heeney
Patrick Heeney
Patrick "Paddy" Heeney , sometimes spelt Heaney, was an Irish composer whose most famous work is the music to the Irish national anthem "Amhrán na bhFiann" .-Background:...
, and the original English lyrics were authored (as "A Soldiers' Song") by Kearney. It is sung in the Irish language translation made by Liam Ó Rinn. The song has three verses, but the national anthem consists of the chorus only. The Presidential Salute, played when the President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
arrives at an official engagement, consists of the first four bars of the national anthem immediately followed by the last five.
Origins
"A Soldiers' Song" was composed in 1907, with words by Peadar KearneyPeadar Kearney
Peadar Kearney was an Irish republican and composer of numerous rebel songs. In 1907 he wrote the lyrics to "The Soldier's Song" , now the Irish national anthem.-Background:...
and music by Kearney and Patrick Heeney. The first draft, handwritten on copybook paper, sold at auction in Dublin in 2006 for €760,000. The text was first published in Irish Freedom by Bulmer Hobson
Bulmer Hobson
John Bulmer Hobson was a leading member of the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Republican Brotherhood before the Easter Rising in 1916...
in 1912. It was used as marching song by the Irish Volunteers
Irish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists. It was ostensibly formed in response to the formation of the Ulster Volunteers in 1912, and its declared primary aim was "to secure and maintain the rights and liberties common to the whole people of Ireland"...
and was sung by rebels in the General Post Office
General Post Office (Dublin)
The General Post Office ' in Dublin is the headquarters of the Irish postal service, An Post, and Dublin's principal post office...
(GPO) during the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
of 1916. Its popularity increased among rebels held in Frongoch internment camp
Frongoch internment camp
Frongoch internment camp at Frongoch in Merionethshire, Wales was a makeshift place of imprisonment during the First World War. Until 1916 it housed German prisoners of war in an abandoned distillery and crude huts, but in the wake of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin, Ireland, the German prisoners...
after the Rising, and the Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
(IRA) in the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
(1919–21). After the establishment of the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
in 1922, a large proportion of the IRA's men and apparatus became the National Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
. The "Soldiers' Song" remained popular as an Army tune, and was played at many military functions.
Official adoption
The Free State did not initially adopt any official anthem. The delicate political state in the aftermath of the Civil WarIrish Civil War
The Irish Civil War was a conflict that accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State as an entity independent from the United Kingdom within the British Empire....
provoked a desire to avoid controversy. Ex-Unionists continued to regard "God Save the King
God Save the Queen
"God Save the Queen" is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown Dependencies. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the current monarch, with "King" replacing "Queen", "he" replacing "she", and so forth, when a king reigns...
" as the national anthem, as it had been for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
, and as it was for other Commonwealth Realm
Commonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
s such as Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. W. T. Cosgrave, President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State
President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State
The President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State was the head of government or prime minister of the Irish Free State which existed from 1922 to 1937...
, on 28 April 1924, expressed opposition to replacing the "Soldiers' Song", which was provisionally used within the State. Sean Lester, Publicist at the Department of External Affairs
Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland)
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a department of the Government of Ireland that is responsible for promoting the interests of Ireland in the European Union and the wider world...
considered "The Soldiers' Song" to be "hardly suitable in words or music". and favoured the music, though not the words, of "Let Erin Remember". This was used as the anthem for the state at the 1924 Olympics
Ireland at the 1924 Summer Olympics
Ireland, then known as the Irish Free State, competed as an independent nation for the first time at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France....
in Paris, and other events abroad for the next two years. The Dublin Evening Mail
Dublin Evening Mail
The Dublin Evening Mail was between 1823 and 1962 one of Dublin's evening newspapers.-Origins:Launched in 1823, it proved to be the longest lasting evening paper in Ireland...
held contests in 1924 and 1925 to find verses for a new anthem; the first produced no sufficiently good entry, and the second's winning entry was soon forgotten.
There was concern that the lack of an official anthem was giving Unionists an opportunity to persist with "God Save the King". The "Soldiers' Song" was widely if unofficially sung by nationalists, and on 12 July 1926, the Executive Council
Executive Council of the Irish Free State
The Executive Council was the cabinet and de facto executive branch of government of the 1922–1937 Irish Free State. Formally, the role of the Executive Council was to "aid and advise" the Governor-General who would exercise the executive authority on behalf of the King...
decided to adopt its as the National Anthem, with Cosgrave the driving force in the decision. This decision was not publicised. On 20 June 1926, Osmond Esmonde asked in the Dáil
Dáil Éireann (Irish Free State)
Dáil Éireann served as the directly elected lower house of the Oireachtas of the Irish Free State from 1922 to 1937. The Free State constitution described the role of the house as that of a "Chamber of Deputies". Until 1936 the Free State Oireachtas also included an upper house known as the Seanad...
what the National Anthem was. Ceann Comhairle
Ceann Comhairle
The Ceann Comhairle is the chairman of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. The person who holds the position is elected by members of the Dáil from among their number in the first session after each general election...
Michael Hayes
Michael Hayes (politician)
Michael Hayes was an Irish politician. He was elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1921 general election and served until 1933. He served as Minister for Education during 1922...
stated 'If the Deputy desires to investigate any problem in regard to the National Anthem, he cannot ask a question of the President. The President cannot be asked to define what is the National Anthem. It is not part of his functions.' Esmonde then asked Minister for Defence
Minister for Defence (Ireland)
The Minister for Defence is the senior minister at the Department of Defence in the Government of Ireland. Under new arrangements this department is being merged with the Department of Justice over which Mr. Shatter will also preside....
Peter Hughes
Peter Hughes (politician)
Peter Hughes was an Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 1921 general election as a Sinn Féin Teachta Dála for Louth–Meath. As a supporter of the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 he later went on to join Cumann na nGaedheal. He was appointed to the Cabinet in 1924, serving as...
what 'as far as the Army is concerned' was the National Anthem; Hughes responded simply 'The "Soldiers' Song."'
In 1928, the Army band established the practice of playing only the chorus of the song as the Anthem, because the longer version was discouraging audiences from singing along. Also in 1928, Chief Justice Hugh Kennedy
Hugh Kennedy
Hugh Kennedy was the only Attorney-General of Southern Ireland and the first Attorney-General of the Irish Free State, and later the first Chief Justice of the Irish Free State. As a member of the Irish Free State Constitution Commission, he was also one of the constitutional architects of the...
, returning from an official trip to North America, reported that an official arrangement of the music was "very badly needed" for circulation abroad. This was produced in July 1929 by Colonel Fritz Brasé, director of the Army band. This consisted only of the chorus, and was published under the title "The Soldier's Song", rather than "A Soldier's Song" or the "Soldiers' Song".
The anthem was played by Radio Éireann at closedown from its inception in 1926. Cinemas and theatres did so from 1932 until 1972. Peadar Kearney, who had received royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
from publishers of the text and music, issued legal proceedings for royalties from those now performing the anthem. He was joined by Michael Heeney, brother of Patrick Heeney, who had died in 1911. In 1934, the Department of Finance
Department of Finance (Ireland)
The Department of Finance is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Finance and is assisted by one Minister of State....
acquired the copyright of the song for the sum of £1,200. Copyright law changed in 1959, such that the government had to reacquire copyright in 1965, for £2,500.
In the Dáil debate preceding the original acquisition of copyright, there was discussion of the song's merits or lack thereof. Frank MacDermot
Frank MacDermot
Frank C. J. MacDermot was an Irish barrister and politician.MacDermot was born in Dublin, the seventh and youngest son of Hugh Hyacinth O'Rorke MacDermot, Prince of Coolavin. He was educated at Downside School and the University of Oxford and qualified as a barrister...
said, "Leaving out sentiment, I must confess, from both a literary and a musical point of view, I would regard the “Soldier's Song” as, shall we say, a jaunty little piece of vulgarity, and I think we could have done a lot better.". Thomas F. O'Higgins
Thomas F. O'Higgins
Thomas F. O'Higgins was an Irish politician. He grew up in Stradbally, County Laois, one of sixteen children of Dr. Thomas Higgins and Anne Sullivan. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann in a 14 March 1929 by-election for Dublin North as a Cumann na nGaedheal Teachta Dála , and in the 1932 general...
responded, "National Anthems come about, not because of the suitability of the particular words or notes, but because they are adopted generally by the nation. That is exactly how the “Soldiers' Song” became a National Anthem in this country. It happened to be the Anthem on the lips of the people when they came into their own and when the outsiders evacuated the country and left the insiders here to make the best or the worst of the country. It was adopted by the people here before ever it was adopted by the Executive Council".
The anthem is recommended, but not required, to be taught as part of the civics
Civics
Civics is the study of rights and duties of citizenship. In other words, it is the study of government with attention to the role of citizens ― as opposed to external factors ― in the operation and oversight of government....
syllabus in national schools.
Governor-General
The Governor-General of the Irish Free StateGovernor-General of the Irish Free State
The Governor-General was the representative of the King in the 1922–1937 Irish Free State. Until 1927 he was also the agent of the British government in the Irish state. By convention the office of Governor-General was largely ceremonial...
was the King's representative and, as such, Unionists considered that the appropriate Vice Regal Salute was the Imperial Anthem "God Save the King" rather than the Free State Anthem. In 1929, Governor-General James McNeill
James McNeill
James McNeill was an Irish politician and diplomat, who served as first High Commissioner to London and second Governor-General of the Irish Free State....
refused to attend a public function in Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
when he learned that the university intended to play "God Save the King" rather than "The Soldiers' Song" during his visit. In 1932
Irish general election, 1932
The Irish general election of 1932 was held on 16 February 1932, just over two weeks after the dissolution of the Dáil on 29 January. The newly elected 153 members of the 7th Dáil assembled at Leinster House on 9 March 1932 when the new President of the Executive Council and Executive Council of...
, Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
became President of the Executive Council; as part of his campaign to abolish the office of Governor-General, he forbade the Army band to play "The Soldiers' Song" in McNeill's presence.
Irish version
The Irish language translation that has become the usual text to be sung was the work of Liam Ó Rinn (1888–1950), later the Chief Translator of the OireachtasOireachtas of the Irish Free State
The Oireachtas of the Irish Free State was the legislature of the Irish Free State from 1922 until 1937. It was established by the 1922 Constitution of Ireland which was based from the Anglo-Irish Treaty...
, who was involved in the Irish versions of both the 1922 Constitution
Constitution of the Irish Free State
The Constitution of the Irish Free State was the first constitution of the independent Irish state. It was enacted with the adoption of the Constitution of the Irish Free State Act 1922, of which it formed a part...
and the 1937 Constitution
Constitution of Ireland
The Constitution of Ireland is the fundamental law of the Irish state. The constitution falls broadly within the liberal democratic tradition. It establishes an independent state based on a system of representative democracy and guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected...
. Although Sherry says the Irish version was first published in An tÓglach (the magazine of the Irish Defence Forces
Irish Defence Forces
The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland...
) on 3 November 1923, an almost identical text had been printed in the Freeman's Journal
Freeman's Journal
The Freeman's Journal was the oldest nationalist newspaper in Ireland. It was founded in 1763 by Charles Lucas and was identified with radical 18th century Protestant patriot politicians Henry Grattan and Henry Flood...
on 3 April 1923, under Ó Rinn's pen name "Coinneach". It may have been written as early as 1917. Several earlier translations had been made, which Ó Rinn criticised as unreadable. These were in literary Classical Irish, whereas Ó Rinn favoured the living vernacular
Vernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
spoken in Gaeltacht
Gaeltacht
is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...
areas. Other Irish translations were made, including one sung by Claisceadal in University College Galway in December 1931. From the 1930s, the Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
encouraged singing the anthem in Irish at its matches. The text of the Ó Rinn version was printed in the 1933 edition of An Camán. The text was printed in the programs of matches at Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
, and the crowd was led via the public address
Public address
A public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...
system by singers from St Patrick's College of Education and Conradh na Gaeilge
Conradh na Gaeilge
Conradh na Gaeilge is a non-governmental organisation that promotes the Irish language in Ireland and abroad. The motto of the League is Sinn Féin, Sinn Féin amháin .-Origins:...
.
In recent decades, the English version has been almost totally eclipsed, and many Irish people do not realise it is the original. The English version was sung in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
during a state visit by President Mary McAleese
Mary McAleese
Mary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...
in 1998, and at the 2004 Ryder Cup
2004 Ryder Cup
The 35th Ryder Cup Matches were held September 17–19 at the Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Michigan.The European team won the competition by a margin of 18½ to 9½ points, the winning putt being made by Colin Montgomerie, who maintained his record of never losing in any of his...
in the United States. The latter prompted objections from Fáilte Ireland
Fáilte Ireland
Fáilte Ireland is the National Tourism Development Authority of the Republic of Ireland. This authority was established under the National Tourism Development Authority Act of 2003 and replaces and builds upon the functions of Bord Fáilte, its predecessor organization...
, and what Gaeltacht Minister
Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is a senior minister at the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is Frances Fitzgerald, TD.-Overview:...
Éamon Ó Cuív
Éamon Ó Cuív
Éamon Ó Cuív is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Galway West constituency since 1992 and was previously a member of Seanad Éireann.-Early life:...
called "an outcry" from viewers in Ireland.
The Irish version is a free translation of the English; in particular, “Sinne Fianna Fáil” is not a literal translation
Literal translation
Literal translation, or direct translation, is the rendering of text from one language to another "word-for-word" rather than conveying the sense of the original...
of “Soldiers are we”. Fianna Fáil, variously translated as "Soldiers of Destiny", "Warriors of Destiny" or "Soldiers of Ireland", is from the Irish Fianna
Fianna
Fianna were small, semi-independent warrior bands in Irish mythology and Scottish mythology, most notably in the stories of the Fenian Cycle, where they are led by Fionn mac Cumhaill....
("band of warriors") of Fál
FAL
FAL can refer to:* Fetch archive-log, a process supporting log-shipping within Oracle Data Guard* FN FAL, a Belgian rifle* Fal-Car, an early 20th century automobile* Free Art license, an open licence for creative works...
("destiny", "Ireland"). As an Irish name for the Irish Volunteers
Irish Volunteers
The Irish Volunteers was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists. It was ostensibly formed in response to the formation of the Ulster Volunteers in 1912, and its declared primary aim was "to secure and maintain the rights and liberties common to the whole people of Ireland"...
, it was an alternative to Óglaigh na hÉireann
Óglaigh na hÉireann
Óglaigh na hÉireann , abbreviated ÓnaÉ, is an Irish language idiom that can be translated variously as soldiers of Ireland, warriors of Ireland, volunteers of Ireland or Irish volunteers...
. The initials “FF” appeared on the Volunteer badge, and subsequently on that of the Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
. On 2 April 1926, "Fianna Fáil" was chosen as the name of Éamon de Valera's new political party
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
. Since the Irish version of the anthem became popular in the 1930s, there has been intermittent resentment of the party name's occurring in it. Publishers Browne & Nolan printed a version in 1938 substituting "Sinne laochra fáil" for "Sinne Fianna Fáil" (laochra = "heroes", "warriors"), which is occasionally heard instead.
It is unclear whether the official anthem is the music alone, or the text also. Both the English and Irish texts appear in Facts about Ireland, published by the Department of Foreign Affairs
Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland)
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a department of the Government of Ireland that is responsible for promoting the interests of Ireland in the European Union and the wider world...
, and on the official website of the Department of the Taoiseach
Department of the Taoiseach
The Department of the Taoiseach is the government department of the Taoiseach of Ireland. It is based in Government Buildings, the headquarters of the Government of Ireland, on Merrion Street in Dublin....
.
However, no Irish version has been officially adopted, and Ó Rinn, unlike Kearney and Heeney's estate, never received royalties. A memorandum in the Department of the Taoiseach on 5 April 1958 discussed five distinct Irish translations, noting that Ó Rinn's was the best known; it suggested that, if it were to be officially endorsed, the spelling and grammar should be standardised and the words "Fianna Fáil" changed to "laochra Fáil" to avoid party-political associations.
Political implications
The song is regarded by many nationalistsIrish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
as the national anthem of the whole island of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and it is therefore sung, for example, at Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
matches held in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
as well as in the Republic of Ireland. Unionists, however, reject this use of "Amhrán na bhFiann". At international games played by the all-island rugby union team
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
, the specially commissioned song "Ireland's Call
Ireland's Call
Ireland's Call is a song commissioned by the Irish Rugby Football Union for use at international Rugby Union fixtures.It has since also been adopted by the Irish Hockey, Cricket, Rugby League and A1GP teams.- Overview :...
" is used; "Amhrán na bhFiann" is used only within the Republic. "Ireland's Call" has also been adopted by all-island teams in some other sports. There is some debate about whether the words of the anthem are inappropriate. Questions in the Dáil have been asked by John Browne
John Browne (Fine Gael)
John Browne is a former Irish Fine Gael politician, who served as a Senator and later as a TD for the constituency of Carlow–Kilkenny....
in 2000; Derek McDowell
Derek McDowell
Derek McDowell is a former Irish Labour Party politician. He was a Teachta Dála from 1992 to 2002, and member of the 22nd Seanad Éireann ....
in 1995; Trevor Sargent
Trevor Sargent
Trevor Sargent is an Irish Green Party politician. He was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin North constituency from 1992 to 2011...
in 1993; Frank MacDermot
Frank MacDermot
Frank C. J. MacDermot was an Irish barrister and politician.MacDermot was born in Dublin, the seventh and youngest son of Hugh Hyacinth O'Rorke MacDermot, Prince of Coolavin. He was educated at Downside School and the University of Oxford and qualified as a barrister...
in 1932. In a debate during the 2011 presidential election, two of the seven candidates were open to changing the anthem.
Arrangement
"Amhrán na bhFiann" is usually sung or played in marchMarch (music)
A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner's Götterdämmerung to the brisk military marches of John...
time. Different tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
s may be used, however, and the verse and chorus are occasionally played. Radio Telefís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
(RTÉ), the Irish national broadcasting company, played an orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l version in a slow tempo at the close of transmission from 1962 onwards. At the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta, when Michelle Smith
Michelle Smith
Michelle Smith is a retired Irish swimmer and practising Irish barrister. She was a triple gold medallist at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, for the 400 m individual medley, 400 m freestyle and 200 m individual medley...
won three gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s in swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, the verse and chorus were played in a lively tempo.
Lyrics
The lyrics are those of an Irish rebel song, exhorting all Irish people to participate in the struggle to end the hegemony ("despot" over "slave") of the English ("SaxonAnglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
foe") in Ireland ("Inisfail"). There are allusions to earlier Irish rebellions, and to support from Irishmen from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
("a land beyond the wave") and elsewhere (for example, Republican leaders such as Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
and James Connolly
James Connolly
James Connolly was an Irish republican and socialist leader. He was born in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh, Scotland, to Irish immigrant parents and spoke with a Scottish accent throughout his life. He left school for working life at the age of 11, but became one of the leading Marxist theorists of...
were born in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
respectively)
Chorus
The chorus is the established National Anthem. Slight variations exist in published versions; the following texts are from the Department of Foreign AffairsDepartment of Foreign Affairs (Ireland)
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a department of the Government of Ireland that is responsible for promoting the interests of Ireland in the European Union and the wider world...
' sheet music.
| Irish version Amhrán na bhFiann | English version The Soldiers' Song |
|---|---|
Sinne Fianna Fáil,Literal translation: "We are the Warriors of Fál (Ireland)"; "fáil" is also used to mean destiny, atá faoifaoi and faoin may be written fé and fén, respectively 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,Literal translation: "For love of the Gael Gaels The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man.... , towards death or life" Le gunna scréach faoi lámhach na bpiléar, Seo libh canaig amhrán na bhfiann |
Soldiers are we, whose lives are pledged to Ireland, Some have come from a land beyond the wave, Sworn to be free, no more our ancient sireland, Shall shelter the despot or the slave. Tonight we man the "bearna baoil",bearna baoil is Irish for "gap of danger" In Erin’s cause, come woe or weal, ’Mid cannon’s roar and rifles’ peal, We’ll chant a soldier's song |
Verses
The anthem consists only of the chorus of the song. The original has three verses, set to a slightly different tune. The lyrics of the verses are as follows:External links
- Text of the National Anthem "Amhrán na bhFiann" published on Department of Taoiseach website
- Streaming audio, lyrics and information about the Irish national anthem
- A Soldier's Song - The website of Professor F.C. McGrath of the University of Southern MaineUniversity of Southern MaineThe University of Southern Maine is a multi-campus public urban comprehensive university and part of the University of Maine System. USM's three primary campuses are located in Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston...
features a collection of Irish songs that includes a vocal version of the complete lyrics. - Lyrics guitar chords and sheet music with the extra verse written in 1937