"Put 'Em Under Pressure" was the official song to the Ireland national football team

Republic of Ireland national football team

The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....

's 1990 FIFA World Cup

1990 FIFA World Cup

The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...

 campaign in Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 (Italia '90). It is regarded as "an all-time classic that the entire country knows every single word to, even the spoken words of wisdom from Jack Charlton

Jack Charlton

John "Jack" Charlton, OBE, DL is a former footballer and manager who played for Leeds United in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and was part of the England team who won the 1966 World Cup...

, it's place in the hearts of the Irish people is assured".

Produced by U2

U2

U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...

's Larry Mullen, it featured an intro by Moya Brennan

Moya Brennan

Moya Brennan, born Máire Ní Bhraonáin , also known as Máire Brennan , is an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and philanthropist who began performing professionally in 1970, when her family formed the band Clannad, and is now widely considered as the "First Lady of Celtic Music"...

. The song was centred around a sample of the Horslips

Horslips

Horslips are an Irish Celtic rock band that compose, arrange and perform songs based on traditional Irish jigs and reels. The group are regarded as 'founding fathers of Celtic rock' for their fusion of traditional Irish music with rock music and went on to inspire many local and international acts....

 song "Dearg Doom". The title was a catchphrase of then manager Jack Charlton

Jack Charlton

John "Jack" Charlton, OBE, DL is a former footballer and manager who played for Leeds United in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and was part of the England team who won the 1966 World Cup...

, whose soundbite

Soundbite

In film and broadcasting, a sound bite is a very short piece of a speech taken from a longer speech or an interview in which someone with authority or the average "man on the street" says something which is considered by those who edit the speech or interview to be the most important point...

s were sample

Sampling (music)

In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...

d for the verse; the chorus was a combination of the familiar soccer chant "Olé Olé Olé" and a reworking of "Ally's Tartan Army

Ally's Tartan Army

Ally's Tartan Army was a novelty record released by Scottish comedian Andy Cameron on the Klub Records label to mark the Scottish football team's qualification for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. The "Tartan Army" are Scotland's fans; "Ally" was team manager Ally MacLeod...

" (which was itself set to the tune of "God Save Ireland

God Save Ireland

"God Save Ireland" is an Irish rebel song. It served as an unofficial Irish national anthem for Irish nationalists from the 1870s to the 1910s. During the Parnellite split it was the anthem of the anti-Parnellite Irish National Federation....

"), the unofficial theme tune for Scotland

Scotland national football team

The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...

 in the 1978 FIFA World Cup

1978 FIFA World Cup

The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth...

, and for 13 weeks the song was at number one in the Irish Singles Chart

Irish Singles Chart

The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...

.

The sample referred to as being used by Horslips Doom is actually a relatively old tune traditionally associated with Aodh Ó Neill's army during the Nine Years' War

Nine Years' War (Ireland)

The Nine Years' War or Tyrone's Rebellion took place in Ireland from 1594 to 1603. It was fought between the forces of Gaelic Irish chieftains Hugh O'Neill of Tír Eoghain, Hugh Roe O'Donnell of Tír Chonaill and their allies, against English rule in Ireland. The war was fought in all parts of the...

 and known in Ireland as "O Neill's March".

The song is regularly played in celebration at Irish homes matches. It was used as the opening theme for the compilation episode of the BBC Switch

BBC Switch

BBC Switch was the brand for BBC content aimed at UK teenagers. The brand launched on Saturday 20 October 2007 on BBC Two And ceased broadcasting on Saturday 17 December 2010...

 series Chartjackers

Chartjackers

Chartjackers is a British documentary series, produced by Hat Trick Productions and commissioned by BBC Switch. It premièred in the United Kingdom on 12 September 2009 on BBC Two...

. In 2011, RTÉ One

RTÉ One

RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...

 aired a quiz show titled Put 'Em Under Pressure

Put 'Em Under Pressure (TV series)

Put 'Em Under Pressure is an Irish panel game with a sporting theme hosted by Gráinne Seoige which started on RTÉ One on 25 September 2011. The show's name is taken from "Put 'Em Under Pressure", the official song to the Republic of Ireland national football team's 1990 World Cup campaign.It...

, presented by Gráinne Seoige

Gráinne Seoige

Gráinne Seoige is an Irish television presenter, Gaeilgeoir, and "fashion icon",Gráinne Seoige is one of the few television presenters who has worked for all terrestrial channels in the Republic of Ireland at some point. She has worked as a news anchor on TG4, TV3 and Sky News Ireland...

.

The phrase Put 'Em Under Pressure is to this day used in relation to the Ireland national football team.