"Ireland's Call" is a song used as a national anthem by some sports competitors representing the island of Ireland, originally and most notably the men's rugby union team. It was commissioned by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) for the 1995 World Cup, because many of the IRFU's members are Ulster unionists from Northern Ireland who would regard the use of the anthem of the Republic of Ireland ("Amhrán na bhFiann", "The Soldier's Song") as inappopriate.
While some all-island sports governing bodies use "Amhrán na bhFiann" in international competition (for example, the Golfing Union of Ireland and Irish Athletic Boxing Association) others do not, and many have followed the IRFU in adopting "Ireland's Call", including the Irish Hockey Union, Irish Cricket Union, rugby league team, korfball team, and A1 Grand Prix team. The song has attracted some opposition, both on musical grounds and from Irish nationalists who would prefer "Amhrán na bhFiann". Journalist Malachy Clerkin wrote on its 20th anniversary, "It has run the gamut with a sceptical and often hostile public, from deep loathing to grudging acceptance to growing pockets of reasonably throated support."
Video Ireland's Call
Rugby history
From the Partition of Ireland until the 1930s, no flag or anthem was used at IRFU internationals. After objections from clubs in the then Irish Free State, a compromise was agreed to use an IRFU flag, with "Amhrán na bhFiann" at matches in the Free State, "God Save the Queen" at those in Northern Ireland, and no anthem at away matches. Ulster unionist players are not expected to sing "Amhrán na bhFiann". There were no senior internationals in Northern Ireland from 1954 to 2007. Des Fitzgerald declined to play a 1982 B international in Belfast as "God Save the Queen" would be played. Before a 1954 Five Nations match in Ravenhill, Belfast, players from the Republic refused to take the field until after "God Save the Queen" had finished. Cahir Healy negotiated an agreement whereby the Royal Salute was played instead of the full anthem, and future internationals would be played in Dublin. The IRFU's agreement was helped by the larger gate receipts accrued at Lansdowne Road than Ravenhill.
Unionist opposition to "Amhrán na bhFiann" was strengthened on 27 April 1987, when an IRA roadside bomb, detonated to kill judge Maurice Gibson, also damaged a car carrying three of the senior squad from Belfast to Dublin for training. David Irwin and Philip Rainey recovered but Nigel Carr's rugby career was ended by his injuries. The next month, at the inaugural Rugby World Cup, captain Donal Lenihan objected that all other teams would have an anthem. At the last minute before the side's opening match in Athletic Park, Wellington, a James Last cassette recording of "The Rose of Tralee" was borrowed from Phil Orr; the music and poor recording quality attracted much criticism and no anthem was played for later matches. At the 1991 World Cup, there was no anthem away to Scotland, Ireland's only game outside Dublin.
For the 1995 World Cup in South Africa, the IRFU decided to commission a song from Phil Coulter. His composition, "Ireland's Call", has since been played alongside "Amhrán na bhFiann" at matches within the Republic, and on its own elsewhere. Ireland's match against England at Croke Park in the 2007 Six Nations Championship was of historic significance because of the Rule 42 ban and the memory of Bloody Sunday 1920; The Irish Times commented, '"Amhrán na bhFiann" and "Ireland's Call" were belted out with such hair-raising intensity that men and women were crying as they sang'. Prior to the 2007 resumption of internationals in Kingspan Stadium, Belfast, the IRFU decided that only "Ireland's Call" would be played, not "God Save the Queen", prompting complaints from some unionists that this did not match the playing of "Amhrán na bhFiann" in Dublin.
Maps Ireland's Call
Other sports
Other all-island teams have adopted "Ireland's Call" for similar reasons to the IRFU's. The men's and women's hockey teams adopted it in 2000, having previously used the "Londonderry Air", except that in the 2016 Olympic tournament, the Olympic Council of Ireland standard "Amhrán na bhFiann" was used. At the 2000 Rugby League World Cup, the Ireland team had "Amhrán na bhFiann" at a match in England, but no anthem at a match in Belfast. In the years before 2008 it "used neutral symbols and anthems such as 'Ireland's Call'". Rugby League Ireland adopted "Amhrán na bhFiann" for the 2008 World Cup, explaining "'The Soldier's Song' has always been played at amateur level and it was a unanimous decision to extend this policy to the professional game." By the 2017 World Cup it had reverted to "Ireland's Call". The Irish Waterski and Wakeboard Federation adopted "Ireland's Call" on a one-off basis for the 2016 EA Wakeboard Championships, because they were in Coleraine in "very close proximity to a Loyalist Estate". The National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland's policy document states that it 'is a 32 county body and as such the anthem will be "Ireland's Call" except in circumstances where this may cause discomfort or embarrassment. On such occasions the only permitted deviation allowed is "Amhran na Bhfiann".'
Song
The song was written by Phil Coulter in 1995. He said he composed it because he loved hearing a combination of Irish accents singing together.
It was first broadcast simultaneously on the Kelly show in Northern Ireland and The Late Late Show in the Republic, sung by Andrew Strong accompanied by the Portadown Male Voice Choir.
Lyrics
At most games today, only the first verse is sung, followed by the chorus in the same key. The chorus is then repeated in a higher key; at the end, the last line is repeated. Several Irish-language translations have been made for Gaelscoil pupils, with the title "Glaoch na hÉireann".
- Come the day and come the hour,
- Come the power and the glory!
- We have come to answer our country's call,
- From the four proud provinces of Ireland
- Ireland, Ireland,
- Together standing tall!
- Shoulder to shoulder,
- We'll answer Ireland's call!
- From the mighty Glens of Antrim,
- From the rugged hills of Galway!
- From the walls of Limerick, and Dublin Bay,
- From the four proud provinces of Ireland!
- Ireland, Ireland,
- Together standing tall!
- Shoulder to shoulder,
- We'll answer Ireland's call!
- Hearts of steel and heads unbowing,
- Vowing never to be broken!
- We will fight, until we can fight no more,
- From the four proud provinces of Ireland!
- Ireland, Ireland,
- Together standing tall!
- Shoulder to shoulder,
- We'll answer Ireland's call!
- Ireland, Ireland,
- Together standing tall!
- Shoulder to shoulder,
- We'll answer Ireland's call!
- We'll answer Ireland's call!
Coulter subsequently rewrote the lyrics to be sung in the Celtic Thunder singing tour, when he collaborated with Sharon Browne, the original producer of Celtic Woman. The rewritten lyrics have a somewhat more martial theme, with lines like "meet our destiny with glory" and "Till our final requiem is spoken".
References
Sources
- Lenihan, Donal (2016-09-22). Donal Lenihan: My Life in Rugby. Transworld. ISBN 9781473540019. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
Citations
External links
- "20 Years of Irelands Call", from The John Murray Show, RTÉ Radio One, 26 February 2015
- "L'Appel de l'Irlande", 2015 documentary in French and English from L'Équipe
Source of article : Wikipedia
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