Amhrán_na_bhFiann

{{lang|ga|'''''Amhrán na bhFiann'''''}} ([[Irish phonology|pronounced]] {{IPA|/ˈəuɾˠaːn̪ˠ nˠə ˈvʲiːən̪ˠ/}}) is the [[national anthem]] of the [[Republic of Ireland]]. The song is also known by its [[English language]] title, '''''The Soldier's Song''''', and as '''The National Anthem of Ireland''' ({{lang-ga|Amhrán Náisiúnta na hÉireann}}). Nowadays, the [[Irish language]] version of the song is usually sung. The Irish version is a translation of the earlier English version. The music was composed (as '''A Soldier's Song''') by [[Peadar Kearney]] and [[Patrick Heeney]], and the original English lyrics were authored by Kearney and subsequently translated into Irish by [[Liam Ó Rinn]]. The national anthem consists of the chorus only of ''Amhrán na bhFiann''; the original also has several verses. 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/index.asp?locID=194&docID=241 |title=National Anthem |publisher=[[Department of the Taoiseach]] |accessdate=2007-05-13}}</ref> It is played without lyrics.

==Adoption==
''The Soldier's Song'' was composed in [[1907]], with lyrics by [[Peadar Kearney]] and music by Kearney and Patrick Heeney. The lyrics were first published in ''[[Irish Freedom]]'' by [[Bulmer Hobson]] in [[1912]]. The Irish language lyrics were the work of Liam Ó Rinn ([[1888]] - [[1950]]), who was also involved in drafting the Irish language version of both the [[1922]] [[Constitution of the Irish Free State|Irish Free State Constitution]] and the [[1937]] [[Constitution of Ireland|Irish Constution]]. The Irish lyrics were first published in ''An tÓglach'' (the magazine of the [[Irish Defence Forces]]) on [[3 November]] [[1923]].<ref>[http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=53&si=1575143&issue_id=13768 Irish Independent], letters page, 6 March 2006</ref> ''The Soldier's Song/Amhrán na bhFiann'' was popular among [[Irish republicanism|Irish republicans]], and was sung by rebels in the [[General Post Office (Dublin)|General Post Office]] (GPO) during the [[Easter Rising]] of [[1916]], and afterwards in British internment camps. The song became the official state anthem in [[1926]].

''[[God Save the Queen|God Save the King]]'' was the official anthem of the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland]] until the independent [[Irish Free State]] was established in [[1922]]. The continued use of ''God Save the King'' by some Irish people caused annoyance to the new Irish state and, on one occasion, [[Governor-General]] [[James McNeill]] refused to attend a public function in [[Trinity College, Dublin|Trinity College]] when he learned that the university intended to play the anthem during his visit. Even after the adoption of ''Amhrán na bhFiann'' as the official anthem of the Irish Free State in July [[1926]], a minority continued to sing the British anthem, and to pray for the King and Queen in [[Church of Ireland]] services, for a number of years.

In [[1934]], the Irish state acquired the copyright of the song for the sum of £1,200.<ref>[http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1934/en/act/pub/0028/print.html Acts of the Oireachtas, Appropriation Act, 1934]</ref>

==Political implications==
The song is regarded by many [[Irish nationalism|nationalists]] as the national anthem of the whole [[Ireland|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 (Ireland)|Unionist]]s, however, reject this use of ''Amhrán na bhFiann''. At international games played by the [[Ireland national rugby union team|all-island rugby union team]], the specially-commissioned song ''[[Ireland's Call]]'' is used; ''Amhrán na bhFiann'' is only used within the Republic. ''Ireland's Call'' has also been adopted by all-island teams in some other sports.

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'' — literally the ''[[Fianna]]'' (band of warriors) of ''[[Fál]]'', but variously translated as "Soldiers of Destiny", "Warriors of Destiny" or "Soldiers of Ireland" — was an alternative name given to the [[Irish Volunteers]] in the [[1913]] – [[1922]] period. The initials “FF” appeared on the Volunteer badge, and were adopted by [[Irish Army|the Army]] of the [[Irish Free State]].<ref>The Earl of Longford and Thomas P. O’Neill, ''Éamon de Valera'', Dublin 1970, ISBN 978-0-09-104660-6, chapter 21</ref> [[Fianna Fáil]] was later chosen by [[Éamon de Valera]] as the name of his new [[political party]] in [[1926]]. Some versions of ''Amhrán na bhFiann'' substitute “Sinne Laochra Fáil” for “Sinne Fianna Fáil” (''laochra'' also translates as ''warriors'') in order to avoid any association of the anthem with the political party.

In recent years, a number of Irish newspapers and columnists have proposed replacing ''Amhrán na bhFiann'' with a new national anthem, arguing that the current wording is excessively [[militant]] and anti-[[United Kingdom|British]]. Those who favour its retention argue that it is no more militant than the [[God Save the Queen|British]], [[La Marseillaise|French]] or [[The Star-Spangled Banner|American]] national anthem.

==Arrangement==
''Amhrán na bhFiann'' is usually sung or played in [[march (music)|march]] 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.

==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 ("[[Saxon]] foe") in Ireland ("[[Inisfail]]"). There are allusions to [[:Category:Irish rebellions|earlier Irish rebellions]], and to support from [[Irish diaspora|Irish emigrants abroad]] ("a land beyond the wave")
{|class="toccolours" cellpadding="10" rules="cols"
! Irish version ''Amhrán na bhFiann'' !! English version ''A Soldier's Song''
|-
|
Sinne Fianna Fáil<ref>Literal translation: "We are the Warriors of Fál (Ireland)"</ref> 
Atá faoi gheall ag Éirinn 
Buíon dár slua 
Thar toinn do ráinig chugainn 
Faoi mhóid bheith saor 
Seantír ár sinsear feasta 
Ní fhágfar faoin tiorán ná faoin tráill 
Anocht a théam sa bhearna bhaoil 
Le gean ar Ghaeil chun báis nó saoil<ref>Literal translation: "For love of the [[Gaels|Gael]], towards death or life"</ref> 
Le gunna scréach faoi lámhach na bpiléar 
Seo libh canaídh 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 sire land 
Shall shelter the despot or the slave 
Tonight we man the ''bearna baol''<ref name="bearna_bhaoil">"gap of danger": a reference to the [[Battle of New Ross 1798#Attack|Battle of New Ross]] during the [[Irish Rebellion of 1798|1798 Rebellion]]</ref> 
In Erin’s cause, come woe or weal 
’Mid cannon’s roar and rifles’ peal 
We’ll chant a soldier’s song 
|}

===Complete lyrics===
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:

<div style="float:left;margin:0 0 .5em 1em;" class="toccolours">

{| cellpadding=2 style="background:transparent;"
|-
| <center>'''Amhrán na bhFiann'''</center>
| <center>'''A Soldier’s Song'''</center>
|-
| Seo dhíbh a chairde duan Óglaigh
| We’ll sing a song, a soldier’s song
|-
| Cathréimeach bríomhar ceolmhar
| With cheering rousing chorus
|-
| Ár dtinte cnámh go buacach táid
| As round our blazing fires we throng
|-
| ’S an spéir go mínréaltógach
| The starry heavens o’er us
|-
| Is fonnmhar faobhrach sinn chun gleo
| Impatient for the coming fight
|-
| ’S go tiúnmhar glé roimh thíocht don ló
| And as we await the morning’s light
|-
| Fé chiúnas chaomh na hoíche ar seol
| Here in the silence of the night
|-
| Seo libh canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann
| We’ll chant a soldier’s song
|-
|
|
|-
| ''Sinne Fianna Fáil...''
| ''Soldiers are we...''
|-
|
|
|-
| Cois bánta réidhe, ar ardaibh sléibhe
| In valley green, on towering crag
|-
| Ba bhuadhach ár sinsir romhainn
| Our fathers fought before us
|-
| Ag lámhach go tréan fén sárbhrat séin
| And conquered ’neath the same old flag
|-
| ’Tá thuas sa ghaoith go seolta
| That’s proudly floating o’er us
|-
| Ba dhúchas riamh dár gcine cháidh
| We’re children of a fighting race
|-
| Gan iompáil siar ó imirt áir
| That never yet has known disgrace
|-
| ’S ag siúl mar iad i gcoinne námhad
| And as we march, the foe to face
|-
| Seo libh, canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann
| We’ll chant a soldier’s song
|-
|
|
|-
| ''Sinne Fianna Fáil...''
| ''Soldiers are we...''
|-
|
|
|-
| A bhuíon nach fann d’fhuil Ghaeil is Gall
| Sons of the [[Gael]]! Men of [[the Pale]]!
|-
| Sin breacadh lae na saoirse
| The long-watched day is breaking
|-
| Tá scéimhle ’s scanradh i gcroíthe námhad
| The serried ranks of Inisfail
|-
| Roimh ranna laochra ár dtíre
| Shall set the tyrant quaking
|-
| Ár dtinte is tréith gan spréach anois
| Our camp fires now are burning low
|-
| Sin luisne ghlé sa spéir anoir
| See in the east a silv’ry glow
|-
| ’S an bíobha i raon na bpiléar agaibh
| Out yonder waits the Saxon foe
|-
| Seo libh canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann
| So chant a soldier’s song
|-
|
|
|-
| ''Sinne Fianna Fáil...''
| ''Soldiers are we...''
|-
|}

</div>
 

== Footnotes ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikisource}}
*[http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/index.asp?docID=792 Text of the National Anthem "Amhrán na bhFiann" published on Department of Taoiseach website]
*[http://www.irishroots.org/aoh/anthem.htm Complete lyrics of Amhrán na bhFiann]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmHY3ZL8Tfw The Wolfe Tones singing the National Anthem]
* [http://www.usm.maine.edu/~mcgrath/songs/soldiers.htm A Soldier's Song] - The website of [http://www.usm.maine.edu/~mcgrath/ Professor F.C. McGrath] of the [[University of Southern Maine]] features a collection of Irish songs that includes a vocal version of the complete lyrics.
*[http://unitedireland.tripod.com/id164.html Lyrics guitar chords and sheet music with the extra verse written in 1937]

===Media files===
* [http://www.lengua-translations.de/anthems/ireland.mid MIDI file 7.6 KB simple sequence of Amhrán na bhFiann]
* [http://taoiseach.gov.ie/attached_files/sound/254.mp3 MP3 file 1 MB anthem played by the Army Band of Amhrán na bhFiann]

{{Nationalanthemsofeurope}}

[[Category:National anthems]]
[[Category:National symbols of the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Irish songs]]
[[Category:Entities with Irish names]]

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