Ireland's Call
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"Ireland's Call" is a song commissioned by the Irish Rugby Football Union for use at international rugby union fixtures featuring the Irish rugby union team. It has since also been adopted by the Irish Hockey, Cricket and Rugby League teams.
[edit] Overview
In each case the team represents the whole island of Ireland (both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland) while "Amhrán na bhFiann" (Irish for “A Soldier's Song”) - Ireland’s National Anthem only represents the Republic. In addition, the anthem’s militant Nationalist theme is seen as unacceptable by Unionists in Northern Ireland. At matches played in the Republic, both Amhrán na bhFiann (as the anthem of the Irish nation) and Ireland's Call (as the anthem of the home (Irish) team) are sung. Elsewhere, Ireland's Call is the only anthem used.
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.
The song was written by Phil Coulter in 1995. He composed it because he loved hearing a combination of the Irish accents singing together.[1] It was first broadcast simultaneously in Northern Ireland on the 'Kelly' show and in the Republic of Ireland on Gay Byrne's 'Late Late Show', sung by Andrew Strong, singer in the film The Commitments, accompanied by Portadown Male Voice Choir.
[edit] Lyrics1
1
- 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
Chorus
- Ireland, Ireland,
- Together standing tall
- Shoulder to shoulder
- We'll answer Ireland's call
2
- 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
- (Chorus)
3
- Hearts of steel
- And heads unbowing
- Vowing never to be broken
- We will fight, until
- We can fight no more
- For the four proud provinces of Ireland
- (Chorus)
- Parts of the song not usually sung are in italics.
[edit] External links
