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Origin of The Irish National Anthem 'Amhrán na bhFiann',part 1
The Irish National Anthem, Amhrán na bhFiann (The Soldier's Song) has been the subject of much comment in recent years. I am reliably informed by the 'educated' types who listen to the Irish national airways: that to make serious and profound pronouncements to the effect that it is time to change our national anthem is considered trendy and that it now enhances one's Irishness or perhaps I should say 'Oirishness'. Indeed I read that Dublin 4 types who express this idea and promote it in the best bistros and lounges also find it possible to describe themselves as republicans, albeit Post Paschal Republicans 1998 vintage. I have coined this title or appendage for these types who apparently believe that following the 'Good Friday Agreement' the Irish nation should now proceed to throw out the baby with the bathwater as it were. These people are confident that the tune is a major cause of division between north and south, it being to militaristic it it's sentiment. Perhaps these people should read or better still sing the American national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, the Englishman's God Save the King, not to mention The Frenchman's La Marseillaise if they really want to know about militarism.
An anthem is a song of loyalty or devotion, a song of praise. A national anthem is therefore by definition a song that praises a nation or expresses loyally to a nation. A nation is an aggregation of people or peoples of one or more cultures or races organised into one state.
Culture is the total of inherited ideas, beliefs, values and knowledge which constitutes the shared basis of social action. It is the total range of activities and ideas of a people and the music and song are a mode of expression of culture. The Irish people are the inheritors of Irish culture, a people who believe in freedom for all nations. By freedom I mean the quality or state of being free, especially to enjoy political and civil liberties which include the liberty to sing one' own songs, play one's own music and to dance one's own dances.
As with other symbols of nationalism, the Irish national anthem has been the subject of much (political) controversy since the foundation of the state.
The National Anthem "Amhrán na bhFiann" (The Soldier's Song) was composed in 1907 by Peadar Ó Cearnaigh (Kearney) and by Patrick Heaney.
Seo dhaoíbh, a cháirde duan Óglaigh,
Caithréimeach, bríomhar, ceolmhar,
Ár dtintne cnámh go buacach táid,
'S an spéir go mín réaltógach;
Is fonnmhar faobhrach sinn chun gleo,
'S go tiúnmhar glé roimh thíocht don lá
Faoi chiúnas caomh na hoíche ar seal
Seo libh canaig' Amhrán na bhFiann.Curfá
Sinne laochra Fáil,
Atá faoi gheall ag Éireann,
Buíon dár slua,
Thar thoinn do ráinig chugainn
Faoi mhóid bheith saor,
Seantír ár sinsear feasta
Ní fhágfar faoin tíorán ná faoi tráill;
Anocht a théam sa bhearna bhaoil,
Le gean ar Ghaeil chun báis nó saoil,
Le gunna-scréach faoi lamhach na bpiléar
Seo libh canaig' Amhrán na bhFiann.Kearney was born at 68, Lower Dorset Street, in Dublin in 1883, he grew up in the Dolphin's Barn area. He was educated at The Model School, Schoolhouse Lane and by the Irish Christian Brothers in Marino. Leaving school at 14 years he worked mending punctured bicycles during the day, he carried meals to the artists of the Gaiety Theatre at night time, before becoming a house painter. He joined the Gaelic league in 1901, and was sworn into the Irish Republican Brotherhood in 1903. Both he and Heaney became members of the Oliver Bond 1798 Club and it was for this club that the pair of them wrote the song, with Heaney composing the music while Kearney wrote the words as he said afterwards " in order to impress on Irishmen that they did not have to join the British army to be soldiers". There is some evidence to suggest that Seán Rogan may have assisted with the music. Kearney was working in Wicklow at the time he composed the lyrics (1907) and he was teaching Irish at night, among his students was author and playwright Seán Ó Casey. By 1911 Kearney had obtained employment in the Abbey Theatre as a props man and he toured England with the company in that year. Touring England again with the Abbey players in 1916, Kearney left the tour despite thewishes and advice of St. John Irvine, who was the tour manager) to takepart inthe Easter Rising in April of that year, Apart from the author, the first man to sing it publicly was the playwrightPatrick Bourke a relation of Kearney.
The song lyrics were published by Bulmer Hobson in 'Irish Freedom' in 1912. It became the marching song of the Irish Volunteers, replacing such older songs as T.D. Sullivan's 'God save Ireland' and Thomas Davis' 'A Nation once again', both of which were identified with the Irish Parliamentary Party, but was not widely known outside the ranks of the military activists until after the Easter Rebellion of 1916, when the music was arranged and published by Victor Herbert in New York in December 1916.
The English National Anthem 'God Save the King' was used at all 'official' occasions at that time.
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