Irish national anthem for your mobile: a patriotic must-have

True patriots all over the country will know the feeling. You’re standing in Croke Park in your gaudy Gah top waiting for the match to start. The rousing strains of Amhran na bhFiann begin, and all around you 80,000 half-wits belt it out in unision, their chests bursting with patriotic pride.

Most of them won’t understand what they’re saying, of course, having just learned the words by rote. Their mouths are moving, fish-like, and unintelligible sounds are issuing forth. But every unintelligible sound is correct, as they have taken the trouble to learn how to make them… a bit like the Latin mass must have been.

However, an unsuspecting observer would swear they were proficient in the noble tongue of the True Gael. You feel bad at your inadequacy, and ask yourself “is this what the martyrs of 1916 died for?" You hang your head in shame.

But fear not, help is at hand. An application now exists for your mobile phone, developed by Gaelchultur, whose stated aim is “promote the Irish Language and various aspects of Irish culture”.

The application consists of a karaoke-style interface, which spells out the words of the Irish national anthem in its Gaelic form (it was originally written in English). So even if you don’t understand a word of it, you can just whip it out when necessary and follow the on-screen prompts. It even has a convenient audio pronunciation tutor, with a suitably cringe-inducing, cloying, Wolf Tones-style vocal accompaniment.

There is also a handy translation facility – just in case you don’t know how embarrassingly godawful it actually is. See below.

The Soldier’s Song

We'll sing a song, a soldier's song, With cheering rousing chorus, As round our blazing fires we throng, The starry heavens o'er us; Impatient for the coming fight, And as we wait the morning's light, Here in the silence of the night, We'll chant a soldier's song.

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 gap of danger In Erin's cause, come woe or weal' Mid cannons' roar and rifles peal, We'll chant a soldier's song.

In valley green, on towering crag, Our fathers fought before us, And conquered 'neath the same old flag That's proudly floating o'er us. We're children of a fighting race, That never yet has known disgrace, And as we march, the foe to face, We'll chant a soldier's song.

Sons of the Gael! Men of the Pale! The long watched day is breaking; The serried ranks of Inisfail Shall set the Tyrant quaking. Our camp fires now are burning low; See in the east a silv'ry glow, Out yonder waits the Saxon foe, So chant a soldier's song.

Doesn't it bring a lump to your pants?

Back to Gombeen Nation main page