Time to brush up on your "Amhrán na bhFiann" ("The Soldier's Song").
We have provided the lyrics to “The Soldiers Song” here for you to sing along with pride as you watch the Irish Olympians step onto the podium beneath the raised Irish tricolor this summer in London.
Here are some quick facts about "Amhrán na bhFiann" ("The Soldier's Song"):
*It was penned in 1909 by Peader Kearney and Patrick Heeney and adopted as the national anthem in 1928.
* The song was first used at the GPO (General Post Ofiice) during the Easter Uprising in 1916.
* The Irish version was translated by Liam O Rinn.
* Though consisting of three verses, the official National Anthem is just the song’s chorus.
* It is typically sung in Irish.
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
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
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
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 Irish)
Amhrán na bhFiann
Seo dhibh a cháirde duan Óglaigh,
Cathréimeach briomhar ceolmhar,
Ár dtinte cnámh go buacach táid,
'S an spéir go min réaltogach
Is fonnmhar faobhrach sinn chun gleo
'S go tiúnmhar glé roimh thíocht do'n ló
Fé chiúnas chaomh na hoiche ar seol:
Seo libh canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann.
Curfá:
Sinne Fianna Fáil
A tá fé gheall ag Éirinn,
buion dár slua
Thar toinn do ráinig chugainn,
Fé mhóid bheith saor.
Sean tír ár sinsir feasta
Ní fhagfar fé'n tiorán ná fé'n tráil
Anocht a théam sa bhearna bhaoil,
Le gean ar Ghaeil chun báis nó saoil
Le guna screach fé lámhach na bpiléar
Seo libh canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann.
Cois bánta réidhe, ar árdaibh sléibhe,
Ba bhuachach ár sinsir romhainn,
Ag lámhach go tréan fé'n sár-bhrat séin
Tá thuas sa ghaoith go seolta
Ba dhúchas riamh d'ár gcine cháidh
Gan iompáil siar ó imirt áir,
'S ag siúl mar iad i gcoinne námhad
Seo libh, canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann.
Curfá
A bhuíon nách fann d'fhuil Ghaeil is Gall,
Sin breacadh lae na saoirse,
Ta scéimhle 's scanradh i gcroíthe namhad,
Roimh ranna laochra ár dtire.
Ár dtinte is tréith gan spréach anois,
Sin luisne ghlé san spéir anoir,
'S an bíobha i raon na bpiléar agaibh:
Seo libh, canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann.
Curfá
21 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Towngate | Aug 06, 2012, 05:33 AM EDT
oldboreen: A Phonetics version is the answer,I agree, and have produced a three-way Standard English Phonetics(Received Pronuncuation) version in English and Irish but a problem arises with irregular local pronunciations of the English language vowels throughout the world.
WoundedKnee | Aug 04, 2012, 08:45 AM EDT
What goof "corrected" the English version posted above? The line: "Tonight we man the gap of danger" is wrong and inane. The correct line is: "Tonight we man the bearna baol". The dumb "correction" of the version listed above not only loses a rhyme, albeit a phonetically imperfect one (with "weal" and "peal") but it also ruins the rhythm, because the line it generates is too long. OK, I'll say no more, this is probably too technical for most Irish Central readers...
citizen69 | Aug 04, 2012, 05:21 AM EDT
BTW i didn't write the comment below attributed to me (Aug 03, 02:20)about Ireland not taking gold medals. I hope to see both Paddy Barnes & Katie Taylor take golds in the boxing!
EamonnDublin | Aug 04, 2012, 05:02 AM EDT
It's NOT "A Soldier's Song". It's "Amhrán na bhFiann". That's what we call it. That's how we sing it. That's how we like it. It's called PATRIOTISM. Got it now? Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.
citizen69 | Aug 03, 2012, 02:20 PM EDT
It was originally written in English, which is of course the first language of the great majority of Irish people.
citizen69 | Aug 03, 2012, 12:31 PM EDT
great song and great music but i wouldnt rush to learn it, ireland won't be taking any Gold Medals in the Olympics.
freekazilla | Aug 03, 2012, 10:38 AM EDT
The New ROYAL ? / No, she is no rose, / Nor a flower made of brass, / She's no classless lass, / No albino gorilla, / Butt a ROYAL Camilla ?
freekazilla | Aug 03, 2012, 10:33 AM EDT
Sir Michael Phelps ? / He may not curtsey, / But he may most certainly, / Kneel on bended knee, / To Her Royal Majesty, / And rise to be Sir Michael.
freekazilla | Aug 03, 2012, 10:16 AM EDT
The new ROYAL ? No, she is no rose, / Nor a flower made of brass, / She's no classless lass, / No albino gorilla, / Butt a ROYAL Camilla ?
IrelandNorth | Aug 03, 2012, 08:54 AM EDT
Rarely if ever either read or listen to Abhrán na bhFíann without experiencing goose bumps all over. Standing to attention with comrades-in-arms as a member of the Defence Forces/Irish Army as a young man of 26 (32 years ago) to its lusty rendition by army bands was an unrepeatably thrilling experience. And being on active service with them inside Ulster - on the 'bearna baol' between north-eastern and south-western Ulster, (along the Cavan/Fermanagh country boundary) a sadening experience. To quote Churchill: "Now [this decade of centenaries] is the time. Now or never. A nation once again!" Back in the Commonwealth if needs be!
WoundedKnee | Aug 02, 2012, 04:41 PM EDT
i have never understood why the Irish go thru the embarrassing farce of trying to sing their anthem in Irish. 90% of them don't know the lyrics, and 90% of those who know the lyrics don't know what they mean. It's a standard piece of Irish humbug, very typical of all the slimy hypocrisy that has attended the Irish language for a century now. Why don't they sing The Soldiers' Song, the English and original version, which was the song sung by the men and women who fought with Pearse and Connolly in 1916.
JBarry22 | Aug 02, 2012, 12:53 PM EDT
Maybe it's me. I think its a great read.
oldboreen | Aug 02, 2012, 12:15 PM EDT
Haven't we been here before? What we want is 'The Soldier's Song in Irish, with phonetics!!! Is that asking so much IC??? Seems it is!
sirpeter | Aug 01, 2012, 11:13 PM EDT
What kind of Anglo American crap is this??Most Irish people may not be fluent in Irish.But most Irish people don't have to BRUSH UP on our National Anthem.We sing it Os Gaeilge.Everybody does.What use is the English translation?You sicken me.How would Americans like to be told to BRUSH UP on their National Anthem in Japanese.BRYAN FITZGERALD I'm not as polite as more people here.But you are a fu*kwit.Now fu*k off and find the Irish version ya langer.You insult me.
Seanmor | Aug 01, 2012, 04:29 PM EDT
The above song is NOT Amhrán na bhFiann, merely an English version of it. 'Independent' Ireland is one of the very states in the world, where the majority of its politicians strongly reject its official language. It would be interesting to know how many of these Partitionist politicians know the words of Amhrán na bhFiann.
cillowen | Aug 01, 2012, 03:24 PM EDT
tried but some pronouncing faux pas
myhomenj | Aug 01, 2012, 12:45 PM EDT
I would like to add, back then we would hear The Soldiers Song on the " Wireless" coming from Croke Park, on a sunday afternoon. My Father would turn up the volume as high as it would go and open the window, so everyone could hear it.
ctcallen | Aug 01, 2012, 12:27 PM EDT
CORRECTION: I agree in part with Fightin69th. But please give US the song sung in Irish with the Irish lyrics and an English translation written out. Go raibh maith agat.
ctcallen | Aug 01, 2012, 12:20 PM EDT
I agree in part with with Fightin69th. But please give up the song sung in Irish with the Irish lyrics and an English translation written out. Go raibh maith agat.
myhomenj | Aug 01, 2012, 12:19 PM EDT
Thank you for printing the Soldiers Song in English. Born in Belfast in 1940, I didn't have much education in the Irish language.
Fightin69th | Aug 01, 2012, 08:43 AM EDT
"Amhrán na bhFiann" should only be sung in Irish. You're not helping by posting English lyrics with it. If anything, Amhran na bhFiann should be played with the Irish lyrics played along, even if the lyrics are Phonetic.