NEW YORK BOSTON |#Popular: Irish Celebrity Gossip Irish Pubs Irish Festivals Irish Roots Irish Entertainment Offbeat Irish

Home Page > Sport > Brush up on the Irish National Anthem for the London 2012 Olympics - VIDEO

Brush up on the Irish National Anthem for the London 2012 Olympics - VIDEO

Sing along to Ireland’s "Amhrán na bhFiann" ("The Soldier's Song") and learn some interesting facts

BRYAN FITZGERALD,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, August 1, 2012, 7:00 AM

Updated Wednesday, August 1, 2012, 9:58 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

21 Comments

Irish fans at the UEFA Cup cheer on the Irish team

Photo by Google Images

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

Last page < 1 2

Nster.com

E-mail

21 Comments

See all comments

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.

Report abuse

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...

Report abuse

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!

Report abuse

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.

Report abuse

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.

Report abuse

Belphagor | 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.

Report abuse

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 ?

Report abuse

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.

Report abuse

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 ?

Report abuse

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!

Report abuse

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.

Report abuse

JBarry22 | Aug 02, 2012, 12:53 PM EDT

Maybe it's me. I think its a great read.

Report abuse

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!

Report abuse

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.

Report abuse

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.

Report abuse