The Anthems Podcast

Ireland and Amhrán na bhFiann


Listen Later

Today, we dive into the rich tapestry of Irish culture, exploring "The Soldier's Song," which serves as the national anthem of the Republic of Ireland. This episode intricately weaves together the historical and cultural significance of this anthem, shedding light on the journey from its humble origins to its current status as a symbol of national pride. As we traverse the landscape of Ireland's complex history, we'll uncover the fascinating stories of the song's creators, Patrick Heaney and Peter Kearney, who channeled their revolutionary spirit into music that transcended time and politics. We also explore the nuances of language and identity, discussing how the anthem was originally penned in English but later embraced in Irish, reflecting the ongoing evolution of cultural heritage. So, grab a cup of tea (or perhaps a pint of Guinness), and join us as we march through the notes and narratives of a song that resonates deeply in the hearts of the Irish people.

  1. https://hdr.undp.org/inequality-adjusted-human-development-index#/indicies/IHDI 
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20110710132642/http://www.discoverireland.com/us/ireland-things-to-see-and-do/listings/gss/product/?fid=FI_13325 
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20100830230658/http://www.blarneycastle.ie/pages/stone 
  4. https://www.kildarestreet.com/committees/?id=2017-12-05a.136 
  5. https://historyireland.com/countdown-to-2016-a-soldiers-song-amhran-na-bhfiann/ 
  6. https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000510779 
  7. https://historyireland.com/the-story-of-the-national-anthem/ 
  8. https://historyireland.com/victor-herbert-irish/ 
  9. https://archive.org/details/doingmybitforire0000skin/page/236/mode/2up 
  10. https://web.archive.org/web/20171123144125/http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/reels/bmh/BMH.WS1721.pdf#page=68 
  11. https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/de-valera-is-34-dark-deified-an-english-woman-meets-ireland-s-rebels-1917-1.3234771 
  12. https://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0329/315449-divorce-rate-up-150-since-2002-census/ 
  13. https://web.archive.org/web/20080612075334/http://www.naglinntiglasa.ie/Anthem/anthem.htm 
  14. https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000138782/ 
  15. https://web.archive.org/web/20071121172533/http://www.whytes.ie/4ImageDisplay.asp?AUCTION=20060409&IMAGE=119 
  16. https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/the-soldier-s-song-and-other-anthems-the-stories-behind-the-songs-1.2340284 
  17. https://republicordeath.wordpress.com/tag/patrick-heeney/ 
  18. https://walkerhomeschoolblog.wordpress.com/2019/02/23/patrick-heeney-and-amthran-na-bh-fiann/comment-page-1/?unapproved=8276&moderation-hash=a31d7c5eaa16e745b4f646aa5bf1e5cd#respond 
  19. https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Abbey_Rebels_of_1916/HqnjCgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PT77&printsec=frontcover 
  20. http://www.ricorso.net/rx/az-data/authors/k/Kearney_P/life.htm 
  21. https://opac.oireachtas.ie/AWData/Library3/Library2/DL054933.pdf 
  22. https://historyireland.com/the-story-of-the-national-anthem/ 
  23. https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Letters_of_Brendan_Behan/VkxIwt4IoOoC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA15&printsec=frontcover 
  24. https://www.ainm.ie/Bio.aspx?ID=106&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1 
  25. https://kids.kiddle.co/Liam_%C3%93_Rinn 
  26. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Translating_in_Times_of_Turmoil/o_IVrgEACAAJ?hl=en 
  27. https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-the-taoiseach/publications/the-national-anthem
  28. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/A_Soldier%27s_Song_%28Kearney/Heeney%29 
  29. https://irishlanguage.ie/ord-na-bhfocal-irish-language-word-order 
  30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqc5izyuXLk 
  31. https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/committee/dail/32/seanad_public_consultation_committee/other/2017/2017-10-06_consultation-on-the-status-treatment-and-use-of-the-national-anthem_en.pdf 
  32. https://www.irishpost.com/life-style/a-cheats-guide-to-learning-to-sing-the-irish-national-anthem-68001 
  33. https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2017-05-10a.216 
  34. https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/fewer-than-half-know-amhran-na-bhfiann-qp5l6b6c6 
  35. https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-20226481.html 
  36. https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/opinion-our-indifference-to-our-flag-and-anthem-is-actually-healthy-3656636-Oct2017/ 
  37. https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2017/1205/925109-seanad-anthem/ 
  38. https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/bills/bill/2019/3/ 
  39. https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/national-anthem-gerry-smyth-623608-Oct2012/ 
  40. https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/soldier-s-songs-and-the-war-of-independence-1.4192845 
  41. https://www.irishamerica.com/2016/03/time-to-say-goodbye-to-the-irish-national-anthem/ 
  42. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/cambridge-handbook-of-translation/translating-the-texts-of-songs-and-other-vocal-music/44F8DE64FDAD57464832D20272650287 

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Anthems PodcastBy Patrick Maher