Ireland's Call

Ireland's Call - Rugby World Cup 2011
Ireland's Call performed in Rugby World Cup 2011.
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"Ireland's Call" is a song by Phil Coulter used as a national anthem by some sports competitors representing the island of Ireland, originally and most notably the men's rugby union team. It was commissioned by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) for the 1995 World Cup, because a substantial minority, around 20%, of the IRFU's members are from Northern Ireland and the use of the anthem of the Republic of Ireland ("Amhrán na bhFiann") was considered inappropriate. [1][2]

While some all-island sports governing bodies use "Amhrán na bhFiann" in international competition (for example, the Golfing Union of Ireland[3][dubious – discuss] and Irish Athletic Boxing Association[4]) others do not, and many have followed the IRFU in adopting "Ireland's Call", including Hockey Ireland,[5] the Irish Cricket Union,[6] Rugby League Ireland,[5][7] Irish Korfball Association,[8] and A1 Grand Prix team.[5][dubious – discuss] The song has attracted some opposition, both on musical grounds and from Irish nationalists who would prefer "Amhrán na bhFiann".[9][10] Journalist Malachy Clerkin wrote on its 20th anniversary, "It has run the gamut with a sceptical and often hostile public, from deep loathing to grudging acceptance to growing pockets of reasonably throated support."[5]

  1. ^ Sugden, John; Harvie, Scott (1995). "Sport and Community Relations in Northern Ireland 3.2 Flags and anthems". Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2008.
  2. ^ Fanning, Bryan (2016). Irish Adventures in Nation-Building. Oxford University Press. p. 181. ISBN 9781784993221. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  3. ^ Gilleece, Dermot (29 May 2016). "Smoothing the thorny issue of national identity". Irish Independent. Retrieved 8 February 2018. [Northern Ireland] golfer, Garth McGimpsey, ... said ... " ... Through 226 senior international matches, I was proud to be part of winning Irish teams and never had a problem in standing for the Irish national anthem."
  4. ^ "Black Sea Gold For Molloy". Irish Athletic Boxing Association. 15 March 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2018. Amhran na bhFiann has received many an airing at the Black Sea holiday resort in international competition in recent years, and Irish team manager Gerry O'Mahony was thrilled to hear the Irish national anthem again today.; "Road To Rio; Sponsorship Opportunity" (PDF). Irish Athletic Boxing Association. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 August 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2018. 32 county sport
  5. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Clerkin2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Ireland v Australia WT20". Cricket Ireland. 19 September 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2018. Ireland at the national anthem; Ireland's Call rings out across the Premadasa
  7. ^ "Live: Ireland vs Papua New Guinea". Rugby League Ireland. 4 November 2017. Archived from the original on 9 February 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2018. We are minutes away from kick off as Ireland's call bells out at the National Football [Stadium]
  8. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: International Korfball Federation (5 June 2016). "IKF European Korfball Championship Round 1 West : France — Ireland". ikfchannel. Youtube. Event occurs at 12m10s. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  9. ^ Kelleher, Lynne (17 November 2007). "Is it time Soldier's Song and Ireland's Call were scrapped?". Irish Daily Mirror.
  10. ^ O'Doherty, Ian (19 September 2015). "Ireland's Call: a show of two halves". Irish Independent. Retrieved 8 February 2018.