The Latest from Liam Keane

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

I’m extremely busy right now as it’s finals week here at UCSB but of course Saint Patrick’s Day is a good time for a break and a bit of craic.

Recently in my Anthropology class, “Nationalism and Nation-States”, we took a look at some national anthems of European countries. One of the songs we looked at was Ireland’s anthem and so I’ve decided to include it here today for those not otherwise familiar with it. The following is sung by The Wolfe Tones.

Paraphrased from Wikipedia:
Amhrán na bhFiann (”a-rawn nuh veen”) is the national anthem of Ireland. It is usually sung in the Irish language. In 1907, it was written in English (”A Soldier’s Song”) by the Irish rebel Peadar Ó Cearnaígh and the tune was composed by Patrick Heeney. It was published in 1912 and later translated into Irish Gaelic by Bulmer Hobson. In 1926, the chorus from the Irish translation of the song was adopted as the national anthem of the Irish Free State.
Some recent news regarding anthems in Ireland was the dastardly sale of the original copy of the anthem -a state treasure- at private auction as well as the controversial decision to allow England to play God Save the Queen at Croke Park (the site of a 1920 massacre of 14 Irish players and spectators at a Dublin-Tipperary gaelic football match by the Black and Tans).

Anyway, hopefully you have a great Saint Patrick’s Day. Cheers and good health!