@Ger Whelan: Disheartening to see 25% of Irish people don’t place a value on their national anthem, their history or pride in their country.

A reworking of “Beasts of England”?

@Harry Paisley: Quiet you celibate freak of nature

@Harry Paisley: The Irish National Anthem in all seriousness is lethal! Definitely up there in the top global anthems.

@Freda Peeple: That thing still knocking about ? Surprised his mammy hasn’t taken away his phone yet.

@Toyo Ke: That’s reading an awful lot into people’s ambivalence about ONE song. It’s incredibly difficult for one song to sum up or capture the feelings of millions of people who happen to be born in the same country.

Anthems are handed down and no one gets to vote on them. Change isn’t a bad thing. I’m not too pushed either way but I’d understand and be totally fine with something new, once it wasn’t twee nonsense.

If we rate music and songs by their emotional impact and relatability to a large number of people you could argue that The Pogues wrote more than one national anthem! Of course not every single person will agree but they are highly unusual in the vast range of people they appeal to. Trad, punk, metal, pop, folk, rock and a whole host of other fan groups. A rare common denominator, middle of the venn diagram, mass appeal band!

@Toyo Ke: How do you work all that out? They just don’t like the anthem!

@Harry Paisley: Your own country England doesn’t have a national anthem!

@Ger Whelan: I’ve written a new one for ZZa United Ireland. To the tune of Danny Boy “A Land for All- Ár dTír do Chách”

@Harry Paisley: what’s a bore fest? A soldiers song or the Saudi national anthem?

@Toyo Ke: correction 25% of people who read this. There is no way to tell that those people were Irish

@Pól Pot: I would say the French National Anthem is about the best, stirring stuff, but the Irish National Anthem is not far behind!

@Ger Whelan: Grand.

@Daniel Dunne: Too much of a ‘come all ye.’

@Pól Pot: definitely worth looking in to!

@Daniel Dunne: maby when it is a nation once again all 32 counties

@Ger Whelan: That attitude has been the problem all along. Force the minority to accept the views of the majority. It was the attitude of Parnell. Redmond made a half-hearted attempt at inclusion but didn’t pursue it, and those that followed totally ignored the minority, despite it being a large minority. This is why a united and peaceful Ireland was never going to happen. Only Griffith made any serious attempt to build bridges. If Ireland is ever going to be united and peaceful, both sides need to move towards a solution. Amongst other things, this will mean ditching both national anthems.

@Rob Goodbody: That attitude? You mean democracy? I don’t want to build bridges. I don’t want a united Ireland. If the people in Northern Ireland want to leave the United kingdom then let them leave it and become an independent nation. Should the majority of people in my country ever vote to accept Northern Ireland joining this country I will accept the majority vote and accept the North joining Ireland even though I’d be in the minority. See that’s how it works. You don’t like that move to a non democratic country

@Ger Whelan: In order to get Ireland to be a 32 county entity there needs to be a referendum. Much better to persuade Unionists to vote to join the rest of the Island in building a successful future.

Also, please don’t twist my words and thought processes. I used the analogy of God Save the King to try to get people like you to think outside the box.

I grew up in the Irish Republic a few miles from the border with NI and am a proud Irish Republician in the true sense where Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter will happily coexist.

@Brian D’Arcy: Lots of people don’t sing National Anthems, in an Irish Times survey in 2022 just over half (54 per cent) of all Catholic respondents said they would vote in favour of Irish unity.

@Ger Whelan: if at some point in the future the majority votes for a united Ireland then it won’t be the the counties ‘joining’ the Republic, it’ll be a new country with new constitution, anthem, etc.

@JoeJoe Kilbride: Nope it won’t be.

@Ger Whelan: If/when unionists decide to unite you can be certain that it will require a change of anthem. As said above, it wouldn’t be a case of them joining us but all of us in a new type of country. If/when this does become a real possibility, you and everyone else will likely have a vote. I’m sure many nationalists would concede an anthem for unity.

@ecrowley ecrowley: you realise the unionists will never vote for a united Ireland. It’ll be nationalist up in the north that will pass the vote and the unionists will have to be dragged kicking and screaming. We don’t need that trouble. Let them go independent

@David Phelan: no, only sustainable approach is majority support.
You simply can’t have over riding dominance by a minority. Ludicrous and won’t work.
Concessions and protections for unionists, yes. But not when it comes to identity

@David Phelan: The only time Ireland was a 32 county Irish nation was when it was part of what is the UK today . There has never been an independent 32 Irish nation .

@Ger Whelan: If the unionists have to be dragged kicking and screaming then it simply won’t happen because it wouldn’t work. IF they were to get on board, they would expect some concessions. All I’m saying is a change of anthem shouldn’t be a deal breaker.

@David Phelan: eh tough

@ecrowley ecrowley: they’ll never be on board. Look at how long they dragged out Brexit FFS. You are all living in a dream world if you think changing our national anthem is going to habe them running to us with open arms.

@Ger Whelan: Nobody is saying that changing the anthem will get them on board.

@Ger Whelan: There’s definitely some truth to what you’re saying. The only thing I’d say is that we might be looking at this through an old lens; the one we grew up with. There’s a big change in the youth in NI. There’s a not inconsiderable number who view the old divisions with an eye roll. They’re busy with all the stuff they have in common. Listen to the same music, party in the same places, work study and socialise together. I’m not saying this guarantees anything, but things could look quite different in the coming decades. If it was practical, beneficial and enough have moved past the indoctrination in certain quarters, you never know…

@Ger Whelan: yeah minority respects majority and vice versa so you have just have an Ority. And that’s enough.

@Harry Paisley: speck for your self, a united Ireland, is something I would like, everyone just getting on and respect for each other view, can’t see why not, make arrangements for everyone on the island,

@SerotoninWars: old lens? How long ago was Brexit? As for a change in youth, you might be right there. But history has shown the youth don’t win votes, the older generations win them.

@David Phelan: I think Irelands call would be a nice one in the case of unification.

@Ger Whelan: The majority in the north voted against Brexit. The old guard are very much in place in some respects though, but even on that front things have cooled a lot except for the total headcases like the TUV. There’s a significant number who don’t vote along tribal/religious/nationalistic lines too. The youth will be tomorrow’s voters. If history has taught us anything it’s that seemingly intractable positions can change relatively quickly. I’m not suggesting it will happen imminently but I certainly wouldn’t write it off in the future. We live in a very different world now.

You say it would be a ‘sad day’. I don’t understand why. Time for a massive all-island all-Ireland party for me! It’s still horrible every time you see that chunk of the island cut off on the news and weather.

@David Phelan: David Phelan: We don’t want or need a “New Ireland”. Unification will mean a significant reduction of Unionists and an increase of Nationalists in NI. No pandering to Unionists. The unionists of the south had to like it or lump it. For over 100 years the majority had to Tolerate God Save The Queen – King to suit the RDS- Dublin Castle minority . Unionists up north quite happily tried to impose themselves with orange marches down roads that they don’t belong and with QSTQ/QSTK . Sod them ! There will be no pandering to a group that has barely ever being “a million strong” .

@Rob Goodbody: Peaceful ? Unionists would be wiped off the face of this earth within a year and less if they kicked off and tried to undermine the majority will. They’d do well to remember what happened to many of the southern Unionists between 1920-1923 . They will be absolutely no lost to our society. Even the English historically loathed them . They have many choices if they don’t like it. No pandering to this lot in light of how they ruled the island for over 120 years despite being a minority . Unification will mean a total surrender and end to Unionism. Most people don’t care enough for unification if it means pandering to them .

@Rob Goodbody: The UK doesn’t have a national anthem, it has a royal anthem. The same royal anthem that Luxembourg, Norway, old Prussia used. As far as I know, all the royal houses of Europe use a version of ‘God save the king’.

@David Phelan: Unionists will be utterly outnumbered in the north by that point . They will do what they are told or go the same way as southern unionists of the 1920s . They will be a loss to no one .

@David Phelan: You just don’t get it ! Unionists will never vote to leave the U.K. , no matter what . There’s no point convincing them . They refuse to take part in the All island council as per GFA ; they refuse to recognise the Irish language as per St Andrews ; They still burn our “fleg” ; They have no interest in building bridges with nationalists in the north , the Peace walls are still needed and they still don’t trust each other . While the GAA should pay more for the redevelopment of Casement Park , Unionists simply don’t want it reopened and even if it means they lose out in hosting a major sporting event . Breed them out . People in the south are in no rush for unification , our nationalists can move to Louth or Donegal or Monaghan if they are so in need to be part of our gang .

@Pat Barry: Irish Times, the traditional Unionist paper … yeah, credibility there

@ecrowley ecrowley: Utter rubbish ! They won’t vote to join . It will require a significant increase in the Nationalist – Republican population . There will be no pandering to a group that had never been more than a million . Ever occur to you why southern parties and groups have never really don’t anything to promote unification seriously ? Not a priority , certainly not if Unionists call the shots . Breed them out

@Jonn: You miss the central point that Irelands Call is clearly intended to include Northern & Non Irish rugby players and supporters, who should not be expected to sing a nationalist, militarist anthem, which propagates an historic resistance to imperialist subjection. That is past and irrelevant to 21st century Ireland.
Rugby is an all Ireland sport,and many others, along with GAA, equestrian/ horse racing, racing pigeons, dog shows, field, motor, indoor sports.
All of these continued despite constraints through the “troubles” and maintained a vital thread of civilised social interaction, through which an evolving unification process can be developed.
So get real, get in tune with where this State is at and where we want to get to.

@William Kelly: Or, maybe, respect your country’s history and don’t rewrite it.

@William Kelly: there are people who died for the liberation of this country that the anthem represents. True patriots and I’ll include those of the 1981 hunger strikes and those volunteers in the north on active service. It’s a militaristic song as you rightly claim & recognition of the struggle against imperialism. That continues today although not through military means thankfully but while I disagreed with the PIRA they continued that struggle against imperialism right up to the GFA. I do agree a compromise must be reached for unionists but getting rid of the anthem isn’t necessarily one of them. There isn’t too many patriots in Ireland. Let’s not forget the ones that existed.

@Mic JHintl: the “patriots” are the reason we don’t have a united Ireland. They have created division and helped hardline unionists. The sooner they are forgotten, the sooner we can move forward together

@reg morrisey: Strong disagree. Ireland’s Call is an enjoyably non-partisan anthem along with our own main one which allows those from Northern Ireland to join in and sing along with their Southern Irish brothers. Before it was introduced, those from Ulster who were Unionist were unable join in with the national anthem and this made us look divided in front of international opposition. It’s a catchy tune with some uplifting lyrics, there is no reason why it should be scrapped.

@Mic JHintl: I agree with a lot of what you said about the value of our national anthem from a rich historical point of view when it comes to our fight for independence in a heroic manner against the British Empire. However, I can’t agree with you that the 1981 Hunger Strikes were a mix of thugs, terrorists and common criminals. They were in no way “political prisoners” and people like Bobby Sands were cowards. No, petrol bombing up a furniture store, shooting at two police officers and severely wounding them and then trying to flee from the scene is not anything to be proud off and I they did not deserve to get to wear anything but the prison uniform. Patriots my ass, they were an insult to the real heroes of Irish independence.

@William Jennings: I too have issues with some of what the PIRA did but I’m sure I would be the same if I lived in the 1920s. There is no good or bad IRA. They were both the same and many former 1920 IRA members agreed with the Pira. I suggest you read about Bobby Sands and those members of the Pira & the torture they suffered in the Kesh. It’s truly horrendous. Sands also being a leader in the hunger strikes knowing he was going to die. It’s your personal opinion these were not patriots but I believe history will tell that story. Remember I don’t support the Pira or SF but have arrived at this conclusion after lots of reading on this matter. Your suggestion about our heroic fight against British imperialism must include the Pira. What exactly do you think the Pira were fighting?

@Fran Ken: no you mistake the origin of the problem. British imperialism created the division over a hundred years ago and maintained it with violence. You do know the civil rights movement in NI was beaten off the street and burned out of their homes by moderate unionists you forgot to mention. They won’t be forgotten. Ireland’s removal of British imperialism has always been violent and we will celebrate those members of PIRA in decades to come the same as we celebrate Terrance McSweeney Michael Collins Dan Breen and others. It’s inevitable.

@Harry Paisley: the shinner have really taken over whatever bit of a brain you have your now beginning to sound more like M Martin of ffg in all your posts &replys

Ye all know Brendan Behan’s uncle wrote it? It’s a classic. Beautiful and powerful. Definitely draws primal love of our land up. A classic!

@Harry Paisley: Ian is that you, should defo change the last name to make it more difficult

@Paddy Ryan: Fair play Paddy.

@Paddy Ryan: fair play!

@GerH: It was sang in English at the GPO

@Niall Lappin: Ignorance personified, far from dead, actually making a comeback despite people you

@Philip Slevin: póg mo thóin, Philip

@Philip Slevin: it was written in English and subsequently translated into Irish.

@GerH: Ireland was invaded and colonised by the Normans in 1169 and ruled by the Normans till 1541 . Irelands national language is English because that is the language we prefer to speak . Nobody has forced it upon us over the last one yrs .

@Niall Lappin: You do know it’s not a dead language don’t you? No, you probably don’t know much about anything.

@Niall Lappin: well said

@William Jennings:
Excellent comment.

@Patrice Ahern: Educate yourself.

@Patrice Ahern:
Did you ever consider learning the words and what it’s about ??
Also the majority of my friends would know it, maybe you should stop hanging around with dunces….

@Anthony Curran: It’s not supposed to!

@Anthony Curran: That’s precisely the point of a national anthem! The point of it is to reflect the rich history of a country and offer a vision of patriotism, unity and pride, drawing on significant events, struggles and symbols that define the nation’s heritage. The lyrics and music are supposed evoke a sense of shared history and the aspirations of a people. That’s exactly what both of our anthems do and there’s no reason why they should be altered or scrapped.

@smatrix mantra: nothing springs to mind tbh. (German anthem) Maybe anthems are out of date ?

@Me Me: God save the King ?
Awful stuff.