‘Ireland’s Call’ is the right anthem

Kevin Barry
March 10 2005

There are those people who believe that sport and politics do not mix. Then again, there are all kinds of strange people in this world. People who would think that the opening up of Croke Park for a few ‘foreign games’ would be the death knell for Gaelic games; people who would believe that Liverpool are still a European football force; people who would have backed Pompeii against Vesuvius.

In Ireland at least, politics and sports are deeply entwined with one another. The controversy of the singing of ‘Amhran Na bhFiann’ as Bearla at the opening ceremony of the Ryder Cup last year is one example of how sport is used in Ireland to define our political and cultural identity. However, it is the use of ‘Ireland’s Call’ over ‘Amhran Na bhFiann} by the Irish rugby side, that continuously sparks debate regarding the role of politics in Irish sport.

“Itís the National Anthem, so there!” is the argument that many have used to support the idea that ‘Ireland’s Call’ should be done away with. It may have escaped their noticed but there is a small area of Ireland that does not make up part of the Irish republic. ‘Amhran Na bhFiann’ is the national anthem of the twenty-six county Republic of Ireland while the Irish rugby team represents the thirty-two counties of the island of Ireland. Like it or not, ‘Amhran Na bhFiann’ is not the national anthem of the six counties of Northern Ireland nor of some players who play for the Irish rugby side. After all, if the situation were reversed, would people in the south of Ireland feel comfortable about ‘God Save the Queen’ being used to represent them before an international?

By the same token, ‘Amhran Na bhFiann’ should be sung when players represent the Republic of Ireland soccer team. It is the national anthem of the twenty‚six counties and if someone doesnít want to sing it then what are they doing representing the country? When Mick McCarthy was appointed as manager of the Republic, he insisted on teaching the national anthem to all English born players and demanded that every player sing it before a match. The need for such drastic action is exemplified by one incident in the Seventies. At the end of ‘Amhran Na bhFiann’ one English born player making his debut for Ireland against Poland turned to the man beside him and said “God, that Polish anthem was crap wasnít it? I hope our one is better!”

There is an argument that since the International Rules team, which also represents the thirty-two counties uses ‘Amhran Na bhFiann,’ why should the rugby side not? But the players from Northern Ireland who play for the International Rules side are exclusively from a nationalist background and take great pride in singing the anthem. Those who play rugby are predominantly from a Unionist background and see ‘Amhran Na bhFiann’ as representing the Catholic, nationalist Ireland that is on the other side of a political divide in which they live.

To be fair, there are not many Ulster players currently figuring in the international squad. David Humphries is probably the only Ulster man, likely to make it into Eddie O’Sullivan’s best 22. Yet there have been many legendary Ulster rugby figures such as Jackie Kyle, Mike Gibson and Willie John MacBride. Furthermore, rugby fans in Ulster are supporters of the Irish team. Why should they be represented by an anthem that stands for political beliefs they do not hold?

It would be false to think that the players themselves have completely ignored the political differences that they hold, rather they have engaged in light hearted banter down through the years. On an Australian tour in 1979, the Irish team bus once rolled into a little town called Orange.

Not wishing to let the occasion pass unmarked, Moss Keane started roaring down at some of the Ulster lads. “Go on lads, sing the Sash, sing the Sash. Give it a belt lads.” More recently, Adidas presented David Humphries with a pair of orange boots, which he gladly used in training. To Humphries’ horror, the boots went mysteriously missing for a few days, before turning up outside his hotel room door, spray painted green!

It would surprise most people to learn that Ian Paisley is a proud Irish man; he is, it is just that his perception of what it is to be Irish is very different to what we in the Republic would have. Ulster players take great pride in playing for Ireland; it is their only opportunity to play international rugby and it would be a shame if they were not represented in the pre match formalities. ‘Amhran Na bhFiann’ is a great anthem and one that all Irish nationalists can take pride in. But a little understanding towards those of a different political opinion should not be such a huge ask, and indeed would go a long way to solving many of the problems this country has had over the centuries.