The Irish National Anthem-Song Lyrics Guitar Chords And Sheet Music
The Soldiers Song Abhran Na Bhfiann lyrics and chords. Written by Peader Kearney and
Paddy Heeney.
[C]Soldier's are we whoes[F] lives are pledged to[C] Ireland
[Am]Some[Em] have[Dm] come from a land beyond the[G] wave
[C]Sworn to be free,no[F] more our ancient sire[C] land
Shall[Em] shelter the despot[Dm] or the[G7] slave
To[F]night we man the [C]''bhearna bhaoil''
In[Em] Eirn's[Dm] cause,come[G7] woe or weal
Mid[C] cannons'[Em] roar and rifles[F] peal,
We will[C] chant a[G] soldier's[C] song
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[C]Sinne Finna Fáil a[F] tá fé gheall ag[C] Éirinn
[Am]Buion[Em] dár[Dm] slua,thar toinn do ráinig [G]chugainn
[C]Fé mhóid bheith saor,Sean[F] tír ár sinsir feas[C]ta
Ní[Em] fhagfar fé'n tiorán[Dm] ná fen[G7] tráil
A[F]nocht a théam sa[C] bhearna bhaoil
Le[Em] gean ar[Dm] Ghaeil chun[G7] báis nó saoil
Le[C] guna[Dm] screach fé lámhach na[F] bhiléar
Seo libh[C] canaidh[G] Amhrán na[C] bhFiann
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Soldiers are we, whose lives are pledged to Ireland Some have come from a land beyond the wave, Some
to be free, no more our ancient sireland Shall shelter the despot or the slave; tonight we man the Bearna Baoghal In
Erin's cause. come woe or weal; 'Mid cannon's roar and rifle's peal We'll chant a soldier's song.
We'll sing a song, a soldier's song With cheering, rousing chorus As round our blazing fires we thong, The
starry heavens o'er us; Impatient for the coming fight, And as we wait the mornings light here in the silence of
the night We'll sing a soldier's song
CHORUS
In valley green or towering crag Our fathers fought before us, And conquered 'neath the same old flag That's
floating o'er us, We're children of a fighting race That never yet has known disgrace, And as we march the foe to
face, We'll sing a soldier's song
CHORUS
Sons of the Gael! Men of the Pale! The Long watched day is breaking; The serried ranks of Innisfail Shall
set the tyrant quaking. Our camp fires now are burning low; See in the east a silvery glow, Out yonder waits the
saxon foe, So sing a soldier's song.
Re,,Peadar Kearney in 1937 wrote an extra verse of The Soldiers Song specially with the North in mind:
And here where Eire's glories bide Clan London fain would flourish; But Ulster-wide, what e'er betide No
pirate blood shall nourish. While flames the fier of Con and Owen, While Cave Hill guards the fame of Tone, From
Gullion's Slopes to Inishowen We'll chant a Soldier's Song.
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Sinne Fianna Fáil, Atá Fá gheall ag Éirinn, Buidhean dár sluagh tar rúinn do ráinig chughainn Fámhoídh
bheírh saor, Sean-tír ár sinnsear feasta Ní fágfar fá'n tíorán ná fa'n tráil; Anocht a theigeamh sa bhearna baoghail, Le
gean ar Gaedhí chun báis nó saoghail, Le gunna sgréach: Fá lamhach na piléar. Seo Libh canaidh amhrán na bhFiann.
Seo dhibh a cháirde duan oglaidh Caithréimeach, bríoghmhar, ceolmhar. Ár dteinte cnámh go buacach táid, `S
an spéir go min réaltógach. Is fionmhar faobhrach sinn chun gleo 'S go tiúnmhar glé roimh tigheacht do'n ló, Fa ciúnas
chaoimh na h-oidhche ar seol, Seo libh, canaídh amhrán na bhFiann.
Cois banta réidhe, ar árdaibh sléibhe. Ba bhuadhach ár rinnsear romhainn, Ag lámhach go tréan fá'n sár-
bhrat séin Tá thuas sa ghaoith go seolta; Ba dhúthchas riamh d'ár gcine cháidh Gan iompáil riar ó imirt áir, 'Siubhal
mar iad i gcoinnibh rámhaid Seo libh, canaidh amhrán na bhFiann.
A buidhean nach fann d'fuil Ghaoidheal is Gall Sinn breacadh lae na saoirse, Tá sgéimhle 's sgannradh
í gcroidhthibh namhad, Roimh ranngaibh laochra ár dtíre; Ár dteinte is tréith gan spréach anois, Sin luinne ghlé
san spéir anoir, 'S an bíodhbha i raon na bpiléar agaibh: Seo libh, canaidh amhrán na bhFiann.
Click Sheet Music To Enlarge
Abhrán na bhfiann , The Soldier's song was written in 1907 It became popular in the Irish
Volunteer Force,but the general public heard it for the first time during the Easter rising of 1916. It replaced God Save
Ireland to become the official national anthem in 1926. There are three verses but only the chorus is played. I have included
the Irish and English here.The copyright is owned by The People Of Ireland which was purchased for £100. The youtube video
of The National Anthem is of Brian Roebuck with Mick O'Brien and Gerry O'Connor and in my opinion is one of the best renditions
ever of the Irish National Anthem
NATIONAL ANTHEM HIJACKED BY Fianna Fail IN 1907, Peadar Kearney, uncle of playwright
and author Brendan Behan, wrote the lyrics of a song he called `The Soldier's Song' or Amhran,na bhFiann', and the music was
composed by his friend and collaborator, Patrick Heaney. It was first published in 1912. The first line of the chorus read
`Soldiers are we' in English and was translated into Irish as `Sinne Laochra Fail'. (Laoch—a hero, a champion, a warrior,
a soldier; Dinneen). The song became popular when it was sung by the occupiers of the GPO in 1916 and in 1926 the song was
adopted by the W T. Cosgrave led Government as the Irish National Anthem. In that same year Eamon de Valera founded a political
party which he named Fianna Fail and the line `Sinne Laochra Fail' miraculously became `Sinne Fianna Fail'. It was a `stroke'
of pure genius. But how was it done? Henceforth, every time the National Anthem would be sung his new party would get a priceless
`plug' and it goes without saying that in the intervening years this has helped Fianna Fail immeasurably in gaining and holding
on to power. But, when one considers that the new National Anthem was being hijacked by the very people who had tried so
hard to destroy the State, it is difficult to understand why the Cosgrave Government did not put a loot on it right at the
beginning. , then again, I suppose we must remember that at I hat time Mr Cosgrave and his colleagues were fully occupied
with the almost impossible job of getting a new State up and running after the chaos and slaughter of the Civil War, while,
just then, de Valera and his followers had lots of how on their hands. In August 1923, the first general election of the
Irish free State, Eamon de Valera , decided once more to ignore the democratic voice of the people and refused to take his
seat in Dail Eireann because of the oath of allegiance to the Crown It was not until August 1927 that De Valera led his deputies
back to the chamber, now casually declaring the oath an empty formality .
Eamon de Valera played no part in the formative years of the State, but it is on record that he spent
the four years very profitably on business of his own; and it is goes without saying that he and his Irregulars did not boycott
their Dail salaries during their extended vacation. Is it time for the people of Ireland to reclaim their National Anthem
from Fianna Fail and cleanse it from the taint of party politics ?
Paddy Heaney
Patrick Heaney wrote the music for The Soldiers Song, it was Peadar Kearney who asked him to put the music
to his song. Heaney was born 19 Oct. 1881 in Tyrone Street Dublin which later became Railway Street. He played The Melodeon
and worked for The Post Office. Paddy Heaney couldn't write music but had a good ear. He most likley wrote the notes down
as ''abc'' notation and later got someone to transcribe it to sheet music. He died aged 30 and is buried in Drumcondra Dublin
in a graveyard behind The Cat And Cage pub. It's an unmarked grave but theres a small plaque to remember Paddy at the entrance
to the graveyard.
Amhrán na bhFiann Tin Whistle
I'm actually playing this with a C whistle. The notes above are made out for a key of D whistle. I'm using
a C because The National Anthem goes a bit high into the second octave. I find the C does not make it too loud as a D does.
It's up to yourself which whistle you want to use.
There's a signed copy of Amhran Na bhFiann that's coming up for aution in Dublin on December the 4th or
5th. The aution will take place at Berkley / Clyde Court Hotel and is run by Mealy's. The price put on this handwritten copy
is €760,000. The photo here is the best example I could find.