THE IRISH NATIONAL ANTHEM

Óglaigh Na HÉireann

Written in 1907 by Peadar Kearney, an uncle of Brendan Behan. It was sung outside the GPO during the Easter Rising in 1916, and later at various camps where republicans were interned, and was officially adopted as the national anthem in 1926, replacing God Save Ireland

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A SOLDIER’S SONG

We’ll sing a song, a soldier’s song

With cheering rousing chorus

As round our blazing fires we throng

The starry heavens o’er us

Impatient for the coming fight

And as we wait the morning’s light

Here in the silence of the night

We’ll chant a soldier’s song

Chorus:

Soldiers are we

whose lives are pledged to Ireland

Some have come

from a land beyond the wave

Sworn to be free

No more our ancient sire land

Shall shelter the despot or the slave

Tonight we man the gap of danger

In Erin’s cause, come woe or weal

‘Mid cannons‘ roar and rifles peal

We’ll chant a soldier’s song

In valley green, on towering crag

Our fathers fought before us

And conquered ‘neath the same old flag

That’s proudly 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 chant a soldier’s song

Chorus

Soldiers are we

whose lives are pledged to Ireland

Some have come

from a land beyond the wave

Sworn to be free

No more our ancient sire land

Shall shelter the despot or the slave

Tonight we man the gap of danger

In Erin’s cause, come woe or weal

‘Mid cannons’ roar and rifles peal

We’ll chant a soldier’s song

Sons of the Gael! Men of the Pale!

The long watched day is breaking

The serried ranks of Inisfail

Shall set the Tyrant quaking

Our camp fires now are burning low

See in the east a silv’ry glow

Out yonder waits the Saxon foe

So chant a soldier’s song

Chorus

Soldiers are we

whose lives are pledged to Ireland

Some have come

from a land beyond the wave

Sworn to be free

No more our ancient sire land

Shall shelter the despot or the slave

Tonight we man the gap of danger

In Erin’s cause, come woe or weal

‘Mid cannons’ roar and rifles peal

We’ll chant a soldier’s song

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