Why the Tricolour doesn't work for me

Snickers Man

LostinBlanch wrote:

Be careful what you ask for. The Soldiers Song won a national competition to find an anthem. It was later translated into Irish.

Hmm good point. Mind you, I wasn't suggesting putting that to the popular vote. And you know why they translated A Soldier's Song into Irish? It was to hide the embarassment of coming up with a word to rhyme with Ireland. What the hell is a Sireland anyway?

In case you don't believe be

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 Sireland
Will shelter the despot or the slave

etc etc

LostinBlanch wrote:

As for talk about changing flags and anthems I don't think it'll be a runner. It will seem like we are giving up more of what makes us Irish to placate the likes of Paisley up north. Do you honestly think they'd give up theirs?

I'm not talking about changing our anthem to placate Paisley. My motivation is merely good musical taste. Don't worry about what anybody else thinks. Ever translated the words to La Marseillaise

Marchons, Marcons
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons

(loosely)
Let us march on together and fill our ditches with filthy blood.

I don't think they're talking about the AIDS epidemic either .

Binomate

It looks cool.

murphaph

The gold harp on the green background is much nicer than the manky tricolour IMO. Tricolours are so common and has been said, do not render at all well in B&W! Ireland is unique in the world too-the only country in the world which uses a musical indtrument as it's official state seal. It should get greater exposure than just on tax office envelopes! The problem with the gold harp on green field is that it's already the flag of Leinster, so what are the chances of the professional whingers west of the Shannon agreeing to that! The harp on blue would be very nice but we'd find ourselves being sued by Ryanair for trademark infringement

lostexpectation

which is older the blue(azure) or green?

ivan087

i think we should stop this talk of changing the flag and anthem, because believe me before long we'll be singing some westlife song before the rugby and waving a white flag!!! (so to not offend anyone!).
but in fairness the anthem is terrible, it will never be changed, but its embarresing, at sporting occasions, when about 12 people out of 30,000 can sing it.
maybe we just need a remix...scooter!!!

DublinWriter

Snickers Man wrote:

In case you don't believe be

Soldiers are we
Whose lives are pledged to Ireland
Some have come
From a land beyond the wave

etc etc

I thought the lyrics where...

Sine Fine Fail...
Mmmm mmmm mm m m mmmmmmm mm,
Laaa laaaa laaaaahh,
deee deeee de de de deeeeeeeeeeee.

...and the last verse being...

(LOUDLY) DAH DAH DAH-DAH-DAH
DAH DAH-DAH-DAH-DA-HAAAAAA
Aaaaaaaahhhhh,
Laaaa laaaaaaaahhhh,
Laaaa-laaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh.

arbeitsscheuer

lostexpectation wrote:

which is older the blue(azure) or green?

The blue. The first representation of the island of Ireland in flag form was a Gold Harp on a Blue (Although I must say it looks closer to Navy on the Royal Standard IMO) background.

And I'd be much prouder of that flag tbh. Represents more history and the unity of the island than a Tricolour dreamt up less than 100 years ago.

On the subject of lyrics... I like the National Anthem, and know the words pretty well, especially compared to most in Lansdowne Rd any given International match!

StupidLikeAFox

Its the Irelands Call i dont understand, wtf is up with that?

knox1664

I know the national anthem very well and i think everyone else should too! i learned it in an afternon in primary schol and as for the flag i'd go with the harp over the tricolour anyday.

Vangelis

Your flag contains a strong hope for peace.
Keep it! I don't know of any other flag with such strong symbolism.

LordSutch

Vangelis wrote:

Your flag contains a strong hope for peace.
Keep it! I don't know of any other flag with such strong symbolism.

If you are talking about the Tricolour? you are missing the point.

Say for instance (in 60 years time) the majority of people "up North" voted to leave the UK (by a small margin) then we would all be looking for a new more inclusive flag for the whole island and (the Tricolour has too much baggage)!

Hence some New "fresh" flag .............................?

Snickers Man

DublinWriter wrote:

I thought the lyrics where...

Sine Fine Fail...
Mmmm mmmm mm m m mmmmmmm mm,
Laaa laaaa laaaaahh,
deee deeee de de de deeeeeeeeeeee.

...and the last verse being...

(LOUDLY) DAH DAH DAH-DAH-DAH
DAH DAH-DAH-DAH-DA-HAAAAAA
Aaaaaaaahhhhh,
Laaaa laaaaaaaahhhh,
Laaaa-laaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh.

As a previous poster said, it was originally in English and then translated into Irish. And I can't believe that you haven't been taught this if you went to school in Ireland. Can you imagine what would happen to a yank who didn't know the words to their God-awful anthem?