What is our/ Irish peoples obsession with The Fields Of Athenry song? It's a nice song to sing yes.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121184332#Comment_121184332

rebelling against the Crown,

Finally you got it. The 'Crown' who brutalised people. Which is accepted by everyone.

'Fields Of Athenry is 'vicious and racist'

😁 😁😁

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121184332#Comment_121184332

Editing the post after it has been answered? Wow.

Are you saying @Francis McM that the guy in the song should have been thankful for being deported and sent away from his family because he stole some corn?

Seems to be, that is what you are saying.

Those with zero issues with this song at rugby and football matches clearly have more empathy than you and even the Unionists there are not as hidebound and defensive of the actions of the British crown here.

You have to fabricate their offence.

Greyfox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121184332#Comment_121184332

Thank god that this is your last post, I was wondering when you'd stop talking nonsense about FOA, one of the best things Ireland has ever produced. You are the only person in the world that finds the correct version of the song offensive.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121185214#Comment_121185214

The detractors got caught manufacturing outrage and orchestrating Greyfox.

Low lies their credibility.

FrancieBrady

Was reading a bit of the Twitter debate (such as it is) around the singing of Zombie at large events like the Rugby and Feile Na Phobail in Belfast.

The big take-away is also evident in this thread i.e. the inability to interpret artistic works correctly.

The Fields of Athenry is not 'anti British or vicious or racist' as claimed, that is just a completely irrational and unsustainable (by the lyric) point of view. It isn't in the lyric it is projected onto it in other words, in order to sell a narrative. A narrative intended to divide.

Zombie is an issue for those in the republican/nationalist community if you pretend it is a song about Warrington. It isn't, it is a song inspired by Warrington.

There is a massive difference.

If you try the fallacy that the author was taking a shot at one community you are completely disrespecting the piece of art. Republicans will reject the idea, all day long, that they are the only Zombies and rightly so, the conflict/war had many combatants across the barricades.

Zombie and the FoA are anti-war/conflict songs.

I think it is excellent and hopeful that they can be sung by mixed crowds on this island. Long may it continue.

There will be many who will try to use art to divide but the quality of the art will win at the end of the day.

crusd

People at group events tend to sing songs with a strong chorus that is easily remembered. That is the reason. Simple as.

Other Irish Ballads such as Grace, the Foggyy Dew, Raglan Road et al while good sing song tunes do not lend themselves easily to a chant.

You'll never Walk Alone is another shite song the leads itself to being sung en mass due the hook in the chorus

SteM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058315120/what-is-our-irish-peoples-obsession-with-the-fields-of-athenry-song-its-a-nice-song-to-sing-yes

It was about when everyone was leaving the Country during the Famine yes.

I haven't read the whole thread but I'm sure someone has brought up that this song was written in the 70's, so no it wasn't about when everyone was leaving the country during the famine.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121187730#Comment_121187730

I agree wholeheartedly.

A crowd singing FoA or Zombie at a sporting occasion are being as political as a crowd singing Óle Óle 😁

I was talking about the creation and interpretation of those songs and how people use them being sung to their own political ends.

For those thinking they are being sung politically at these events massive projection and wilful mis-interpretation of the lyric is required.

its_steve116

https://youtube.com/watch?v=KLVq0IAzh1A

Fields of Gold is a better song.

HalloweenJack

I much prefer 'A Nation Once Again' myself.