I'm not a football fan. It's definitely not my cup of tea but as probably most of you, I got sucked in by the atmosphere of the Euro Cup 2012. However, it's not the 'play' that makes me look forward to the next matches. It's the national anthems! I get goose skin every time I hear thousands of people singing together with their eyes filled with tears. No matter what nationality.
Have you ever paid attention to the lyrics? It can really say a lot about a nation.
Naturally, there are two which 'struck my ear':
God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen:
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the Queen.
O Lord, our God, arise,
Scatter thine enemies,
And make them fall.
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On thee our hopes we fix,
God save us all.
Thy choicest gifts in store,
On her be pleased to pour;
Long may she reign:
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice
God save the Queen.
and my favourite;)
Sinne Fianna Fáil,
atá faoi gheall
ag Éirinn,
Buíon dár slua
thar toinn do ráinig chughainn,
Faoi mhóid bheith saor
Seantír ár sinsear feasta,
Ní fhágfar faoin tíorán ná faoin tráill.
Anocht a théam sa bhearna baoil,
Le gean ar Ghaeil, chun báis nó saoil,
Le gunna scréach faoi lámhach na bpiléar,
Seo libh canaig amhrán na bhfiann
and the English version is:
Soldiers are we,
whose lives are pledged to
Some have come
from a land beyond the wave,
Sworn to be free,
no more our ancient sireland,
Shall shelter the despot or the slave.
Tonight we man the "bearna baoil",
In Erin’s cause, come woe or weal,
’Mid cannon’s roar and rifles’ peal,
We’ll chant a soldier's song
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After yesterday's match... well, I really wanted them to win:(
let THIS be my tribute to the Irish:
The lyrics to this song are here - found by one of my students - thank you :)
More national anthems will come together with the olympics:)
source: google images
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