Two national anthems is a recent idea in the USA. But in Ireland, it's been a tradition for many years.
The Soldier's Song is Ireland's official national anthem. Ireland's Call was written in 1995 and adopted by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) to express unity for the entire country. Both Irish anthems are sung at home games. But when rugby, hockey, and cricket games are played on foreign soil, only Ireland's Call is sung.
It's often been said that on St. Patrick's Day, everyone is Irish. Instead of being identified as a race or gender, I wish we could all just be Americans for a day. I wish we could rediscover our natural state of national unity; I have to keep hoping that will happen. In the meantime, Happy St. Patrick's Day to all.
Ireland's Call Lyrics
Come the day
And come the hour
Come the power and the glory
We have come to answer our country's call
From the four proud provinces of Ireland
And come the hour
Come the power and the glory
We have come to answer our country's call
From the four proud provinces of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Together standing tall
Shoulder to shoulder
We'll answer Ireland's call
Ireland
Together standing tall
Shoulder to shoulder
We'll answer Ireland's call
From the mighty Glens of Antrim
From the rugged hills of Galway
From the walls of Limerick
And Dublin Bay
From the four proud provinces of Ireland
From the rugged hills of Galway
From the walls of Limerick
And Dublin Bay
From the four proud provinces of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Together standing tall
Shoulder to shoulder
We'll answer Ireland's call
Ireland
Together standing tall
Shoulder to shoulder
We'll answer Ireland's call
Hearts of steel
And heads unbowing
Vowing to never be broken
We will fight
'Til we can't fight no more
From the four proud provinces of Ireland
And heads unbowing
Vowing to never be broken
We will fight
'Til we can't fight no more
From the four proud provinces of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland
Together standing tall
We are shoulder to shoulder
We'll answer Ireland's call, yeah
We'll answer Irelands's call
Ireland
Together standing tall
We are shoulder to shoulder
We'll answer Ireland's call, yeah
We'll answer Irelands's call
