"If one anthem is good enough for England...."
One official one - but there are plenty more, as in Ireland (and Scotland and Wales).
God save the Queen - the official one but the tune is pretty dire.
Jerusalem (And did those feet) - lifted high by Sir Hubert Parry's wonderful tune, but William Blake was railing against the current state of the country rather than celebrating it.
Land of hope and glory - great fun to sing but the words are from the days when we had an Empire.
I vow to thee my country - words (Sir Cecil Spring-Rice, our Ambassador to the USA during the First World War) and tune (Gustav Holst, from The Planets) are both marvellous and make a fine anthem. It was written by a Christian but non-Christians can equally be inspired by it. So indeed could any Irishman.
I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above,
Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love;
The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test,
That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best;
The love that never falters, the love that pays the price,
The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.
And there’s another country, I’ve heard of long ago,
Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know;
We may not count her armies, we may not see her King;
Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering;
And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase,
And her ways are ways of gentleness and all her paths are peace.
Last edited by: Avant on Sun 14 Mar 10 at 00:45
|
Irish Anthems new
Irish Anthems new