"Can anyone explain to me why the Irish have all those anthems? If one anthem is good enough for England, why isn't one good enough for Ireland? "
There are many answers to your question.
A. "God Save the Queen" is the official national anthem of the 6 counties, and "The Soldier's Song" is the official national anthem for the 26 counties, and the Londonderry Air is sometimes used as an unofficial anthem on the grounds that it is supposed to unite the whole island. Though of course, if you refer to it as the "Londonderry Air", you'll not unite anybody.
B. You can't expect the Irish to unite around anything, can you?
C. The Irish are such a musical people, that one anthem wouldn't be enough.
D. In addition to the above, there is also the correct answer, which I wouldn't claim to know.
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