‘SOLDIERING on: Ireland’s national anthem from 1916 to 2016’ is the arresting title to Dr Michael Murphy’s first talk this season on “current issues in musical life in Ireland”.
Welcome to this illustrated monthly exploration by the Mary Immaculate College lecturer, himself a double bass player, on Wednesday 20 at 7pm. This and subsequent sessions will embrace relevant discussion and even refreshments, at LimeTree Theatre.
Between rehearsals with the Irish Symphonic Wind Orchestra and a conference in Dublin, Dr Murphy got in touch to describe next Wednesday’s event “as an overview of The Soldier’s Song. I look at it in terms of the various arrangements and musicians who have worked on the composition, in England, in America and in Ireland”.
An experienced author as well as lecturer in music matters (Irish and Polish 19th century composition a speciality), Michael Murphy makes the point that ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’ “had a reluctant birth as our national anthem. There has always been a high degree of criticism of it and a continuity in that criticism over the 100 years”.
In fact ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’ (on translation) was written by Brendan Behan’s uncle Peadar Kearney in 1907 and was little known until sung at the GPO that fateful Easter.
Any good presenter has a touch of the imp to keep us hooked and this young academic is such. We hear that copyright on The Soldier’s Song ran out in 2011; Dr Murphy alerted The Authorities, who said the were “looking in to it”.
Anyway, Kerry footballer, the newly wed Paul Galvin who has a clothing line to sell through Dunnes Stores, has now themed his website/ YouTube post with its words and his commentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg3YTCzJuN0
“And that’s the latest instalment on the anthem”. Expect a lively couple of hours at Lime Tree next Wednesday January 20, 7pm and €8 ticket.
