Why do Irish fans sing Fields of Athenry?

During the Great Famine in Ireland during the 1840s, 100,000 Irish famine victims emigrated to Glasgow. St John began by thanking Glasgow for looking after the famine victims, and then began to sing “Fields of Athenry”, accompanied by thousands of fans.

Is The Fields of Athenry a sectarian song?

The clip shows a rendition of the Irish folk tune, “Fields of Athenry”, punctuated by shouts of “IRA” and “Sinn Fein”. This song is sung at Celtic games and at supporters’ nights every week, there’s nothing sectarian about the ‘Fields of Athenry’.

What song do Irish fans sing?

Video shared on social media showed fans marching through the streets of Glasgow to Sunday’s Rangers v Celtic game at Ibrox, with many singing the notorious Famine Song.

Why do Celtic and Liverpool football clubs sing the song Fields of Athenry?

St John stepped on to the pitch in front of 60,000 fans and began by thanking them for looking after the 15,000 fever sufferers who were sent over during the famine. Then he began to sing The Fields of Athenry.

Who is the most famous singer in Ireland?

The most successful performer in the genre today is Daniel O’Donnell, who has garnered success in the UK, US and Australia. O’Donnell’s frequent singing partner Mary Duff has also had success in this genre and most recently County Carlow native Derek Ryan has enjoyed Irish chart hits doing this type of music.

Is it illegal to sing IRA songs?

The 1980s song celebrates the lives of 10 republican prisoners who died in 1981 at the Maze Prison. He said that it is “firmly established in law, and incidentally very well-known” that singing songs of a sectarian nature at football matches “is likely to be a criminal act”.

Do Rangers fans sing Sweet Caroline?

Rangers fans have adopted Neil Diamond song Sweet Caroline as their latest anthem of the season following Steven Gerrard’s now-legendary interview post-Livingston.

Is Sweet Caroline Irish?

“Where it began, I can’t begin to knowing,” goes the opening line of the Neil Diamond classic Sweet Caroline, but the Northern Ireland fans are on hand to help solve the mystery. The Green and White Army has staked its claim to Sweet Caroline as a long-established Northern Ireland anthem. Picture Press Eye.

Who sang Fields of Athenry?

The Dubliners
The Fields of Athenry/Artists

What is Athenry famous for?

Athenry is the best preserved medieval town in Ireland, retaining the upstanding remains of most of its original high-status buildings, in addition to its medieval street pattern and even individual property boundaries, or burgage plots.

Why did Irish fans sing fields of Athenry?

The Irish fans sing the Fields of Athenry, after Spain score sending us out of the tournament. Makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.

Is the fields of Athenry a sports anthem?

Fields of Athenry has become a sports anthem for Ireland, Celtic and Liverpool Fields of Athenry Sports anthem The Fields of Athenry is more than just another popular Irish song; since it was adopted by sports fans it has become an unofficial anthem for Ireland.

Who is the composer of fields of Athenry?

Pete St John, who wrote The Fields of Athenry, was invited to perform the song before a Celtic match by the club’s Irish goalkeeper at the time, Packie Bonner.

Which is the most famous Irish song of all time?

The Fields of Athenry is the most famous Irish song of its generation, perhaps the most popular ever, yet very few seem to know its history and background. The Fields of Athenry has more than 846 versions on YouTube and has been translated into 50 languages.