Ah, God!

Indeed .

It's that time again. Almost missed bumping it up for the day!

It's getting close to that time again.

Eight years on, I realize the title to this thread is inaccurate! In all the quest for accuracy, we managed to OMIT THE ANTHEM that set off the great race!

Confirmed collector of Irish music that I am, I had found records with two different songs claiming to be the "Irish National Anthem." "A Soldier's Song" seemed to have the better claim (which I have double-checked) and I only ever found one version of it--a crappy quality recording which sounded as if some dude was belting it through the P. A. system at a football game. Here it is, as true natives assert, the way it should be played: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wygzJtJwPnk

And imagine! If you weren't quick off the mark, having to stand for a whole MINUTE AND A HALF!

By the way, "The Lovely Isle of Innisfree" turned up on the PBS special When Irish Eyes are Smiling. The program, hosted by Patty Duke, explained that the song is a whimsical bit of nonsense, as "Inish" is Irish for "Island," one sings, "The Lovely Isle of Island Free."

Oh, dear, it's that time of year.

Rather than start another thread, I'll tack this onto this one, but the story "Tangerine" has a young man singing the Johnny Mercer song in 1939. It actually wasn't published till 1941, and introduced in a movie in 1942. The story specifically takes place just before the war, so changing the date wouldn't help.

On page 270 of The Bradbury Chronicles, Sam Weller writes that "The Anthem Sprinters" is "about the Irish who, under British rule, madly flee movie theaters at the ends of films before the English national anthem strikes up."

This can't possibly be right, can it? Wasn't the Irish Free State established in 1922, and these guys were supposed to be watching a 1937 film which was by then "old"? Surely it was the Irish national anthem?!

You're right. From the story:

"Any night, every night, for tens of dreadful years at the end of each damn fillum, as if you'd never heard the baleful tune before", grieved Timulty, "the orchestra strikes up for Ireland."

So it is indeed the Irish anthem that plays in the story.

However, it may well be that the original anecdote that inspired the story related to the days of British rule. (If the characters have been doing it for decades, that could be the case.)

quote:

Originally posted by philnic:
You're right.

I knew it! I just needed to hear it confirmed!

Ready or not, it's that time again!

quote:

Originally posted by dandelion:
Ready or not, it's that time again!

Yes! Friday night, I was still undecided on what I would read to Mr B on Saturday, when suddenly it struck me - it's 17/3! It must be an Irish story! So, I pulled out The Toynbee Convector and found One For His Lordship, and One For the Road!, an old favourite. When I arrived, I told him of my selection and why, saying that it was Irish Day. He asked, clearly excited, "Is it Irish Day?!" "Yes!", I replied. "You'll have to look for The Quiet Man on the TV later. He assured me that he would. We then went on to speak of our love for the John Ford classic, both telling the other that it's our favourite John Wayne picture. I asked if he, perchance, had ever enjoyed my second-favourite Irish fillum, Waking Ned Devine. "Oh, my God - I love that film!", he replied. We then spoke of our love for Ned.

He must have enjoyed the reading because he said "Come back in two weeks - I command it!" I had to chuckle at that.

A wonderful day.

It's so great that he can still get excited like that and I am so happy to hear news of him. Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by dandelion:
It's so great that he can still get excited like that and I am so happy to hear news of him. Thanks.

That's why I post. I won't get too private as that's not the right thing to do, but I will occasionally post something like this because I know others look forward to an update once in awhile. By the way, he's doing great!

GOOD!!! Everyone should be glad to hear this!