Ireland's Call is a song used in international Rugby Union matches, and is played when the Irish rugby team is playing. The rugby team represents the whole island of Ireland (both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland) and so Amhrán na bhFiann was deemed inappropriate, both because it is the official national anthem of the Republic and because it is has a militant nationalist theme unacceptable to northern Unionists. At matches played in the Republic, both Amhrán na bhFiann and Ireland's Call are sung; elsewhere, Ireland's Call is the only anthem used.

At most rugby union matches today, only the first verse is sung, followed by the chorus in the same key. The chorus is then repeated in a higher key; at the end, the last line is repeated. The song was written by Phil Coulter, who was commissioned by the Irish Rugby Football Union to write an anthem in 1995.

Lyrics¹

1

Come the day and come the hour

Come the power and the glory

We have come to answer

Our Country's call

From the four proud provinces of Ireland

Chorus

Ireland, Ireland,

Together standing tall

Shoulder to shoulder

We'll answer Ireland's call

2

From the mighty Glens of Antrim

From the rugged hills of Galway

From the walls of Limerick

And Dublin Bay

From the four proud provinces of Ireland

(Chorus)

3

Hearts of steel

And heads unbowing

Vowing never to be broken

We will fight, until

We can fight no more

From the four proud provinces of Ireland

(Chorus)

Footnote

1. Parts of the song not usually sung are in italics.