FOR ALMOST 90 years it has been the essential accompaniment to national celebration and sporting victories, but the national anthem could soon find itself altered beyond recognition.
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan has confirmed that the copyright on the anthem is due to end next year, increasing the likelihood that it could be changed, used for commercial purposes or even replaced.
The anthem, originally written in English but best-known now in its Irish-language version Amhrán na bhFiann, has often provoked controversy since it was composed in 1907.
Some have claimed its lyrics are too militant and anti-British, while others criticised the anthem on grounds of musical merit.
Mr Noonan, responding to a question from Independent TD Maureen O’Sullivan, confirmed that his department holds the copyright on the anthem, but said this would run out at the end of next year, on the 70th anniversary of the death of Peadar Kearney, who wrote the English lyrics.
The Minister admitted the department did not own the copyright to the various Irish-language translations of the anthem made since 1917.
He explained that the reason his department holds the copyright to the national anthem was to ensure that it was freely available and to prescribe that performance fees were not charged for its use.
Mr Noonan also said that it was to ensure that the piece was not used “in an inappropriate context and without due deference, such as to render it an object of scorn or derision”.
Ms O’Sullivan, whose interest was prompted by having a friend related to Kearney, said last night the State should ensure that the anthem was not abused after copyright protection runs out in December 2012.
However, she also called for a change to the famous opening line of the chorus of Amhrán na bhFiann, by replacing the reference to "Fianna Fáil" (soldiers) with "laochra fáil" (warriors). "This would restore the integrity of the original words and stop it sounding like a party political broadcast," she said.
However, she acknowledged that Mr Noonan appeared to disagree.
He responded that the current Irish-language version of the national anthem promoted by the Government was the “appropriate and correct interpretation” of the words as composed by Kearney.
The composer of the anthem, Patrick Heeney, died in poverty just four years after he created the work.
Last month, a plaque marking his birthplace in Dublin’s north inner city was unveiled to mark the centenary of his death.
The plaque also commemorates the contribution of Kearney and of Liam Ó Rinn, who wrote the Irish-language translation in 1922.
The State purchased the copyright for the anthem for £1,000 in 1933.
However, it had to repeat this process because of copyright law changes on which occasion it paid £2,500 in 1965.