The Wild Rover, or bring back Molly Malone? Ireland rugby fans suggest songs to sing in stands

Last Saturday at the Aviva Stadium Ireland outclassed France to claim a 32-19 victory in the second game of their Six Nations campaign. And while Andy Farrell’s side may have triumphed on the pitch, the Irish fans were heartily outsung by the Les Bleus supporters in the stands – so much so that, at times, you could have closed your eyes and imagined being in the Stade de France.

On such a great occasion for Irish rugby, it was a pity to hear the home crowd being drowned out by their visiting counterparts, estimated to be at 9,000-10,000, inside the 52,000-capacity stadium.

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We asked Irish Times readers what song they thought Ireland fans should sing to raise the atmosphere on match day at the Aviva Stadium – a topic that received a significant number of responses. Below is a selection.

Reader comments

I used to go to Six Nations matches frequently in the early 2000s and loved singing Molly Malone. I’m a Munster fan and have no issue with the Dublin-centric aspect. It’s also a song that you can belt out at the top of your lungs and is easy for the poor singers among us. Bring back Molly Malone! – Trevor Cobbe, Alicante, Spain

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The great rugby song There is an Isle should be the one. It’s a great air – inspirational and swirling. Ireland’s Call is like something a 10-year-old child might compose. – Michael Keane, Co Mayo

Drop Kick Me Jesus Through the Goalposts of Life, Bobby Bare, 1980. – Nick Shortland

There is an Isle has it all. That Shannon RFC embraced it first many years ago should be incidental. The lyrics fit (all of Ireland) and it’s a cracking anthem with rhyme, rhythm and punch. – Mark Tierney, Co Dublin

Heyday by Mic Christopher. – Joe Gilvarry, Co Dublin

Irelande Douze Points, Dustin the Turkey. – Conor Nolan, Assam, India

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The Wild Rover. Got a great chorus, is easy to sing, is non-sectarian and will resonate with all who are just there to drink beer! – Tom McMahon, Punta del Este, Uruguay

Ideally, it should be in Irish and English, and no drivel about oppression or republic nonsense. Something about a lost love and the beautiful landscape of the island. Rework There is an Isle, include some Irish too and maybe a few new lines. – Desmond FitzGerald

My dear great-grandmother was from Blackrock, Co Cork. We came for a visit just before Covid and hope to be back soon. The song that they should play is obviously the Bold Thady Quill. – Tim Roberts, Missouri, US

Any song selected to be sung by Ireland fans needs to have memorable lyrics that people may already know off by heart from their childhood (or residents’ bars at weddings!) and it needs to feel natural and appropriate to a group of people trying to encourage a rugby team to win a Test match. I think the Old Triangle has potential as the words are fairly easy to remember and it could work with a large group of people singing it together, as Irish musicians did successfully in the Albert Hall many years ago as a celebration of Irishness and all things Irish. I wonder would songs from, say, Aslan (Crazy World?) be encouraged or something that is well-known as being quintessential Irish, eg Brown Eyed Girl or N17 from the Saw Doctors. – Brendan Hession, Co Galway

The Fields of Athenry will never lose its magic. Works wonders every time. What about When Irish Eyes are Smiling? Let’s face it, that team give us a lot to smile about. – Molly O’Neill, Co Dublin

There is an Isle. Not Irish but Scottish, but easily commandeered by all persuasions on the island of Ireland to sing about their homeland and suitably and sufficiently stirring to get the blood flowing. – Anonymous

The Wild Rover, Molly Malone, The Fields [of Athenry], Whiskey in the Jar. When I first went to Lansdowne Road, I was amazed that my dad knew so many songs. By kick-off I knew most of them as well, as the band marched around the stadium playing them all. About one in every five songs they’d also play something for the visiting support, and down the years (1990s) I heard Bread of Heaven, Loch Lomond, Waltzing Matilda. These days with players’ warm-ups, there’s not much room for marching but the band are there for the anthems. Why not let them warm up the crowd? I love U2, Thin Lizzy, Dolores et al but you can’t hear the person next to you over the PA – they’re so loud. I hope when my own young fella is old enough to go to a match he’ll want to learn a few songs, but without a marching band and 50,000 people accompanying you, why would you bother? – Michael Bate, London

The Londonderry Air, also called Danny Boy, is a song that everybody knows and loves – North and South. Danny Boy has a rousing melody reaching a crescendo in the chorus and everybody knows the words. It is universally identified as Irish and the official title recognises the two dominant traditions – unionist and nationalist – represented in Irish rugby. – David Bourke, Co Dublin

Give Him a Ball (and a Yard of Grass), Sultans of Ping. – Frank Casey, Co Cork

It needs to be an easy song to sing. The Fields of Athenry is a beautiful song but not easy and rousing. Ideally, it should start with the title, like Swing Low and Molly Malone. My first choice would be A Nation Once Again. Rugby is the only sport we play as a nation. Though, I suspect [the song] would not be considered politically correct. The safe choice would be Danny Boy. It ticks all the boxes and is an Irish, Northern Irish and English song. Therefore, [it] should be politically correct but not as rousing as A Nation Once Again. – Patrick Harnett, Isle of Man

Raglan Road – the Dubliner’s version. Perfect song for the ending credits of In Bruges film. – Cormac Farrell, Co Dublin

We should all sing Party Hard by Andrew WK and pretend it’s 2001 all over again

Given the song’s anthemic quality, its Irish author and our inability to have reached the World Cup semi as of yet, U2′s I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For? Alternatively, The Auld Triangle or The Pogues’ A Pair of Brown Eyes are bangers and fun to belt out. – Sean O’Brien, Co Wicklow

Tough question. The air in chorus of Mo Ghile Mear? It’s originally a Cúil Aodha air, apparently. Lyrics as Gaeilge refer to heroics of some description. See The Chieftains and Sting intro for an example. – Kev McCarthy, Co Dublin

As a tour director taking all nations around Ireland, it’s very rare to find people over 30 that don’t know at least part of Molly Malone. I agree that it’s a song that everyone can get behind. I personally don’t like it but it’s a great calling-on song. – Peter O’Connor, Co Waterford

I think they should sing that Dana song from the Eurovision or My Lovely Horse from Father Ted. – Anonymous, Florida, US

Personally I think that we (the Irish) should belt out Lipstick by Jedward (our last truly great Eurovision song) to lift the lads up when it’s gotta be try time. COYBIG. – Fintan O’Caroll-Kelly, Co Dublin

Zombie [by the Cranberries], if Munster fans are happy to share it with the rest of us. Incredible song. Visceral and rousing, it speaks of our past and yearns for a different future. Absolutely nothing to do with sport, perfect. – Ronan Murray, Co Dublin

Anything by AC/DC. – John Piece, Manchester

We have sold our souls to corporate hospitality and beer. The true supporters who don’t need singing lessons are being squeezed out. Oirland worked well for years. Just look at passion and decibels at GAA matches. It’s getting preferable to watch in peace on TV instead of the endless stand up sit down to facilitate boozy rugby illiterate yokes. – Mary Duane, Co Dublin

The team is from the four provinces. The most appropriate anthem recognising this has to be Ireland’s Call. Anything short of this, so far, is partisan and divisive, in one respect or another. – Sean O’Sullivan, Prague, Czechia

The Fields of Athenry is the obvious choice, even if football got there first. Anything but Ireland’s Call. – Brian Ellis, Co Meath

If Ireland’s Call isn’t popular then someone needs to create a new inspirational song with a bit of tempo because, at the minute, the Aviva is soulless. There are too many passive people there for the occasion and to be entertained rather than support. We also need a chant, or two, with a bit of humour/wit. Maybe we could adapt something from soccer – like the Ulster Everywhere We Go or He Knocked it On . More importantly, I think we need to create a new supporters’ club with access to a guaranteed block of tickets for each of the four areas of the ground who actively initiate co-ordinated chants and songs throughout the game. A bit of co-ordination, imagination, wit and a social media platform could work wonders! Maybe Irish Times could put their weight behind that? – Robert Cameron, Co Antrim

We should all sing Party Hard by Andrew WK and pretend it’s 2001 all over again. – Paddy Murtagh, Co Dublin

I have a 10-year debenture so attend most matches. Gerry Thornley is correct: the Aviva was like Paris last weekend. Too many of the “Irish” support know little about rugby and are only there for the beer. When I went with my dad 50 years ago, Molly Malone was the song. I would support it again. Ireland’s Call is awful but “cockles and mussels” is lively. Control of the sale of tickets is a farce. Touts standing beside the gardaí are ignored. – John Lalor