NI Conservatives’ co-chair, Trevor Ringland, has said “the time could be right” for the Irish Football Association (IFA) to adopt a new anthem for the international team which is unique to Northern Ireland.
“For many, many years the Scottish and Welsh football teams have played distinctive anthems”, Trevor noted. “There is also a campaign for England to have its own anthem, with Jerusalem, which is now used at cricket matches, gaining momentum. Northern Ireland has unique, world famous, green shirts and a distinctive badge, so why should we not have our own anthem, which could even be played alongside God Save the Queen?”
“A huge amount has been achieved, by the IFA, but more importantly, by supporters themselves, towards making international football matches really fun, family affairs, which include everyone in our society. One of the few remaining problems, which I know annoys many fans, is the disrespectful shout of ‘no surrender’ which a small minority insists on making during God Save the Queen. A certain amount of vigilance is needed to ensure that those kind of bad habits remain the exception.”
“A new anthem can be inclusive and inspiring to all Northern Ireland’s players and supporters and it can help to emphasise the Northern Irish identity of our team. There are now almost two years before the next international is likely to be played at a refurbished Windsor Park and it is a great opportunity to try out a new song, which we can use to create a fresh start, at brand new, modern facilities.”
“God Save the Queen will always be the National Anthem, which reflects Northern Ireland’s constitutional place within the United Kingdom. There is also room for a sporting anthem, though, which says something about our unique identity as one of the countries within the UK. It should echo the friendly, healthy rivalries which sports fans enjoy right across these islands. I know that supporters have started an online petition to raise the issue of a unique Northern Ireland anthem for the football team and I think it’s an excellent time to look at introducing one.”