Latest news with #AmhránnabhFiann
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Anika Thompson strikes gold as Nicola Tuthill wins silver at European U-23 Championships
Thompson, a student at the University of Oregon, turned in a superb performance in the 25-lap event, breaking her Irish U-23 record by 23 seconds and hitting the line in 32:31.47, with Germany's Kira Weis (32:36.52) and Carolina Schafer (33:04.43) following her home. 'I'm overjoyed,' said Thompson. 'Track and field is a sport of process and hard work and every day, I gave 100pc for moments like this. I'm so grateful for all my family, friends and coaches who support me. The plan was to feel it out, go by instincts. I trusted my gut and I knew I had every tactic in the bag.' Thompson played a patient game in the race, tracking Weis as the leader hit halfway in 16:16, with Thompson surging to the front with just over two laps to run. She cranked up the pace soon after and broke clear on the final lap, becoming just the second Irish gold medallist in the 28-year history of the championships after Sophie O'Sullivan in 2023. Thompson was raised in Oregon but qualifies to represent Ireland through her Cork grandparents, competing for Leevale AC in national events. The 22-year-old had finished 11th in the same race two years ago and it was a special kind of pride getting to stand atop the podium and hear Amhrán na bhFiann. 'I live in the United States but my whole family is in Ireland,' she said. 'I grew up going to Ireland every summer and it was a dream of mine to represent Ireland. So this really means a lot to me. "My grandad (Dan Joe Kelleher) passed away last fall, my Granny Maria is over there from Cork and it is such an honour – I'm so grateful for her support. "I grew up watching Sonia O'Sullivan, Ciara Mageean, Donie Walsh. It was always a dream of mine to represent Ireland at European Championships and hopefully others in the future.' It was the 12th Irish medal in the 15 editions of the championships to date and soon after, Tuthill earned number 13, winning silver in the hammer – the first ever medal for Ireland at this grade in a field event. The 21-year-old Cork athlete launched her leading throw of 70.90m in the fourth round, but had to settle for second behind Germany's Aileen Kuhn, who threw a PB of 72.53m. Bronze went to Valentina Savva of Cyprus with a national record of 70.22m. 'I'm delighted, second was where I was ranked and that's where I came,' said Tuthill. 'I'm always looking for a little bit more but these medals are so hard to come by so I'm delighted to get one. 'I'm not overly happy with my series of throws, I know there's more in me, but it's still another throw over 70 and in a major championship like this, where there's nerves and everything that comes with it, I'm delighted.' The UCD student became an Olympian in Paris last year and last month, she broke her own Irish U-23 record with 71.71m in Finland – behind only Eileen O'Keeffe's 73.21m on the Irish senior all-time list. She will be back in action next week at the World University Games in Germany. On Saturday, the leading Irish medal hope in Bergen is Nick Griggs, who races the 5000m final at 5.30pm Irish time. However, the Tyrone athlete will come up against Dutch star Niels Laros, who should cruise to victory having run a 3:45.94 mile to win in Eugene recently. Meanwhile, there will be strong Irish interest at the London Diamond League with Rhasidat Adeleke, Sarah Healy and Mark English all competing. Adeleke will hope to ignite her season after some sub-par outings over 400m in recent weeks, the Dubliner dropping down to 200m where the big favourite is her training partner, the Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred. Adeleke is the Irish 200m record holder via the 22.34 she ran in 2023, while her season's best is the 22.57 she ran in Florida back in April. Healy has been enjoying the best season of her career and she will have Ciara Mageean's national record of 4:14.58 in her sights when she lines up in the women's mile, where Olympic medallists Jess Hull of Australia and Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia are the favourites. English will face a red-hot field in the 800m, the Donegal man enjoying a breakthrough season at the age of 32, having dipped under 1:44 for the first time when setting the national record of 1:43.92 to win in Hengelo last month. After a 1:43.98 clocking in Paris in his last outing four weeks ago, he has put in a block of altitude training and will be eyeing another Irish record in a field that includes Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi and previous world champions Marco Arop and Donavan Brazier. Ireland will also have a team in the women's 4x100m, where the national record of 43.80, set at the 2018 Europeans in Berlin, could be under threat.
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Watch: Should the national anthem be mandatory in school?
Sinn Féin's Conor D McGuinness has called for the national anthem to be included on the school curriculum. He said it was "shameful" that it is not currently mandatory to teach Amhrán na bhFiann in primary or secondary schools. Mr McGuinness said the national anthem is taught in many schools "because teachers choose to include it". The Department of Education said that while teaching the song is not mandatory, there are "clear pathways" for it to be included. It added that it is a matter for each individual school. We asked people in Dublin's city centre if they know our national anthem, where they learned it and if they think it should be a mandatory to teach it in schools.
The Journal
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Should all schools in Ireland teach the national anthem?
SINN FÉIN'S CONOR D McGuinness TD has called for Amhrán na bhFiann, Ireland's national anthem, to be a mandatory part of the school curriculum. The party's Rural Affairs spokesperson has described the exclusion of the national anthem in schools as 'shameful' and an 'undermining of Ireland's republican heritage'. Advertisement In response to a Parliamentary Question from McGuinness, Minister for Education Helen McEntee confirmed that it is not compulsory for schools to teach students the words to Amhrán na bhFiann. Instead, it is left to individual teachers to decide whether or not to teach it. So, tell us what you think: Should all schools in Ireland teach the national anthem? Poll Results: Yes (1551) No (125) Unsure (41) Yes No Unsure Vote
RTÉ News
7 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Call for mandatory teaching of national anthem
A Sinn Féin TD has called for the national anthem to be included on the school curriculum. Conor D McGuinness said it was "shameful" and "outrageous" that it is not mandatory to teach Amhrán na bhFiann in primary or secondary schools. He said it is a "clear sign of how little respect this Government has for Ireland's republican heritage". In a statement, Deputy McGuinness said the national anthem is taught in many schools "because teachers choose to include it". "It is not guaranteed," he said. He added that Amhrán na bhFiann is a "basic expression of national identity and civic belonging". Not on primary school history curriculum In response, the Department of Education acknowledged that the current primary school curriculum for history does not "specifically mention the national anthem". However, it said frameworks provide "clear pathways" for schools to include Amhrán na bhFiann as part of "broader learning about Irish history and identity". It said it is a matter for each school to decide to teach the song as part of its programmes. The Department said schools can choose to teach the song as part of some strand units. There are also opportunities for teachers to include the song in history, Irish and music classes at post-primary level. "The Department recognises the importance of national symbols, including Amhrán na bhFiann, as valuable educational tools for fostering civic pride and historical awareness," it said.
Irish Examiner
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
GAA unlikely to punish Donegal and Meath for early parade departure
The GAA are not expected to take any action against Donegal and Meath breaking early from the parade before Sunday's All-Ireland SFC final. Although players are required to stand to attention for the entirety of Amhrán na bhFiann, there are no match regulations against counties not finishing the entire duration of the parade, which starts and end at the Hogan Stand. On Sunday, Donegal moved away from the parade behind the Artane Boys's Band before it reached Hill 16 and Meath follow suit soon afterwards. Prior to last year's All-Ireland SFC final, Armagh similarly broke away into a group as Galway continued to walk in single file behind the musicians. The only regulations pertaining the parade state that in hurling helmets should not be worn for it and for both codes 'the team captain shall lead the parade and only the 15 players commencing the game as per official team list may march in the parade, in team jerseys and numerical order.' However, the protocols around parades, which take place before provincial finals and All-Ireland semi-finals and finals, could be reviewed by the Central Competitions Control Committee for next season. Last week, three Kilkenny players joined their team in it late having been in the dressing room after warming up. This year, the GAA's public announcers have read out a message before the anthem asked supporters to respect the entirety of it. However, players continues to move away before the song has finished. In 2021, a regulation was introduced insisting teams 'stand to attention respectfully facing the flag for the full duration of the anthem.' Referees were instructed not to commence the game for at least 30 seconds after the end of the song so as to allow teams huddle prior to footballers and hurlers taking their starting positions. Meanwhile, Brendan Cawley is the leading candidate to officiate Sunday week's All-Ireland SFC final between Donegal and Kerry. The Kildare native took charge of the Kerry-Armagh All-Ireland quarter-final as well as Donegal's Ulster opener against Derry. Sarsfields man Cawley was the man in the middle for the Galway-Donegal All-Ireland semi-final last year and was stand-by referee/linesman to Seán Hurson for the Galway-Armagh final. If he is appointed, he will follow in the footsteps of fellow Kildare men such as Seamus Aldridge (1978), Tommy Howard (1993) and Mick Monahan (2005).
