EA sorry over Irish anthem gaffe in UEFA Euro 2008

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jul 4th 2008 at 7:00AM }

EA Sports has apologized for putting "The Soldier's Song," traditionally sung at United Ireland games, in place of Northern Ireland's national anthem, "God Save the Queen," in UEFA Euro 2008. Northern Ireland's Londonderry Sentinel reports fans were surprised to hear the anthem representing their country's victory in the game.

What we're surprised to hear is that it took until now for this faux pas to come out. UEFA Euro 2008 released back in April. Was nobody playing as the Northern Irish team?

[Via MCV]

Tags: ea-sports, football, soccer, uefa-euro-2008

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

tc @ Jul 4th 2008 7:11AM

holy shit, what a ridiculous oversight!

a bit ironic considering we're forced to listen to the god awful "Irelands Call" during rugby matches...

Brodie-san @ Jul 4th 2008 7:15AM

Well, the Irish rugby team compromises of players from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland so it makes sense that you don't play one of the countries' national anthems or risk offending people.

In football (soccer) however there are two separate teams representing each country respectively so you would expect that they'd get the anthem right.

And you're right, "Ireland's Call" *is* a terrible song.

tc @ Jul 4th 2008 7:18AM

oh i completely understand the necessity of Ireland's Call, but it really is a pathetic attempt at a rallying call!

You have to love Amhrán na bhFiann at the start of GAA matches...even if the crowd usually manages to drown out the last 2 lines!

Brodie-san @ Jul 4th 2008 7:25AM

I do indeed love Amhrán na bhFiann (Irish national anthem for anyone wondering) at GAA matches.

And the reason the last two lines are drowned out is because, along with the opening line, this is the only part of the anthem most Irish people know in their native tongue!
:)

Dan @ Jul 4th 2008 7:30AM

I find it mildly funny that Joystiq had to call it the Soldier's Song. Do they translate the names of the French or Spanish national anthems into English?

Oh, and no, like most people I know I don't know the song past "Sinne Fianna Fail, Ata fe gheall ag Eirinn". Irish isn't my strong point. :P

tc @ Jul 4th 2008 7:51AM

well i do pride myself on having a bit of the language...if only enough to insult these foreign devils without them knowing it!

but yes, i do need to brush up on the anthem everytime the championship comes around ;)

Nonhippyhippy @ Jul 4th 2008 11:16AM

There are more irish people here than i thought there would be.. dia dhuit lads...

MarMar @ Jul 4th 2008 8:40PM

I can't believe how holier-than-thou the Irish have become since the Celtic Tiger that you're taking issue with song titles being translated into English... Most of the people in your country work for the 1,000+ American, Jap. & Euro. tech. and pharmaceutical companies that've come in... I still feel traumatized by the site of big box Tesco and a giant mall and superhighway on my way to the hotel near Galway!

Out of curiosity though, are there any great works of literature in Gaelic? Epic poetry or anything like that?

tc @ Jul 5th 2008 7:56AM

i find that quite offensive MarMar, we have a wide range culture that has withstood the necessity of globalisation.

this came of the top of my head

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%A1in_B%C3%B3_C%C3%BAailnge

and theres plenty more if you look

Danny @ Jul 4th 2008 7:17AM

I'm more pissed off about Gametrailers constantly referring to the game as yoo-ee-eff-eh in their review.

Cal @ Jul 4th 2008 7:33AM

You wafer =)

reynish @ Jul 4th 2008 9:39AM

"Should keep users entertained until next years version"

WTF? I must have missed the memo saying they'll play the Euros every year?

blah @ Jul 4th 2008 7:17AM

To answer your question: No. Not even the Northen Irish play as the Northen Irish, thats how bad they are.

Of course none of the home nations reached Euro 2008 anyway so why any of them are in there is mystery to me...

Brodie-san @ Jul 4th 2008 7:21AM

Well, Northern Ireland are 33rd in the world (according to the just updated rankings after Spain won Euro2008) so ... that's not that bad to be honest.

For all you US visitors who may be mildly interested in where the US sits in the grand scale of things: you're 30th. Not too shabby at all!

Poisoned Al @ Jul 4th 2008 8:18AM

I was wondering that too. Still, I found not having to listen about football all fucking day BLISS!

Brodie-san @ Jul 4th 2008 8:33AM

I was on a business trip in Germany the day of the semi-final against Turkey.

When Lambe scored in the final minute the place erupted and didn't stop celebrating until the next morning.

Got no sleep and walked into a meeting the next day looking like I'd been on the p1ss all night.

DAMN YOU DEUTSHLAND!

Rondrer @ Jul 4th 2008 11:37AM

Who is Lambe?? the guy who scored the winning goal was Lahm ;)

but yeah, that was a great night :D

FreeDerry @ Jul 4th 2008 8:49AM

Tiocfaidh ar la

DSK @ Jul 4th 2008 9:29AM

You couldn't just not say anything?? You had to leave a sectarian comment?? Why?? Are you really that small minded?? Grow up, move on and get a life.

Ethan @ Jul 4th 2008 9:44AM

By all means feel free to wait, but maybe you could actually concentrate on something important.

snakeeater @ Jul 4th 2008 1:38PM

I have spent the the best part of my life living trough the troubles so well it may be easy for someone like you thats experience of the troubles is reading it in a book or off Wikipedia to "move on" but for those of us who have experienced the loss of family and friends over the years because of the conflict it is considerably more difficult to "move on"

aristokrat @ Jul 5th 2008 11:03AM

So by all means let's keep the fighting going so that more people can experience the pain that you have felt.

koehler83 @ Jul 4th 2008 9:05AM

Well... no.

Nobody was playing Northern Ireland. Nobody was playing any team. Nobody was playing the game. Nobody is playing the game. Nobody is going to play the game. It is an EA game.

Andrew @ Jul 4th 2008 9:08AM

This was pointed out on the UEFA 2008 forums around a week after launch by a number of users.

Im suprised its taken this long to come out

CenturionRyan @ Jul 4th 2008 9:31AM

As someone from Northern Ireland, I can say that I really don't give a shit.

As far as I'm concerned, it's the same bloody country.

tc @ Jul 4th 2008 9:32AM

you and "FreeDerry" should just get out of joystiq and find yourself a nice sinn féin forum to vent your bile.

This is a gaming blog, so kindly fuck off

DSK @ Jul 4th 2008 9:32AM

Nitro Frost,
The only time the Ireland has been United is under British rule, before that it was never "whole".

NitroFrost @ Jul 4th 2008 10:58AM

Tis was joke and I wanted someone like TC to get all wild up about it I thought it was funny to see him think big of himself.

Like I could care I live in America, I am Irish, but I still don't have any says it what the Irish should do and I shouldn't try to say I know what they should do, I don't have the right.

I mean no offens to the N. Irish since I don't know what the Irish people truly went through during those dark times I can say anything.

If someone didn't like my comment o well it was a joke to get someone wild up and it worked nuff said.

once again I don't hate the N. Irish I love everyone........ but those damn scots

tc @ Jul 4th 2008 11:31AM

NitroFrost -

You'll notice that I didn't mention my political opinions whatsoever and just pointed out that you were wrong to say what you did, where you did.

I saw your "apology" and it's nice that you were able to row back somewhat from insanity. But the defence "i was trying to piss people off" isn't the strongest one i've heard.

Oh screw this, i could go on for hours here but the bottom line is - grow up.

NitroFrost @ Jul 4th 2008 2:13PM

And TC I am sorry that I was trying to offend you I am sorry in all ways I am trying to grow up and I think that was very immature for me to say what I didn't it was very heat of the moment I forgot what my ideals were and what I really thought about Ireland.

Like I daw on family matters last night Carl tells steve he hates him then steve hooks Carl up to a lie detector and asks him if he really hates him and Carl says no he whishs he could take that back but he can't.

Carl said sticks and stones my brake my bones but words my never hurt me is a lie words hurt alot and I will say it again I am sorry.

Ethan @ Jul 4th 2008 9:41AM

Angry Protestants. Moving on.

John @ Jul 4th 2008 10:31AM

I think someone at Joystiq needs to get out their copy of the World Fact Book and locate this "United" Ireland, the games of which are started off by singing The Soldiers Song/Amhrain na bhFiann! I don't think it exists anywhere except in the odd republican head, such as Nitrofrost above.

Just to buck the trend, I must admit I quite like Ireland's Call - and I'm from Roscommon. So go figure....

NitroFrost @ Jul 4th 2008 11:04AM

I republic head is Big swell and full of hate ^.^

I never heard any of the songs (I don't really know why I should have since I love my heritage). I haven't seen much of Irish soccer ether but I did see that youtube clip about the great win or what not, I can't remeber what the game was but it was a epic battle of a old game it was like a 1-0 win and it was I think Galways only championship in like 30 years or something.

Yea I am not going to bother and look that up but it was probably not Galway it my have been Mayo since I was looking up things about Mayo

GenBanks @ Jul 4th 2008 10:40AM

Lol that's pretty funny. Although I find it understandable. It does seem kind of unnatural for an area called 'Northern Ireland' to have a national anthem called "God Save the Queen [of England]". Just as it would seem unnatural for India to have Rule Britannia as its anthem.

tc @ Jul 4th 2008 10:43AM

oh a rossie! i had relatives who hailed from just outside boyle.

plus i was in galway over the weekend and happened to be in a taxi when i heard that the roscommon minors beat the galway equivalant by a point! Delicious!

NitroFrost @ Jul 4th 2008 11:10AM

Yea so I guess people got to affended by what I said and I apologize sorry

I love the world and was just being a dick once again my bad if I could I would delete my comment but I can't sorry.

Now get over it and play the game

Adrian @ Jul 4th 2008 12:48PM

There is no "United Ireland" soccer team! Also, the national anthem is called Amhrán na bhFiann not Soldiers Song.

Gary @ Jul 4th 2008 1:14PM

It's people like you who give the mentally retarded a bad name. You seem to have no idea what a joke is if you think that was one. How about you insult some others? Maybe the zimbabweans about over exagerating on Mugabe, or that slavery was all just a wee bit of fun?

As you say in your further comments, you are a dick.

Good Day Sir