Ireland doesn’t officially have two national anthems; it has one official anthem plus a special “all‑island” song that’s treated like an anthem in sport, especially rugby.

The basic answer

  • The Republic of Ireland’s official national anthem is Amhrán na bhFiann (“The Soldier’s Song”).
  • Ireland’s Call is a later song, written for sport to represent the whole island (Republic of Ireland + Northern Ireland) in a neutral, inclusive way.
  • In rugby, both are often sung, which makes it look like Ireland has “two national anthems,” but legally only Amhrán na bhFiann is the state anthem.

A bit of history and politics

  • Amhrán na bhFiann was written around 1909–1910 and became the national anthem of the independent Irish state in 1926, heavily tied to Irish nationalism and the struggle for independence.
  • Because of that history, some in Northern Ireland (which is part of the UK) see it as too nationalist or politically loaded, especially unionist communities.
  • To avoid forcing players from Northern Ireland to stand under a song they might not identify with, rugby authorities looked for something more neutral.

How “Ireland’s Call” came about

  • In the late 1980s and early 1990s, during The Troubles, tensions around symbols like flags and anthems were intense.
  • Ahead of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the Irish Rugby Football Union commissioned songwriter Phil Coulter to create Ireland’s Call as a unifying anthem for players from both jurisdictions.
  • Its lyrics deliberately avoid party politics or references to the republic only, focusing instead on island‑wide identity and team unity.

Why you hear two anthems at rugby

  • The Ireland rugby team represents the entire island , unlike football (soccer), where there are separate teams for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
  • At home rugby games in Dublin:
    • Amhrán na bhFiann is played as the official anthem of the host country (the Republic).
* Ireland’s Call is also sung to represent all‑Ireland unity, including Northern Irish players and fans.
  • At away games, usually only Ireland’s Call is performed for Ireland, because it’s the agreed all‑island sporting anthem.

Different viewpoints (like on forums)

You’ll see a few recurring opinions in online discussions:

  • Some people love Amhrán na bhFiann and feel it alone should be used, arguing it’s the real anthem of the state and has deep historical meaning.
  • Others prefer Ireland’s Call as more inclusive and less tied to past conflict, especially for a team that includes unionists from Northern Ireland.
  • A few fans joke that Ireland almost has three anthems, counting “God Save the King” for some Northern Irish teams in other sports.

Quick story‑style recap

Picture a packed stadium in Dublin for a Six Nations game. The Irish team lines up: players from Cork, Dublin, Belfast, Derry all shoulder to shoulder. First, the crowd sings Amhrán na bhFiann , echoing the history of the Republic. Then the music shifts to Ireland’s Call , and suddenly the emphasis is on the whole island standing together, whatever their background. That’s why it feels like “two national anthems” – one is the state’s historic anthem, and the other is a bridge built for a shared team in a complicated place.

TL;DR: Ireland has one official national anthem, Amhrán na bhFiann, but in sports (especially rugby) it also uses Ireland’s Call as a neutral, all‑island anthem to include both the Republic and Northern Ireland.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.