AN updated version of a famed Munster Rugby anthem – Stand Up and Fight – has arrived, with proceeds to Limerick Dementia Social Club.
The song (from Carmen Jones, the American opera) is in part a rousing, defiant anthem about courage, fighting for love/life, and embracing one’s fate.
It was initially brought to the province just ahead of the new millennium by former team manager, the late Brian O’Brien, of Shannon RFC, and the update is courtesy of his son Ronan.
Over a quarter of a century ago (1999), O’Brien’s rendition initially caught the public eye following a performance he gave after a Munster Champions Cup tie away to then holders Ulster in Belfast.
This was an era when such teams from Munster comprised largely of local players.
The song was part and parcel of many special occasions, most notably the great European Cup wins of Munster in 2006 and 2008.
In more recent times, Stand Up and Fight has become a staple live performance before fixtures at Thomond Park.
Stand Up and Fight is a tune that beats on and on in the memory of every modern Munster moment, from the birth of many a European adventure to the untimely death of the legendary Anthony Foley.
Munster Hall of Fame inductee Brian O’Brien passed away in February 2023.
“I performed the song at his funeral, and my version – featuring with bodhrán and some other musical tastes – has eventually come to pass almost three years later,” said Ronan. “It’s not a million miles away from the original but, I think anyway, more local to Munster. My hope now is that it becomes a real community anthem for Munster matches, particularly those in Limerick.”
To support Limerick Dementia Social Club, the newest version of Stand Up and Fight can be purchased for €2 through payhip.com/b/QcIFC.