New Irish anthem of hope to be presented to President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama will be presented with a new Irish anthem for hope on the day of his White House inauguration later this month.

Musician Brendan Keeley is travelling across Ireland gathering support for his new anthem ‘We Will Be Strong.'

He plans to record the song in Offaly before President Obama’s famous cousin Henry Healy brings it to the inauguration ceremony on January 19th.

The best selling singer-songwriter has told the Irish Times that he is ‘on a mission’ to raise Irish spirits with an uplifting anthem.

Keeley will visit 78 midlands schools to teach students the words and air to ‘We will be Strong.'

His three-week tour of the schools will culminate in a recording session at the Tullamore GAA grounds.

Keeley added: “I am weary of all the doom and gloom that has swallowed us up over the last few years and so am attempting to do something to try to raise the mood of the Irish people.

“I have composed an anthem of hope entitled We will be Strong. It is not a song of protest, nor is it political or controversial in any way, shape or form.

“It is a rallying call to try to lift the centuries-old spirit of survival that lies deep within the Irish people, as sadly nobody seems to be pumping any hope into us at all.

“Over the month of January, with the help of the GAA youth officer John Leahy, I will be visiting 78 schools here in the midlands teaching the anthem to our young people.

“This will culminate with the schools and the general public of all ages being recorded singing the anthem at O’Connor Park.”

Sports heroes have already backed Keeley’s project and many plan to attend the recording.
He confirmed: “The event has also been endorsed by industry and organisations up and down the country.”

Here’s the track -